Clean a Saddle
After the hours of riding in dusty arenas and long trail rides, dirt gets imprinted in every crease of the saddle. But there is nothing a little work can't get out.
Steps
- Soak a sponge in a bucket of warm water.
- Wring out the sponge till damp and wipe your saddle and tack(this opens the pores of the leather in the saddle to thoroughly clean and condition your tack when saddle/leather soap is applied.)
- Rub the sponge onto some saddle soap to get it nice and sudsy.
- Work in the soap into the leather from top to bottom,underneath and everywhere in-between.This may take some elbow grease and you might get a sore hand but the finished result is a nice supple saddle fit for a show.
- Use a dry rag to wipe ALL the suds off the saddle.
- Still some hard pressed dirt in there? A toothbrush should do just the trick. Get the bristles sudsy and get all the cracks and crevasses. Yes, this job may have been time consuming and work, but a simple cleaning with some saddle soap and a sponge, even just once a month, can make all the difference.
- Since you're already covered in suds and want your saddle to look brand new, why not shine it up a bit. A saddle shine and conditioner will make the leather supple, and look like it did when you bought it.
- You can usually wipe all non-leather parts of a saddle with a damp cloth, or sometimes use a carpet cleaner.
Tips
- Regular saddle cleaning can be short and give your saddle a longer life.
- Remember to get your saddle checked to see if it still fits your horse periodically.
- There are different forms of saddle soaps and conditioners: wipes, sprays, and bars. Use whichever you prefer.
- Steaming hot water help cleans the saddle better.
Warnings
- Read your labels. Some soaps are meant to be left on, some have to be wiped off before they dry.
- Saddle soap can dry out leather so use a leather conditioner that is also a cleaner more often. Use saddle soap when it is really dirty. You can also use a wet cloth to get dirt off before using the cleaner or conditioner.
- You can clean bridles and other leather tack the same way you clean a saddle, but beware DO NOT use saddle soap on the bit. If you get some on, wipe it off immediately!
- Some surfaces of a saddle cannot be cleaned with saddle soap, so use alternative cleaners. Saddle soap may damage these areas.
Things You'll Need
- Saddle
- Saddle soap
- Saddle shine/ conditioner
- Soaps and conditioners, that can be bought at your local tack store or online
- Sponge
- Toothbrush
- Water
- Rag/Towel
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