It is also a safety feature, especially on cross-country, should a rider's girth or billets break, as the rider will have enough time to stop the horse and dismount before the saddle slipped off the animal's back or underneath its belly. The breastplate is used on both English and Western saddles. When used in English riding, the hunting breastplate is made of thinner straps of leather, as is the western style used for horse shows.