English girths come in many shapes and size.  Depending on what disciplines you are riding with your horse, you would choose a girth accordingly.  Horse show riders use a variety of leather girths.  Some of these girths have padding and some have fleece lining.  The leather girths that have a panel that is padded are called a panel back girth.  There is a single contoured piece if leather lined with a foam padded softer leather panel.  Most of these horse girths have elastic attached to the buckle ends.  The elastic is an inch and a quarter wide and is usually doubled for strength.  Many of these elastic end girths have triple elastic as well. Some leather girths that have an inch wide leather piece sewn end to end down the middle. This piece acts to stabilize the padded leather panel behind it. They are usually less expensive than the panel-back girths.  The girths with stays have elastic at one or both ends as well.  Horses that are sensitive or are “girthy”, do very well with a sheepskin lined leather girth.  The sheepskin is usually removable for cleaning.  Girth covers are available as well to cover a leather girth.  Girth covers are made either of synthetic fleece, sheepskin or are cotton quilted.  These are also anti-microbial synthetic covers that are available.

For schooling and for horse shows English riders can use nylon girths that are fleece lined.  These girths protect the ponies and horses from getting girth sores.  The other choices are Neoprene lined girths and gel lined girths.  Both of these choices help keep the saddles from slipping side to side on that very round horse or pony.