Here two horsemen are shown reining back their horses. The leading horseman turns round to look back at his companion, while raising his left hand to his head. He wears a cloak that is pulled close against his neck, while billowing out to the side. Holes in his hair probably once served for the insertion of a metal wreath. The other horseman wears a chlamys. The horses are pierced with drill-holes where metal reins were inserted. The second horse overlaps the first only slightly. The first rider with his right hand he holds the reins and he turns back so that his body is almost frontal and his head turned even more toward the figure behind him (3). His left arm is raised in a gesture not entirely clear, perhaps to adjust the stephane on his head, perhaps to give a signal to the next horseman. The youth (133) on block N-XLVII makes a similar gesture. Horseman (3) wears a modelled cuirass over a short chiton, just as do figures (7) and (18), and he is shod in boots.

The frieze of the Parthenon forms a continuous band with scenes in low relief that encircles the upper part of the cella, the main temple, within the outer colonnade. The theme represented was the procession toward the Acropolis that took place during the Great Panathenaia, the commemoration of the birthday of the goddess Athena.

The West frieze comprises sixteen Blocks (counting the corner Blocks as I and XVI). It shows horsemen in scenes of preparation for the cavalcades of the North and South friezes.