Girth (tack) strip down its center, it may cause discomfort. It is also best if it has some "give" to it, which makes it more comfortable for the horse. Many riders also choose a girth that allows for extra elbow room, so the horse is not restricted as his leg moves backward. To measure for a girth, the saddle with a pad should be placed on the horse. A measuring tape is then used to measure from the middle hole of the billet on one side, under the horse's belly, to the middle billet on the other side. If a girth is
Harness saddle shafts from beneath. For display, a saddle pad may be placed beneath the saddle; historically in England a saddle pad, also called "housing" or "saddle cloth", was shaped to match the contour of the saddle, in the manner of an English numnah today. For heavy use, the saddle may be six or more inches long, front to back. For very light use, saddle and girth may be replaced by a surcingle. The harness saddle has at least two lines of evolution, both departures from the very ancient throat-and-girth harness . One line was developed as a refinement of that harness