We are no longer building saddle trees, but we have two videos about how Western saddles fit horses available on our westernsaddlefit.com website.
Metal Horns
We wrote our Basics on Horns page to explain the decisions you can make in choosing the horn you want. This page is to give you more information on the metal horns we use and to show pictures of what they look like on different forks and with different cap sizes.
How we attach the horns
We prefer the horns with four feet. We put them in properly so all four feet are solid to the fork and we have had no problems with breakage. Space for the horn is routered out and the feet are positioned so the screws go into the hardwood of the fork. Then, any excess space around the horn is filled with auto body filler and sanded smooth. We set up the horns so the angle of the neck matches the angle of the fork unless we are asked to lean them ahead.
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| Normal angle of horn on a stood up fork. | Leaned ahead horn on a stood up fork. |
Horn types
All our horns are manganese bronze made by Herb Bork of Bork Saddlery Hardware or Boise Foundry. We always have three main types on hand. Our most common horn is a Hamley, also called a #6, which comes in four different heights. For a flatter pitched horn, we like a #4, also known as a Texas Dally. The Old Timer horn pattern is taken from an old horn off a slick fork tree and works really nicely on them since it is designed to fit on a slick fork. When finished, it looks very similar to a #4. Other horns can easily be ordered if your request them.
Other horn styles
We can order and use other horns, including exposed horns, at your request.
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Horn height variations
As discussed in our Basics on Horns page, the actual horn height measured at the front of the horn varies with cap size and the top cut angle on the fork. The amount it varies depends on the pitch of the horn cap. The pictures of the different horns with different caps are organized by the “named height” of the horn. To help you make the correlation, we have given an approximate measured horn height for the cap size used for each horn type.
Pictures of horns
Following are tables of pictures of our three common horn styles. There are four heights for the Hamley (#6) horns, two for the #4 (Texas Dally) horns and one for the Old Timer horns. We have included pictures where possible of the different horns on slick forks, swell forks and forks that are stood up compared to the more common leaned ahead angle.
Please note: These pictures were taken on a flat table. There will be less pitch to the horns when the trees are on a horse.
Hamley or #6 Horns
Table of approximate measured horn heights. These numbers can vary over 1/8” in either direction.
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1 ¾” cap |
2” cap |
2 ¼” cap |
2 ½” cap |
2 ¾” cap |
3” cap |
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2 ½” horn |
2 1/8” |
2 ¼” |
2 3/8” |
2 ½” |
2 ½” |
2 5/8” |
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3” horn |
2 ½” |
2 ¾” |
2 3/4” |
2 7/8” |
3” |
3 1/8” |
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3 ½” horn |
2 7/8” |
3” |
3 1/8” |
3 1/4” |
3 3/8” |
3 3/8” |
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4” horn |
3 ½” |
3 ½”” |
3 5/8” |
3 3/4” |
3 ¾” |
3 7/8” |
2 1/2" size Hamley or #6 Horns
| Slick Forks | Swell Forks | Stood Up Forks |
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| 2 1/2" high 1 3/4" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
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| 2 1/2" high 2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness, slick fork |
2 1/2" high 2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
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| 2 1/2" high 2 1/4" cap Hamley horn 4 1/4" stock thickness, slick fork |
2 1/2" high 2 1/4" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
2 1/2" high 2 1/4" cap Hamley horn 4" stock thickness, stood up fork |
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| 2 1/2" high 2 1/2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock, horn leaned ahead |
2 1/2" high 2 1/2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock, stood up fork |
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| 2 1/2" high 2 3/4" cap Hamley horn 4 1/4" stock thickness, slick fork |
2 1/2" high 2 3/4" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
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| 2 1/2" high 3" cap Hamley horn 4" stock thickness |
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| 2 1/2" high 3 1/4" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3" size Hamley or #6 Horns
| Slick Forks | Swell Forks | Stood Up Forks |
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| 3" high 1 3/4"" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock |
3" high 1 1/2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock, stood up fork |
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| 3" high 2" cap Hamley horn 3 1/2" stock thickness, slick fork |
3" high 2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3" high 2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock, stood up fork |
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| 3" high 2 1/4" cap Hamley horn 4" stock thickness, slick fork |
3" high 2 1/4" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3" high 2 1/4" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock, stood up fork |
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| 3" high 2 1/2" cap Hamley horn 4 1/4" stock thickness, slick fork |
3" high 2 1/2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3" high 2 1/2" cap Hamley horn 4" stock, stood up fork |
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| 3" high 2 3/4" cap Hamley horn 4 1/2" stock thickness, slick fork |
3" high 2 3/4" cap Hamley horn 4 3/4" stock thickness |
3" high 2 5/8" cap Hamley horn 4 1/2" stock thickness, stood up fork |
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| 3" high 3" cap Hamley horn 4 1/4" stock thickness, slick fork |
3" high 3" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3" high 3" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock, stood up fork |
3 1/2" size Hamley or #6 Horns
| Slick Forks | Swell Forks | Stood Up Forks |
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| 3 1/2" high 1 3/4" cap Hamley horn 3 5/8" stock, horn leaned ahead |
3 1/2" high 1 3/4" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock, horn leaned ahead |
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| 3 1/2" high 2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3 1/2" high 2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock, stood up fork, horn leaned |
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| 3 1/2" high 2 1/4" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3 1/2" high 2 1/4" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock, stood up fork |
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| 3 1/2" high 2 1/2" cap Hamley horn 4 1/4" stock thickness, slick fork |
3 1/2" high 2 1/2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3 1/2" high 2 1/2" cap Hamly horn 3 3/4" stock, stood up fork |
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| 3 1/2" high 2 3/4" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3 1/2" high 2 3/4" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock, stood up fork |
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| 3 1/2" high 3" cap Hamley horn 4 1/2" stock thickness, slick fork |
3 1/2" high 3" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
4" size Hamley or #6 Horns
| Swell Fork | Stood Up Fork |
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| 4" high 1 1/2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
4" high 1 1/2" cap Hamley horn 3 1/2" stock thickness, stood up fork |
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| 4" high 2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
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| 4" high 2 1/2" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
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| 4" high 2 3/4" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness, stood up fork |
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| 4" high 3" cap Hamley horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
#4 or Texas Dally Horns
With the flatter pitch, there not as much variation in height with the different cap sizes. The 3 ½ horn actually measures between 3 and 3 1/4'” tall and the 4” horn measures around the 3 ¾” mark.
3 1/2" size #4 or Texas Dally Horns
| Slick Fork | Swell Fork | Stood Up Fork |
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| 3 1/2" high 1 1/2" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3 1/2" high 1 5/8" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock on short, stood up fork |
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| 3 1/2" high 1 3/4" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3 1/2" high 1 3/4" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness, stood up fork |
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| 3 1/2" high 2" cap #4 horn 4 1/4" stock thickness, slick fork |
3 1/2" high 2" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3 1/2" high 2" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness, stood up fork |
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| 3 1/2" high 2 1/4" cap #4 horn 3 1/2" stock thickness |
3 1/2" high 2 1/4" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock, horn leaned ahead |
3 1/2" high 2 1/4" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness, stood up fork |
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| 3 1/2" high 2 1/2" cap #4 horn 3 1/2" stock thickness |
3 1/2" high 2 1/2" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3 1/2" high 2 1/2" cap #4 horn 3 1/2" stock thickness, stood up fork |
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| 3 1/2" high 2 3/4" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3 1/2" high 2 3/4" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness, stood up fork |
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| 3 1/2" high 3" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
3 1/2" high 3" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness, stood up fork |
4" size #4 or Texas Dally Horns
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| 4" high 1 3/4" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
4" high 2 1/4" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock, stood up fork leaned horn |
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| 4" high 2 3/4" cap #4 horn 3 3/4" stock thickness |
4" high 3" cap #4 horn 3 1/2" stock, stood up fork leaned horn |
Old Timer Horns
Table of approximate measured horn heights.
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2” cap |
2 ¼” cap |
2 ½” |
2 ¾” cap |
3” cap |
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3 1/8” |
3 ¼” |
3 ¼” – 3 3/8” |
3 3/8” |
3 ½” |
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| 2" cap Old Timer horn 4 1/4" stock thickness, slick fork |
2 1/4" cap Old Timer horn 4 1/4" stock thickness, slick fork |
2 1/2" cap Old Timer horn 4 1/4" stock thickness, slick fork |
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| 2 3/4" cap Old Timer horn 4 1/4" stock thickness, slick fork |
3" cap Old Timer horn 4 1/2" stock thickness, slick fork |
2 1/2" cap Old Timer horn 4 1/4" stock, stood up slick fork |