Just curious
bridle and reins in good shape just dirty?
bridle and reins in poor shape needing cleaning conditioning?
saddle in good shape just dirty?
saddle in poor shape needing cleaning conditioning?
assuming use of quality cleaners/ conditioners and good attention to detail
For comparison, I was just looking at sending a saddle for consignment and they charge $30 for saddle detailing. I think that’s low but they are going to make money again when it sells. I’m also guessing they haven’t repriced after the recent inflation. https://www.pelhamsaddlery.net/consign.html
When I was riding regularly I would wipe down my tack after use and occasionally bring it in and do a full cleaning. I was boarding and busy with work I would probably pay $50 to someone at the barn to clean a saddle and bridle so they are presentable again. I would expect them to take the bridle apart and make sure all the inner surfaces are clean and get into the saddle crevices to get out dust and grime. Not just a quick surface cleaning.
Not sure on the deep conditioning, I enjoy and prefer doing that myself to inspect stitching and see for myself if anything needs repair.
I wouldn’t.
These ladies charge $65 for an English saddle, $50 for a full English bridle, or $100 for the set.
I’ve used them in conjunction with all of my western stuff, because honestly - I hate cleaning the crevasses of silver and western tooling but I think if you could set up at a show and do bridles, saddles, leather girths, and boots for a reasonable cost - you might wind up with some profit.
I believe they book out in advance and got “certifications” or at least good word of mouth from the actual manufacturers so they know in advance that they’ll have enough clientele to make a trip profitable.
After the 3rd day of a horse show and the 4th time cleaning harness, about $200.
Before sending off for consignment or sale - I’d say about $150 for english tack (saddle, bridle, girth) and martingale (standing or running)/ breastplate. At a show especially if rider has multiple horses there, probs $200+. Western tack with tooling … oof idk, feels like a more tedious job.
Barn rats will do it for free at a show while spectating or for food, I find …that was me as a teen for sure. But I find less and less barn rats that are good at cleaning tack - at least in the show barns in SoCal pre-covid. I saw my old barn do a lot of tack sorting / cleaning and horsemanship stuff with the juniors when showing was not happening and I was pleased to see kids doing at bit more with their own gear.
I think I am too much of a control freak to pay someone to clean tack that I am going to use afterwards unless I am VERY pressed for time, but stress will entice me to shell out cash!
It’s not skilled work, so $20 an hour? It takes me 10 mins max to give a bridle a quick clean. 20 mins to take it all apart and soap, dry and condition it. So how much is that worth? Um, probably about $10 max? And how much would I pay? I wouldn’t - the amount of time it’d take to discuss, wait for it to be done, and pay would be longer than doing it myself. And it’d be dirty again the next day…
Now I feel cheap because I was going to say $15 each for bridle and saddle, maybe a bit more for a western saddle.
The local gal I use charges $75 for a western saddle (more if it has a ton of silver to clean). Mine are in great shape, but do have a bunch of basketweave and floral tooling. For that, she takes them apart, inspects everything, cleans, conditions, and puts a protective sealant/water proofing on them. She did a phenomenal job on mine. Breastcollars are $35. I don’t believe she does bridles.
English saddles are $50. I haven’t had mine done yet, but I expect they’ll look like new when they are.
I enjoy cleaning tack, so I wouldn’t pay… but I would charge. 
To answer your question, I would do a flat rate based on item, not based on condition. Figure out how long it takes you to clean each at their worst, and then figure out how much YOU need to make it worth your time/products. That’s your flat rate charge.
I used to have a side-hustle doing tack cleaning, mane pulling, grooming, etc for a big competition barn. I was charging $20 flat rate for clean/condition bridles and IIRC, $35 for saddles/girth. That was in early 2000s, so factor in inflation and I don’t think the $30-65 range is necessarily out of realism.
Cleaning/conditioning harness and/or western tack is a whole different ball park and I would expect to pay much more. Especially harness – I did that once and after the time, work, and products used would say $200 was way more in line with my time.
This is assuming you are doing a full clean: disassemble, wipe down, clean, wipe down again, condition, finish with product of choice, reassemble. That takes time, attention to detail, and I’d even argue a little skill - as you are looking over hardware, observing for any structural issues or safety, and then putting it all back together. Putting a harness back together correctly is a skill, so is a bridle.
I remember back then my services were more expensive than other teenagers at my barn, but I was also using Akene, Belharra, and other high end conditioners. High quality soaps and conditioners are expensive and should be built into the base rate.
A place near me charges $35 for a deep clean, $35 for oil conditioning and then has a discounted price if you opt for both. It’s a local tack shop and I assume is used as a way to get extra money in when staff has down time.
I like cleaning tack but have a more than full time job, a toddler, a house to manage and a horse to ride. So one of my gal “to-do” items is to call and book mine in. I’ve been meaning to give it a good cleaning for months and it’s just not happening! At those prices, it’s an easy choice for me.
Not a quick wipe down!
Fully disassemble bridle and reins
Get at all the nooks and crannies
Using high quality products as requested by client
To include but not limited to:
Pure neatsfoot oil
Lederbalsam
glycerin soap
saddle soap.
Not sure of time but possibly 30 min for English bridle or saddle.
TBH I wouldn’t unless you were “in house” at the barn and could work on tack when I wasn’t using it. I can’t send my tack off or be gone without it more than a day or two at the most.
Personally I wouldn’t allow anyone to lay a finger on my tack, but that’s just me. I like cleaning, I’m overprotective of my nice stuff, and it gives me a chance to get a close look at everything on the regular.
I only have one horse but enough tack to outfit an entire barn so I also wouldn’t be volunteering my services because I have my hands full with the consequences of my own actions 
I also love cleaning my own tack. My equipment that I use every day. But - I have a boatload of cast-off stuff that is in need of a deep cleaning and a good conditioning. Those I never seem to have time for. If someone posted a flyer in my barn I’d gladly pay $30-$50 an English saddle for someone to clean and condition. My daily stuff though? Naw. I’ll just handle that myself.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
