We are no longer building saddle trees, but we have two videos about how Western saddles fit horses available on our westernsaddlefit.com website.

Swell Fork Styles A to L 

What the Name Means

As we discuss in our main Swell Forks page, the names of the different forks now really apply to the shape only, although originally these names could have stood for a specific stock thickness, gullet height and width.  The shapes are stretched or squashed a bit depending on the change in these specifications but we try to keep the fork shape, determined by the top slope, side shape and back shape, as consistent as possible.  These are just some examples of the trees we have built.  We can work with you to build any fork style you want.

Horn Specifications

All these styles originated with metal horns, but wood post horns on swell forks are becoming more popular all the time.  This does affect the gullet thickness and therefore the hand hole and gullet height relationship.  (Please see Avoiding the Withers for further explanation.)  All the variations in horn specifications are completely independent of the fork style.

Arizona Roper

The back sweep added to this fork with minimal top slope and a straight undercut to the sides makes this a distinctive style fork.

Arizona Roper fork, 3 3/4" stock plus backsweep	Arizona Roper 14" wide 3 3/4" stock plus backsweep
12" Arizona Roper	13" Arizona Roper
14" Arizona Roper	14" Wood Post Arizona Roper

Bowman 

With a very rounded shape due to a moderate slope to the top and minimal and low undercut, this is a fork shape that works well at a smaller width.  12” is most common, but for people who want a lighter weight saddle an 11” Bowman often is chosen. We have made them up to 14" wide. Most are leaned ahead, though we have made a few stood up Bowman forks.

Bowman fork, 3 3/4" stock thickness	Wood Post Bowman fork, 4 1/4" stock thickness
11" Bowman fork	11" wood post Bowman fork
12" Bowman fork	12" wood post Bowman fork
12" Bowman fork	13" wood post Bowman fork

Buster Welch 

The original Buster Welch was a stood up fork, though we have also leaned it ahead when asked.  It is rounded all the way down to the bars with no undercut on the side.  13” is the most common width, though we have made them from 11 3/4" to 14" wide.

Buster Welch fork, leaned ahead, 3 3/4" stock	Buster Welch fork, stood up, 4" stock thickness
12" Buster Welch fork	12 1/2" Buster Welch fork
13" Buster Welch fork	13 1/2" Buster Welch fork

Chuck Sheppard 

We have also seen this fork style spelled as a Chuck Shepard and Chuck Shepherd, though we believe the original name was spelled Sheppard.  We have made Chuck Sheppards from 11” to 13 ½” wide, but due to amount of top slope it has, it is best at narrower widths.  12” is the most common order we get for width.

Chuck Sheppard fork, 3 3/4" stock thickness	Wood Post Chuck Sheppard fork, 4 1/4" stock
11" Chuck Sheppard fork	11" wood post Chuck Sheppard fork
12" Chuck Sheppard fork	12" wood post Chuck Sheppard fork
13" Chuck Sheppard fork	13" wood post Chuck Sheppard fork

Dee Pickett

This is another fork style with lots of top slope, slightly more than a Chuck Sheppard, but the undercut comes up the sides more than on a Chuck Sheppard.

Dee Pickett fork, 3 3/4" stock thickness	12" Dee Pickett fork

High Country 

The High Country pattern was developed by the late Matt Eberle, a well respected maker of cowboy rigs from High River, Alberta. His original pattern, moderate top slope and no undercut on the sides, was developed so that he could easily cover it without a welt.  It was designed to be 12 ½” wide, though even Matt modified that on his orders, and designed to be a stood up fork. We have made them from 11” to 13” wide, with most stood up but the occasional one leaned ahead.  A wood post horn on a High Country is a pretty common order.

High Country fork, stood up, 3 3/4" stock thickness	Wood Post High Country fork, stood up, 4 1/4" stock
11" High Country fork	11" wood post High Country fork
12" High Country fork	12" wood post High Country fork
12 1/2" High Country fork	12 1/2" wood post High Country fork
13" High Country fork	13" wood post High Country fork

Louellen 

We have also seen this name spelled Lieuallen, Lieullen, and Lieuellen, but we use the Louellen spelling for simplicity’s sake.  This fork has the same style of undercut on the sides as the Modified Association, but it has more top slope to it.  The most common width we build is 12”, though 13” is not uncommon and we have made them as wide as 14”.

Louellen fork, 3 3/4" stock thickness	Wood Post Louellen fork, 4 1/4" stock thickness
12" Louellen fork	12" wood post Louellen fork
13" Louellen fork	13" wood post Louellen fork
	14" wood post Louellen fork