Western Saddle Leather Care

[csaper58]

Do you clean/oil/condition your western saddle? What with?

There are several dry, stiff, dirty saddles in the tack room where I take lessons.

All western. The dressage saddles are all soft as butter.

I was told they aren’t oiled because the leather is different, and they aren’t used much because they are so hard and uncomfortable. Well Duuuh!

My 50+ yr old western saddle is regularly oiled w/ olive + cedar oil and conditioned with Stubben Hamanol. everyone who sits in it offers to buy it.

What about Y’all?

[spaceagevalkyrie]

I clean the nasty off with lexol and then use akene or higher standards to condition it. I know loads of people that use oil but I don’t use it on my english tack so I don’t have any laying around

[Foxglove]

We clean our western tack and saddles the same way we clean the English stuff, driving harnesses, and all other things leather. I’d be wary of a person who doesn’t care for his or her tools --and saddles/bridles etc at the tools of horsemanship.

Foxglove

[cutter99]

I clean my western saddles regularly, because at $3500 plus a piece I consider them an investment. I was also raised to take good care of all tack, no matter what the discipline…

I clean mine with white vinegar (am in the south and fight mold constantly), then glycerin saddle soap, and then apply a good conditioner.

[stb]

I clean my Western and English tack the same way and use the same products.

[hank]

Leather is leather. Does not matter what you make with the leather. It still needs to be cared for like your own skin.

I agree with Foxglove, and wonder what other “little gems” of disinformation you are being fed.

[csaper58]

[QUOTE=hank;8734356]
Leather is leather. Does not matter what you make with the leather. It still needs to be cared for like your own skin.

I agree with Foxglove, and wonder what other “little gems” of disinformation you are being fed.[/QUOTE]

Just because it ends up on my plate, doesn’t mean I swallow it.

[mypaintwattie]

I wipe my western tack down after using it, and use Bickmore conditioner because it doesn’t darken the leather like some other products do.

[hank]

[QUOTE=csaper58;8734635]
Just because it ends up on my plate, doesn’t mean I swallow it. :)[/QUOTE]

Good!

[aktill]

https://schwarzproductions.com/saddle-maintenance-cleaning-and-oiling/

[beau159]

I take care of my Western tack the same that I take care of my English tack. Leather is leather and needs to be cared for.

For sure twice a year, my saddles and tack get a GOOD cleaning. I usually do spring (after the horses are done shedding) and then later on in the fall. I do also rodeo and sometimes have to run in the mud and/or rain. If that happens, the tack that got muddy/wet gets cleaned/conditioned after that.

I just use plain water from the horse and a toothbrush to gently get all the dust/dirt out from the tooling of my western saddle. For the smooth leather, that gets wiped clean with a damp cloth. Once everything is dry, I use Lexol non-darkening leather conditioner generously over everything. (I have some lighter colored tack so I don’t want it getting darker).

Done this for years and it serves me well.