The West frieze is the only side with bearded men. The total composition is made up of thirty male figures and twenty-three horses. Fourteen riders have already mounted but the ones on the right-hand side have not yet mounted. The West frieze has a sense of direction from right to left, which conveys a sense of time. The slabs must have been carved before they were lifted into place by multiple sculptors.
Artistic styles vary among each slab, suggesting the idea of multiple sculptors.
The young man on slab V has often been compared to the Doryphorus of Polyclitus. He holds the same pose as the renowned statue. Much like the South and West friezes, the North depicts only men and beasts, no gods, heroes, or women. The procession on this side flows from the West to the East. The East is the central focus of the entire frieze composition.