New bridle help

[reefy]

Welp, it’s been about forever since I bought a new bridle and I made do with previous horse’s tack for the “new” girl (she’s not that new, after a year and a half, lol). I decided she deserved her own properly fitted bridle so picked up a Lumiere bridle!

It’s pretty nice for the price and she seems to like the crown better so that’s good but it really could use a good oiling to soften some of it a bit. Their website doesn’t offer any recommendation that I can find.

What all is new and better than 15+ years ago? Anything? I think I have old neatsfoot oil at the barn but maybe there’s better stuff than that now.

[findeight]

Any of the leather conditioners will work. You could also use olive oil.just massage it in and wipe off the excess. Really.

Neatsfoot is not the best choice for new leather that will sit on the horses skin. Just using and conditioning the bridle will hasten its softening.

[beowulf]

Ditto what Findeight said. If you really want to get bougie my favorite in the market is the Belharra line.

[fivestrideline]

I like Effax oil because it works great and also smells good! But honestly any standard conditioner or oil should work.

[reefy]

Bougie, lol. Nope don’t need that so I will try the olive oil! I brought it home to give it a cleaning and an oil.

Thanks! The only thing I remember about neatsfoot is that I wasn’t supposed to use it on a bridle because of the stitching so I think that can go in the garbage.

[Catherine_Cullen]

I like hydrophane the best.

[endlessclimb]

Pure neatsfoot is supposedly fine. It was the neatsfoot compound that had something in it bad for the stitching.

[Montanas_Girl]

I will be the voice of dissent here and say that I very much prefer neatsfoot oil to the more modern conditioners. It doesn’t leave the sticky residue that they do on leather. Yes, it can weaken the fibers and stitching if you over use it…so don’t do that.

[reefy]

The olive oil worked great and just enough! This bridle is like buttah now. I love it and it fits my horse pretty much perfectly, so we’re both happy. Thank you for the suggestions!