Keeping Your Saddle in Good Condition

Leather horse saddles can be expensive so you will want to take good care of it. This means keeping it clean and spotting any signs of wear and tear. There are various things you can do at home to keep it in tip top condition. The main part of the process of saddle care is applying the oil. This guide will help you to learn how to clean and care for horse saddles.

The Process of Saddle Care

 

1.    The first thing to consider is where you will be cleaning and oiling your saddle. If you do it inside, you will need to protect the floor because the chances are it will get dirty. Old sheets are the fine. To avoid making a mess inside, you could do it outside but be aware of the weather. You don’t want to be midway through oiling you saddle when it starts raining.

2.    You will need somewhere to place your saddle while you work on it. Special stands are available for horse saddles but if this is not possible the back of a chair is fine. You will probably need to weight the chair down to stop it tipping backwards. You may also want to protect the chair from oil splatters as well.

3.    The next step in the process of saddle care is to start the oiling. First, you need to make sure that the saddle itself is fairly clean and has no excess leftover mud, dirt etc. on it. The best oil to use is Neatsfoot oil.

4.    Put generous amounts of the oil into a bowl and use a paintbrush to apply it to the saddle. Again, put a generous amount on the brush.

5.    Start painting all the leather bits on the saddle, working the oil into all the hard to reach places. For the larger sections, a cloth rag may be quicker and spread more oil. You need to put large amounts of oil onto the saddle. Neatsfoot oil soaks into leather very well and you should notice it disappearing fairly quickly. If the saddle is dry, it is recommended to repeat the process of saddle care several times.

Tips & Advice

 

•    The first few times you go out riding with your newly oiled saddle, either wear old clothes or wear chaps. There will still be an excess of oil in the leather and it will probably come off onto your clothes

•    The process of saddle care is quite a messy one and it is best to cover or remove anything that you don’t want oil splattered. This includes floors, carpets and furniture. Wear old clothes as they will get messy.