Keeping Your Leather Tack in Beautiful Condition
BY GEERTJE FRENCH ©
From the moment I welcomed my own horse into my life, my beautiful Ivan, he was four and I was nine, I also came into possession of a great deal of tack, which had come with Ivans itinerary. We looked everything over and soon realised, or rather my father did, that quite a lot of it was very dried out and starting to crack. The saddle had also not seen a bar of soap or a jar of leather feed for a very long time. And the fit was appalling for Ivan, you could look straight through the ‘tunnel’ and see daylight at the other end. It put some really significant pressure on the wrong parts of his spine. We never used it. As far as the leather halter and bridle were concerned, there was also neglect and they had a lot of build-up dirt. We had to discard the leather shabrack due to mould patches and cracked leather. I remember my father saying ‘this is such a shame, if they had taken better care of this lot, we would have saved ourselves quite a bit of money’.
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We were incredibly fortunate to have a very talented Polish saddle maker, Mr Stubeninski, around the corner form our yard. He came and inspected the lot, said what could and what could not be rescued, unfortunately the lunging reins were a total loss too. He then measured Ivan and myself for a new saddle. Which he would make by hand. He then offered to teach me about how to take care of the tack. Which he did, those were the greatest and most magical hours, he taught me so much, he was passionate and a great teacher. Some years later he made the most stunning bridle for my horse Gambler in a light tan leather which he stitched into round straps, absolutely beautiful. My love for quality leather work only grew and the smell of oils and soap is a very happy scent to me. And cleaning my tack and all my leather goods has always been a great pleasure, it makes me super Zen!
As old Stube would say ‘Keep cleaning and feeding going, the leather will last you a lifetime’ I still have a lovely small snaffle bit decorated belt he made for me when I was twelve, my pride and joy. My waist may have expanded over the years, but the belt still looks as if it were made yesterday and will be with me forever.
MATERIALS
The first thing I will say is that not all cleaning and conditioning products are equal. And nor is all leather tack of the same quality. Investing in high quality products will make all the difference to the results. Cheaper products are also made with cheaper ingredients, or ingredients that are super refined with synthetic chemicals or are very high in petrol’s or unsuitable oils. We need to consider that leather is a breathable, material that needs feeding to keep supple and ‘alive’ and breathing. There are some really excellent products that are easy to find on line and of course through your tack shop. The one thing I would not use is soap or oil impregnated tissues, think of the environment, please!
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Here is a list of things you need to tackle the tack.
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Glycerine based saddle soap – bar or cream or leather shampoo
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Nourish and feed oil
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Beeswax leather polish if you don’t want to use oil
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Two buckets – one for rinsing – one for clean water
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Warm water
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Medium hard bristle brushes for stubborn mud
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Lint free drying and polishing cloths – old linen and cotton tea towels are great for this
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Natural Sea sponges or good quality and durable (recyclable) foam sponges
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Soft polishing brushes
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Soft polishing cloth – use wool or well washed cotton
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Soft head toothbrush
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Blunt palette knife
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Rubber suede brush
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Suede conditioning sprays (don’t use suede products on leather and vice versa)
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Metal cleaner and polish
Image credit: Pixabay
Image credit: Pezibear/Pixabay
BRIDLES
Inspect your bridle on a regular basis, are all the straps and buckles in good condition, are there dried out straps that need quick attention? Is all the stitching still in order? Nose and browbands get quite dirty through sweat accumulation underneath and rubbing. They will need more regular cleaning than the entire bridle. They can be cleaned and wiped daily whilst on the bridle.
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One thing a lot of people forget is to rinse the bit thoroughly after every ride preferably under a running tap. The bit gets quite dirty, especially when you allow your horse to eat whilst he is wearing a bit, it will get covered in bits of foodstuff. Bacteria will be transferred back into your horses’ mouth if you don’t rinse the bit properly each time it has been used.
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Make sure you dry the bit and the leather bit straps. A much used bridle carries dirt and bacterial build up, that can rub the tender skin and cause infected lesions. Leather that is dry, cracked and stiff, is also very uncomfortable to wear, don’t forget there are no protective fat pads on the face, the network of nerves, tendons, muscle and bone, lies directly under the skin. So, any pressure from leather that has not been kept supple will irritate and can damage the skin and underlying network of the sensitive structures.
CLEAN - OIL/WAX - POLISH
Begin by taking the entire bridle apart. Remove sheepskin protectors etc. Don’t try and clean the bridle whilst it is in one piece as you will never get the dirt from around the buckles cleaned properly and you can’t condition the leather properly either. It is a lazy way out.
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Depending on what type of soap you use check the ‘How to Use’ instructions. Some don’t need water. Personally, I always prefer the saddle soap bar method, as you have more control with application. There a lot of products which claim to both clean and condition. They are a very expensive and not very effective solution, as you apply and let dry without the use of water. And you will find that when you wipe the leather there won’t be much dirt actually coming away, as the conditioning ingredients will have soaked in with the cleaning agent. When you use those two ingredients on hair, for instance, the hair will come out cleansed and conditioned because you give it a good rinse. You can’t do that with leather. Good saddle soap will lift away the dirt from the leather pores, and you can really get into leather and remove stubborn dirt.
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When using a saddle soap bar, wet the sponge thoroughly and squeeze out excess water. Never over wet the leather as it takes a long time to dry, you can only apply leather feed - waxes or oils when the leather is completely dry. Rub the bar with the sponge to a light foam consistency. Start with cleaning the inside of all the straps.
With ingrained dirt, use a blunt palette knife to gently scrape it away. Clean and dry one by one, don’t let the soap dry on the leather as this will cause residue water marks and discoloration.
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Now do the same on the outside of the straps. Make sure the leather is completely dry on both sides, before applying feeds or oils.
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When using a cream apply the conditioning cream onto a lint free cloth, don’t apply straight to the leather as it will cause patches. Muslin or old cotton is good for this. Leave to soak in, and polish with a soft brush and soft cloth.
The same counts when using oils, apply deep feed/nourishing oil to a lint free cloth, again, never directly onto the leather as this will cause discolouration and patches. Leave to soak in until all is absorbed, preferably overnight. Don’t over oil as the leather can only take so much. If the leather is very dry or beginning to show signs of surface fatigue or cracking you may need to apply several coats of oil to bring it back to life.
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Wipe of all excess oils with a soft lint free cloth. Polish with a soft clean cloth. Clean all the buckles and if they are dull polish with a light metal polish.
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Leather halters are cleaned and nourished in the same way as the bridle, but as they can’t usually be taken apart, clean in one piece. Make sure you can hang the halter up to dry and after conditioning.
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You can use an oil to wax combination of leather foods product for bridles and halters, but they work better on larger surface arears such as saddles or leather shabracks.
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If you want to use a product that makes the leather waterproof, after the clean and conditioning, make sure it can be used on horse harnesses and tack, as some are very chemical based and only to be used on shoes and bags.
Apply the above methods for cleaning and conditioning to lunge reins and other reins, breast-plates, neck straps and martingales.
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Reassemble only when everything is completely free from residue of oils & creams. Don’t leave leather to dry in the sun, as this will damage the structure.
EMBELLISHMENTS - BEADING, EMBROIDERY, PRECIOUS METAL
These days you can buy the most beautiful brow and nose bands. When cleaning these embellished pieces make sure you check out the construction. Has it been glued? is the stitching secure and what materials are used? In the case of beading, including glass/plastic and small elongated metal plates, used in the decoration, only clean with a soft brush and a damp cloth. If things are glued, be careful not to wet the piece as the glue may dissolve.
Non precious metals keep bright with appropriate products.
Precious metals, such as silver, clean with appropriate anti tarnish products.
Beware of gilded metals, they are often thinly gilded and will start to show wear quickly.
Check decorations after every ride, because if a piece were to come away and end up in your horses stable there will be a choking hazard.
SHEEPSKIN STRAP COVERS
Sheepskin padding on bridles brow and nose bands is a good way of making the leather straps more comfortable, don’t use ‘faux’ sheepskin as this is made from synthetic fibres and will promote sweating, the fibres will become uncomfortable to wear.
Wash sheepskin in a lanolin-based shampoo as used for wool. Rinse out well and leave to dry naturally or dry with a low heat hair dryer fluffing up the fibres. Using normal detergents will take the natural lanolin out of the fibres which will then dry out the fibre and leather base.
It is a good idea to invest in a bridle dust bag. To keep your bridle looking good, especially if you go out competing.
SADDLES
Saddles are often constructed from different types of leather. From cow hide to calf, goat or chamois (camel).
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A good fitting saddle is for both horse and rider, an absolute must! ​The fitting mould and measure needs to be individually assessed per horse. And the rider needs good weight distribution over the saddle expanse. There are many different types of saddles, constructed in different way, such as: the western saddle, which is often a much leather tooled and very heavy cow hide example of American saddle design. This saddle has been designed with a greater surface seat area on the ‘tree’ to accommodate long stretches of time in the saddle. Dressage and showjumping saddles differ in their construction as they both need to accommodate the different riding styles, both these saddles are made from supple Cow hide and Calf skin, sometimes Goat or Chamois is used.
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Racing saddles are the lightest saddles of all and these days mostly made from ultra lightweight synthetic materials. These materials also have minimum up keep, as a damp cloth will easily remove dirt. The racing saddle was never designed to actually sit on, it is more a light vehicle to accommodate the stirrups on which the jockey crouches for most of the time. Most saddles however are constructed on pretty much the same principles. A design that has stood the test of time for some 4500 years.
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They are hand-made around a wooden saddle hardwood ‘tree’, like Oak and Ash. Although a lot of saddle makers are using fibre glass pre-moulded materials now too. The wood is impregnated with a moisture defender to keep the wood dry at all times. As if it were to get damp it would rot. The saddle is built up around the tree which is the mould for the saddle. Normal weight distribution for the saddle should be 30% front – 40% middle and 30% back. There should also be a ‘tree lift factor’ build in. Meaning the saddle fits on the spine perfectly and when the horses back moves, during exercise, it will have a slight rocking motion.
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To clean a saddle properly you need a sturdy saddle rack or wooden strut, to put the saddle on.
As with the bridle, take everything off the saddle, including straps and stirrups, girth guards, reins, bags and shabrack or any other saddle cloth/pad. Start by cleaning the underneath of the saddle. Find a place where you can put the saddle so it doesn’t fall over. Weirdly, I found a beanbag was really good, because it moulds around the saddle.
Check that everything is in good order such as stitching and stuffing. Do the same when you have turned the saddle over. This is also a good time to see if the pommel and wooden tree structure, on which the saddle is built, is still intact and sturdy and doesn’t show any looseness within the saddle. Sometimes a saddle tree can be fractured without the rider noticing it for a while. Meanwhile, when this happens, the pressure points of the saddle on the horses’ back changes and can start to impinge on his movements.
Start with your soap product and use the same method as with the bridle. Soft buff before turning the saddle over and clean the parts underneath the top flaps first, taking in all the under straps. Then go onto the top.
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When the saddle is completely dry all over, you can start with conditioning product application. First underneath the saddle. Leave to soak in before putting it on the saddle rack, make sure there is a clean cloth underneath, otherwise the rack my cause marks on the newly oiled or conditioned leather. Although special saddle waxes nourish and make the leather shine beautifully it also makes the leather super slippery. So be careful not to buff too much. Don’t forget to clean your stirrup straps and stirrups. Reassemble everything when all has been buffed.
SUEDE OR CHAMOIS KNEE PADS
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Suede just needs cleaning with a soft rubber brush. Don’t wet it as it will shrink. There are special suede and nubuck protection products available, make sure they can be used on saddles. Chamois is a strong but at the same time very lightweight leather type and often used in high end saddlery. To clean Chamois, us a soft rubber brush only. If the Chamois is very dirty It is best to go on line and look at specialist cleaners.
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LEATHER SURCINGLE OR GIRTH STRAPS
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These probably get the dirtiest of all equipment, especially in bad weather.They are usually made from very tough cow hide, so can stand quite rigorous cleaning. There are ones made from a combination of both leather and elastic cotton braid cords. The only thing I would say with this, try not to stain the cotton parts with conditioners or oils as it will leave a stain and discolour them. All cotton elastic cord surcingle can be washed in a bucket of warm soapy water, rinse well and hang to dry. Again, dust or water proof bags are always a good idea for saddles to keep them free from dirt and dust.
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MOULD
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When leather is left in a damp place and not looked after, you will find mould growth on the leather within days. Not only is it damaging to the leather, as it will rot, the spores are air-born and very bad for our horses’ respiratory health and our own. Don’t be tempted just to clean it off with a dry cloth, as there will be spores left behind in the pores of the leather. And using any anti mould products also damages the leather, it will get choked with chemicals. When you find mould on any tack, go through the entire cleaning process as above. You can use a mild antibacterial saddle soap. Keep all tack in a dry and well-ventilated room.
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DISCOLOURED OR SCRATCHED LEATHER
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Although there are some really good DIY products on the market to repaint leather or that help fade discoloured patches, I would not tackle this kind of job personally. Best to find a really good leather restorer who can perform magic on any problem leather. There are some excellent products you can buy to erase scratches from leather. Choose something that is well reviewed. However, stay away from so called ‘fillers’ as they never last very long.
FABRIC MATERIALS
SHABRACKS, RUGS, HOODS, LEG/HOOF PROTECTORS, SKULL/EAR PROTECTORS, WEBBING HALTERS
Always check with the label or manufacturer to see if materials can be machine or hand washed and to what temperature or if they need drycleaning. Or if they need re-surfacing in the case of waterproof rugs. Halters and leg protectors, unless made of leather or suede, can be put in the washing machine at 30/40 degrees. Use a pillowcase or washbag, to keep metal parts from damaging the machine. Any fabric materials these days will mostly be made of synthetic ingredients. Be aware that all of these materials are plastic based and always need to be disposed of in a responsible way. Also bear in mind, that unlike leather, synthetic materials, under which we will also count rubber or rubberized products, will eventually break down. Always check all your equipment and harness for wear and tear. Making sure that any damage is repaired or disposed of.
Image credit: Rebeccas Pictures/Pixabay
Rubber hoof protectors; use medium bristle brush to clean inside and out. Make sure the inside is completely dry before putting them back on. Check straps and buckles.
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​Woolen and Cotton blankets or rugs – always read the label. Some horses are quite allergic to washing liquids/powders. They will show it by wanting to itch whilst wearing a newly washed rug/blanket or shabrack. In that case choose only detergents that are manufactured specifically for animal use or choose something natural based and without chemicals.
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RUGS
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Rugs are made from many different types of material, from impregnated canvas, making water proof fabrics to special breathable fabrics and webbing. It is important to keep your rugs in tip top condition and when storing make sure they are clean before putting away. Dirty rugs cause all kinds of problems. The breathable fabric rug can only function properly, when the fabric is clean. A build-up of sweat, coat shedding and dirt will make the fabric nil and void as it will be clogged with dirt and moisture residue. Waterproof rugs need specialist cleaning to keep the waterproof coating in good condition.
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Woollen rugs and blankets can usually be machine washed. Wash every two weeks, when the rugs are in constant use. Again, wool is a great breathable fibre and naturally cleanses itself, up to a point of course, due to its properties of being a hollow fibre. Leaving them hanging out in the fresh air will sufficiently refresh/clean them for the next use. Wash blankets in special wool detergents making sure to rinse well as suds do get trapped in the fibre, and this then may cause an allergic reaction to your horse.
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Keep an eye on straps and stitching. Tears and wear can usually be repaired by a specialist.
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Store rugs after cleaning, making sure they are dry. Keep in a well-ventilated and dry place and inspect for moth or other insects on a regular basis. If rugs are stored for long periods of time, refresh them by hanging them out in the fresh air for a few hours every couple of months. Don’t store rugs with chemical insect repellents, like moth balls/blocks or other, as they are chemical based and will transfer to your horses’ coat which can cause irritation or respiratory problems when inhaled. There are some great storing solutions available, like the vacuum bags, which keep all dust and insect infestation at bay.
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SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
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In almost all industries now makers make use of synthetic fabrics and ‘faux’ leather products. They are easy to look after and if it is a good quality product will last a good while. There are specialist products available for use on synthetic and faux leather fabrics. Using saddle soap or leather/wax products on synthetic fabrics is futile, as they don’t have pores, so won’t be able to absorb anything. Some leather products may have special synthetic coatings, which will mean they too will not benefit from leather clean and polish products either. Synthetic materials are highly flammable and some ‘faux’ leather will break down in direct sunlight.
THE TACK ROOM
I have seen a lot of tack rooms in my time, from places that were incredibly immaculate and beautifully kept, with tack in excellent condition, to tack rooms covered in cobwebs and layers of dust everywhere and with that the tack often not cared for very well. The tack room needs to be well ventilated and waterproof. If your tack room gets a lot of sun, it means that the room will be super dry in summer and if this is the case it is worth putting a bucket of water in the room which will create some moisture in the air. The dryer the air the quicker the leather will dry out. Too much damp in the tack room will encourage mould and fungi growth. Make use of a humidifier, if your tack room is in a particular damp position. Don’t leave tack in direct sunlight as this will dry it out and cause the leather to shrink and crack.
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Make sure you have a smoke detector in the tack room. Another problem these days is that tack room thefts have been on the rise. The days of just having a slide bar to close the door are long gone as break-ins and thefts have been rising exponentially over the past few years. Many tack rooms are protected with smart water© this means that tack can be traced when stolen. Or they are alarmed in other ways. Putting an alarm on your tack-room might be a prudent investment. All tack is valuable, but if you have some really valuable tack, look on line for different security systems.
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VERMIN
Another thing to bear in mind is vermin. I have seen complete saddles destroyed because vermin chewed through the leather to get to the stuffing, which they then used for their nests! Sheepskin shabracks have also been chewed for their fibres.
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Insects have been known to lay eggs in sheepskin shabracks and accessories. A friend of mine had a real problem keeping birds out of the tack room in spring and summer, as she had installed roof panel ventilation, which during the spring/summer months was always open. She found little nests in the corners of the beamed ceiling, and left them to keep the birds safe. She soon realised that bird poo is impossible to remove from tack and always needs specialist cleaning. She ended up putting special netting on her panels. Keep the tack room clean and tidy, sweep, dust and get rid of cobwebs on a regular basis.
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Happy cleaning!
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by GEERTJE FRENCH
Geertje is all about looking at the horse from the inside out, and is a bit proponent of natural habitats. She specialises in Holistic Individual Equine Nutrition Planning, Feed related behaviours, and feed related syndrome and injury. Her qualifications in nutrition, equine management and aromatherapy mean that she is able to offer wide-ranging advice to anyone hoping to improve their equine's environment and sense of wellbeing.
Geertje covers Berkshire and Oxfordshire in the UK but also works remotely.
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Contact:
horsewellconsultant@outlook.com
+44 7582 704830