One of the first things I bought when I got my first horse was a suede bareback pad. It's nearly 30 years old and still good as new. The only difference from this pad is the girth is leather. They can slip if not secured well so don't buy the ones with stirrups, BAD idea. I still love my pad, still in like new condition with hundreds of miles on it. And your legs will be like iron after you ride on it for a while.