Preping tack for long term storage...is there a proper way?

[HUS2318]

I am getting ready to clean all of my acquired tack and place them in storage at a humidity and air controlled building. I am not sure when I will be purchasing or leasing another horse and I want to make sure my tack doesn’t mold in the mean time.

My question is, what would you do to prep your tack for long term storage?

I plan to clean everything, oil leather items, and cover what I can in saddle covers and bridle bags. Is there any other suggestions to protect my investments?

Thanks! :winkgrin:

[Gorgonzola]

Clean everything, condition it, then make sure it’s DRY, really really dry, before putting it in containers.

I kept a bunch of tack in my old wooden tack trunk in an A/C storage unit for a few years, also kept some in a plastic container. The stuff in the tack trunk came out the same way I put it in- gorgeous. Plastic container stuff needed some conditioning, but all of my high-end stuff was in the trunk…

If you can find some of those little packets that come in shipments that you can’t eat? Throw those in there for a little extra help.

Also, if you have spare pillowcases lying around, divide up the tack and put it in the pillowcases before putting it in a trunk/container- helps to slow down the mold growth/spreading.

[Sansena]

Agree with Gorg. Just tape those plastic containers shut after your cleaned tack is put away with the silica packets.

[Beverley]

I use old bath towels instead of pillowcases. It’s worked in the trunk even in humid times, and some of the tack in there dates to the '60s. My tack trunks are old metal steamer trunks.

[Gorgonzola]

Silica!!

Thanks Sansena!

[HUS2318]

Awesome advice! I never thought of the silica packets. My family happens to own a few factories that keep these in stock for shipments… I might just barrow a few.

[yourcolorfuladdictio]

Sillica packets are the way to go. Also, if you have tack that has previously molded or is currently moldy you should use a bleach/water mixture to clean it and then clean and condition with Leather Therapy. I would suggest using Leather Therapy on ALL of your tack going into storage as it is designed to prevent molding. Oil will keep your tack too moist for storage. Oil will be best suited for when you take your tack back out of storage to use.

So bleach/water mixture on moldy leather. Rinse. Let it dry in the sun. Leather Therapy, and then let it dry and store the previously moldy tack separate from your non-moldy tack in-case you didn’t kill all of the mold. I used linen and blanket bags. I put my previously moldy tack in a plastic bag that doesn’t breath with some sillica packets and a dry rag and then put my non-moldy tack in a bag with a fabric backing with more sillica packets. Then I put them all in a in a flat rolling bin and it is stored under my bed for safe keeping. It’s been a year and no mold yet!

[Posting_Trot]

When I had to store my tack for about 7 months, I cleaned it well, smeared it with the leather conditioner Ko-Cho-Line, wrapped it in towels and then pulled large garbage bags over it. The saddles I then placed on foldable saddle racks in a dry (large) closet, and the bridles in a bridle bag.

When I came back, all I had to do was wipe off the excess conditioner.

Ko-Cho-Line is here: http://www.bitofbritain.com/Ko_cho_line_Leather_Dressing_p/0494.htm