We touched on this in another thread, but I figured it deserved its own. What are the dos and don’ts of fixing your fenders so they turn in. For instance, do you have to use warm water, or is cold okay?
I don’t use water, I just use a good leather conditioner, and then turn them. I leave them like that until I ride, then put them back that way when I’m done, conditioning again first. I do this for a month or two, or until they seem like they are “set”
Water works fine, cold, warm, any way.
Conditioner may change the color in the lighter leather.
After they are turned well, I keep a rubber band on them for longtime, to remind them to stay turned.
I still have the rubber bands on the reining saddle, the old saddles don’t need anything any more, the fenders are soft enough they go where I tell them to go, no need to force them in place and cause knee pain.
I use lots of conditioner when I clean my saddle (due to very dry climate) and I turn the fenders as many turns as they will go, wind them up tight, before inserting the broom handle. I hate the flesh -olored saddle fad that has lasted way too long, and love the deep chestnut real leather color.
Hubby found a golf club on the side of the road…I keep it in my stirrups to keep fenders turned when saddle is sitting. I tried practicing carrying it while riding for steer daubing but mare turned into a reining specialist and we did circles until it went flying…thus ended my career as a steer dauber…
I just used water and did it every time I racked the saddle until it really softened up, you know you are there when you can get a double twist. It goes easier if you lengthen the stirrups and pull the fender down so you get the wide part out from under the…seat jockey?-less to twist at the top and get stuck under the other leather.
Um, hard to describe but I also ran the leathers/fenders so the blevins buckle was inside the loop along with the extra length that would otherwise be visible hanging in front of the toe. Have to take them off the bars and turn the buckles around so I needed a saddle repair guy to do it or order them that way on a custom.
Hope that makes sense, it’s been awhile.
