Cleaning the DIRTY western saddle and Bob's Custom Saddle price question!

[2_amp_1_2_Geldings]

(1) I bought my dream saddle, used as they don’t make this saddle anymore nor would I be able to afford it, and it is DIRTY. I doubt it’s ever been cleaned in it’s obviously well ridden life. There’s dirt, sweat and hair in all of the tooling.

I started out with a bucket of warm water, a power toothbrush and glycerin saddle soap. After about an hour on just the top skirt, I realized this wasn’t working. I am now taking that bucket of warm water, adding a GENEROUS amount of Ivory soap, and essentially coating the affected areas, and repeating every 10 minutes or so in an attempt to break up the dirt/sweat/grime enough to remove it.

What else should I be doing? I will be conditioning it once it’s clean. But getting it clean is proving to be quite the adventure.

(2) As I know own my dream saddle, I am contemplating selling my Bob’s Bob Avila reining saddle. I bought it new in 2005 or 2006 and it hasn’t been ridden in since 2008. I took a long break from riding, and it doesn’t fit my new horse nor do I particularly feel secure in it. I’m also making the transition to the cowhorse, which is partly why I ended up with the above mentioned GRIMEY saddle.

The saddle is not brand new, but dang close to it. If I were to go buy another saddle in the future, I definitely wouldn’t buy this saddle. It is so popular among the reiners, but I never really felt comfortable in the Avila seat. My new saddle is also a Bob’s but the Bergen cowhorse saddle, and I just LOVE it. It’s a beautiful saddle, and if I were just doing ranch riding, or reining, I would definitely use it, but I don’t feel comfortable going down the fence in it. But then I figure, it’s paid for and I don’t want to regret selling it.

So as I’m contemplating selling my saddle, I’m also wondering how much to ask. I see them advertised all the way from $2,000 to $4,500. The most similar saddles to mine seem to go from $2500-$3,000. Does this seem fair if I price it at the higher end?

[Quelah]

For current pricing on your Bob’s take a look at saddleswitch.com she has a FB page under same name. She’s a friend of mine who specializes in reselling reining/cutting/cowhorse saddles.

[cutter99]

Try using blue Dawn dish soap diluted in hot/warm water with a little vinegar. I have used that with multiple cleanings to get the really dirty saddles clean. I then let them dry in a controlled climate for a couple days and then condition them really well.

[Draftmare]

[QUOTE=Quelah;8913458]
For current pricing on your Bob’s take a look at saddleswitch.com she has a FB page under same name. She’s a friend of mine who specializes in reselling reining/cutting/cowhorse saddles.[/QUOTE]

I would check her facebook page, her website isn’t very up to date.

Another good place to check would be to search sold ads on eBay. You can pick that option under “advanced search” from the desktop site.

I just cleaned a pretty grimy saddle with Leather CPR. Did a really good job, especially on the rear cinch which I don’t think has ever been cleaned on that saddle from the looks of it.

[TheHunterKid90]

Pricing really all depends on silver package and upgrades. I find that even “older” Bob’s really hold their value.
Send some pics to Bob’s and have them give you a good asking price for it.
And don’t feel badly about those darn avilas! A few of my customers have them and they are the devil. I love my Schmersal and Larson models though!!

[2_amp_1_2_Geldings]

[QUOTE=TheHunterKid90;8914895]
Pricing really all depends on silver package and upgrades. I find that even “older” Bob’s really hold their value.
Send some pics to Bob’s and have them give you a good asking price for it.
And don’t feel badly about those darn avilas! A few of my customers have them and they are the devil. I love my Schmersal and Larson models though!![/QUOTE]

Glad to know someone else doesn’t like avilas. They are so popular though I thought I was just being picky. I love love love my Bergen though, so I suppose it’s really just the seat on the Avila.

I’ll contact Bobs and see what they have to say. Thanks!