Girth (tack) often used in addition to a regular leather girth. Made of leather or nylon with an elastic insert (for racing), the overgirth completely encircles the horse around belly and the saddle's seat. It is used by stockmen, eventers, polo players, in flat racing, and by steeplechase jockeys to provide more security in holding the saddle in place. Some girths (those used on jumpers and eventers) have a belly guard (or stud guard), to protect the belly from being stabbed by horseshoe studs as the animal tucks his legs up underneath him over a tall obstacle. The traditional western cinch was
Girth (tack) the center, and the Atherstone style is a shaped piece of baghide with a roughly 1.5” wide strip of stronger leather running along the center. A variation on this is the overlay girth, in which the piece of leather in the center is the same curved shape as the girth. This overlay is often stitched in a decorative design. Unshaped girths are commonly made of flat, heavy cotton, or padded cotton with nylon webbing reinforcement, or out of leather as in the tri-fold or threefold girth, popular among sidesaddle riders and traditional foxhunters. Fleece girth covers are often used on