Preventing water spots on tack - have to ride in a GM clinic in the rain!

[GallopGirl]

Help COTHers! I’m riding in a George Morris clinic next week. I signed up because it’s been on my bucket list for a long time. Just my luck, it’s expected to pour down rain both days of the clinic. I just got an email from the organizer saying bring rain gear because they are going to try to stay riding outside as long as the ring holds up. I’m worried about getting permanent water spots on my tack. I’m going to be in a group of 8 scheduled to ride for 2 hours, so no way to wipe down tack for that whole period of time.

I have a newer-ish (2010) Tad Coffin saddle. I clean it with a bar of glycerin saddle soap and condition with Passier leather balm. My girth is the Wellfleet from SmartPak and gets the same treatment. The girth has some water spots on it from the last horse show of the season when we were splashing around the Eq ring in the mud. PLEASE give me the secrets to saving my tack! George Morris is worth the rain, but not worth spotting up my saddle forever. Thanks in advance for the help!

[OnDeck]

I never worry about water spots on my tack. Tack is meant to be used and I don’t care if it looks used as long as it’s clean and safe. If your tack is soaked, wipe the mud off and let it all dry, then condition and clean. Repeat if needed. Any discoloration will fade over time. The saddles that you see pros riding in have definitely seen their fair share of rain, water spots aren’t as obvious as you think they are!

[BITSA]

Are you riding at Whip n Spur?

[kalidascope]

I read, but have never needed to try, that wet saddles are best dried with a damp towel over the top - helps it dry evenly/avoid spotting or patches. I’m sure you know, but don’t dry it in front of heat source or direct sunlight.

[PonyTales]

Invest in some practice tack ?

[Doctracy]

Make sure your saddle is well conditioned and use the Passier on it. That should give it a good degree of protection.
You could also try a quarter sheet but GM probably wouldn’t allow it.

[jaybird660]

I’ve ridden often in the rain. If it gets soaked, allow it to dry away from a heat source and then condition. I would also condition it before you ride.

[Brigitte]

Passier Lederbalsam all the way! If you have a chance to do several light coats you might get the best results. If you are concerned about the girth do it again lightly before going in the ring.

The Rain Gods love me and it seems that I can only event if it is raining heavily. With the Lederbalsam my tack stays nice and doesn’t seem to be overly wet the next day.

[Action42]

Why not just invest in a rain cover for your saddle?

http://www.sstack.com/product/dura-tech-sureseat-all-weather-english-saddle-cover/

[Small_Change]

[QUOTE=Action42;7884736]
Why not just invest in a rain cover for your saddle?

http://www.sstack.com/product/dura-tech-sureseat-all-weather-english-saddle-cover/[/QUOTE]

Because it would be shocking if GM allowed anyone to ride with one of those in his clinic?

[findeight]

Pretty sure GM would be delighted to see water spots on saddles under dedicated riders working hard as opposed to somebody fretting about temporary, cosmetic discoloration due to being, gasp, used. Remember our traditional roots, Fox Hunters who routinely get wet and the days before there were indoor rings on every farm and we almost always showed outside.

Water does not damage saddles. It’s leather, a cow walked around in it for years. Improper drying-like leaving it the sun, a hot car or in front of a space heater will. Some tanning processes can result in permanent spotting but they are used in leather destined for garments, those processes are not used in saddles or any kind of strap goods except sometimes in really low end, cheap goods.

Just clean and condition as usual before riding, allow to dry out at room temp and condition after its dry…and it probably is going to still be damp the second day Any spotting will gradually fade and become part of that lovely, soft patina only lovingly used and cared for saddles show. Takes a few weeks or even months but it will blend in.

Resist the urge to over condition. You saturate that saddle with conditioner and it gets wet, it gets kind of gloppy and all over your breeches. Likewise trying to condition when it is wet just makes a mess- it won’t absorb very well. Never heard of the damp towel aiding drying unless it’s to slow it down if it’s hot and dry. Good air circulation around the saddle allows it to dry just fine. The leather may be a little stiff when it dries, just use light coats of conditioner and allow each to really dry before redoing it. Normal use also gets it back to suppleness with light conditioning after each use.

One thing to be aware of however is your leathers. If you are using the unlined all leather ones they will stretch if they get wet enough. The nylon/synthetic lined ones will not. So if you have the choice, the lined ones are worth the extra bulk.

Might want to look at your rein selection, some of the thinner, softer ones are hard to manage when soaked. And those black leather show gloves can bleed turning your hands black.

[hoopoe]

and relax, no one can accurately predict weather 1 week out.

DO NOT OIL, as others have said, your usual clean routine before and allow to dry and use a true leather conditioner after.

[Ponyclubrocks]

I ride in the rain all the time, there are no water spots on my saddle. I clean it regularly with glycerin and condition with Lederbalsam. It was oiled when it was new. Don’t even worry about it, just go ride. If its wet afterward just set it on a rack with good air circulation and let in dry at normal room temp.

[merrygoround]

There is a British product called Hydrophane which I have used on my tack for years. It is a leather oil. It is meant to be used in the hunting field where tack can get muddy. They advise rinsing off with cold water.

This would also work for riding in the rain.

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrophane-Leather-Dressing/dp/B002HVIAX4

[RugBug]

OP: I did a Joe Fargis clinic in a downpour. We were in an indoor, but I had asked someone to hold my horse while I grabbed my saddle cover to walk from the barn to the ring…and they did not wait. Grrrr. It was raining so hard that my saddle was soaked in about 20 ft.

I just cleaned it and then oiled it and it was fine.

[QUOTE=hoopoe;7884819]

DO NOT OIL, as others have said, your usual clean routine before and allow to dry and use a true leather conditioner after.[/QUOTE]

Hrmmm…odd. I always oil my tack after it gets wet. 'Course, I also never use a conditioner on it. Glycerine for regular cleanings (Stubbens), ammonia/water for deeper cleaning, and Hydrophane oil as needed (2x a year(?) or after rain).

[QUOTE=merrygoround;7884876]There is a British product called Hydrophane which I have used on my tack for years. It is a leather oil. It is meant to be used in the hunting field where tack can get muddy. They advise rinsing off with cold water.

This would also work for riding in the rain.

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrophane-Leather-Dressing/dp/B002HVIAX4[/QUOTE]

I’ve used hydrophane for years and years…and years.

[PNWjumper]

I only have an outdoor ring, so I ride in the rain whenever it rains around here, and that’s often! I’ve had my saddles get soaked through to the point that there’s not even a dry spot under the saddle when I untack (though in the interest of full disclosure, this has only happened at shows, because when it’s raining that hard at home I either keep the ride short or give the horses a day off!). None of my tack is worse for the wear…not my girths, not my bridles, and not my saddles. I don’t do anything special, just let it dry and then use some conditioner on it if it looks like it needs it (I use Oakwood, but I’ve used other types through the years and they all seem to work about the same). Good tack shouldn’t have any problems getting soaked without being worse for the wear.

[JenEM]

KoChoLine? I recall that was supposed to be somewhat waterproofing.

My tack gets water on it pretty regularly, because I event, and go through/jump into water. I don’t really recall any marking at all from the splashes we get on it that way. The one time I came off in the water while schooling, then got back on and rode in wet breeches, there was a mark on the saddle. I cleaned it, lightly oiled it once it dried, and after I’d used and cleaned it regularly for a few weeks, you’d never have known it got wet.

[beowulf]

the spots you see in the tack after a rain shower or downpour is usually whatever product you used last resurfacing and being whisked away. it is not a permanent mark – take a damp rag and buff off any dirt and then follow with some sort of lanolin or fat balsam. passier works great, belharra, not so much.

hydrophane is great also for waterproofing your strap goods like martingales, bridles – the stuff that gets wet and sweaty constantly.

[Sing_Mia_Song]

Don’t worry. Water won’t dare defile your tack. George wouldn’t allow it.

[forward_ride]

I’ve heard George himself say that you should ride in the rain in new tack to break it in. Seriously. We don’t get that many chances here in socal, but I guess east coasters like George definitely do get a lot of chances But I’m pretty sure you are talking about the Karen Healey clinic and that got moved to an indoor for today, though I do not envy your riding in any indoor with the power of that downpour this morning Have fun!