Experience and Help: Dying a Western Saddle

[RoyalRain42]

Hello All!!

Since we moved to our new ranch, and inherited so many saddles, i have finally narrowed down to the one saddle that fits myself and my horse near perfect. It is perfect in every way shape or form. :encouragement:

Except for one thing. The Color.

I have a nearly all white paint with a black war bonnet and shield. This saddle is very much a "red"color, it looks horrible on him color wise.

So now i am looking for some experience on dying a western saddle black?

I am trying to figure out the exact things i will need (wanting to do a good quality job, so nicer quality dyes and such) and generally the process i will be looking at.

I plan to get this thing dyed with some new conchos, so it can be both a ranch and show saddle for my guy.

Attached below is a picture of said saddle!!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3nzh396c0f26ngz/20180723_224426.jpg?dl=0

[Guilherme]

Here’s one good article on redying. http://www.leatherique.com/do_it_your_self_instruction/how_to_re-dye_leather.html

Is this a rough out seat? Or a suede seat? That may make the job more difficult. But if you can do the rest of the saddle you might be able to have a new seat in a matching color added. That would take a good saddler but a good saddle would be worth the cost.

G.

[RoyalRain42]

@Guilherme

Here’s one good article on redying. http://www.leatherique.com/do_it_your_self_instruction/how_to_re-dye_leather.html

Is this a rough out seat? Or a suede seat? That may make the job more difficult. But if you can do the rest of the saddle you might be able to have a new seat in a matching color added. That would take a good saddler but a good saddle would be worth the cost.

G.

Thank you! Thankfully it is all smooth, so no suede or rough out to fight with!

I am pretty sure that the nearest saddler is a few hours away, I’ll have to ask around! But this saddle is so worth it!

[Bluey]

Could you make it work with a black blanket, so you won’t have to dye the saddle, at least not quite yet?

You can add silver accents here and there and, really, there will not be that much of that saddle that shows once you are sitting on it.

[Ponycatraz]

Look at using vinegroon. I’ve had fantastic luck using it to blacken leather, and since it is a chemical reaction and not a dye it won’t bleed.

[Rosem]

Oil with darkening oil until it is Havana brown or even a bit darker, treating every other week and it will be dark before you know it with just a hint of burgundy visible from the right angle.

Black western tack looks cheap. It is the fallback color for a botched dye job and yours is not botched, only vivid.

[TMares]

Plain neatsfoot oil will make it darker, and over time, browner.

Please don’t dye it black. Black western saddles look cheap.

[511]

@Ponycatraz

Look at using vinegroon. I’ve had fantastic luck using it to blacken leather, and since it is a chemical reaction and not a dye it won’t bleed.

That is good to know for dressage saddles.
I’m with the last two posters on black western saddles. The only western saddles that can pull off black are the parade saddles you see in the rose parade and they have so much silver you can’t even see the black leather.

[cutter99]

I wouldn’t dye it. JMO.

[goodhors]

Have you ever owned black tack? I am saying this because black dye comes off when rained on, sweaty. We have driving horses, all the harness is black. We have to work out the dye on harness so it does not stain everything when using it. Eventually you reach a point with the leatherafter numerous cleanings and polishing that it looks nicely black, shiny but doesn’t stain ( horses, you touching it, clothing) when used. Can take a while. Having had light yellow horses when we got the first new harness, the sweat took out the dye, left a black shadow of harness on horses that lasted until they shed off in spring! No washing could get marks off them.

I do not think you will like the results of bleeding dye on a white horse , just working or showing. I would go for a “dark oil” look over black. I also think black western tack looks bad, cheap. Never saw one get wet that did not bleed black color off on your clothing and the horse. Sorry, just think black is a poor choice even if horse has black markings.