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Most people don’t think of taking care of their leather products until something breaks or cracks. I’ve seen lots of dangerous things happen because people haven’t taken the time to clean or condition their tack. They let their stirrups and fenders get all dried out and cracked up, and then they get seriously hurt because the fender broke or snapped while they were riding.


You are only as safe as the equipment you ride in, and an extra second of attention could protect you and your horse from serious injury.


Ninety-nine percent of the tack we use on our horses is made of leather. Leather is a natural product, and anything that is natural has to be maintained to last as long as it should. Most of the leather equipment we use on our horses is made with full-grain leather, which means that it is as thick as the original hide. Like skin, leather is made up of three layers.

  • The thin surface layer is called the grain, and it is filled with pores that allow air and moisture to enter the leather. While the pores allow air and moisture into the leather, they also let water and dirt pass through, which can wear the natural fibers in leather down. And the pores also allow the natural oils in leather to escape, which can dry the leather out, making it crack and break.
  • The second layer of leather is called the corium. It’s the center layer, and leather’s source of strength because of long protein strands that interlock with each other. The protein strands are flexible, but durable. Friction from constant motion causes the protein strands to break down. That’s why well-used pieces of leather equipment soften at points under the most pressure. When we get new saddles, we spend the first couple of rides breaking the leather in, and making it more comfortable as it conforms to our body and our horse’s body.
  • The third and final layer of leather is called the rough. This layer, the underside of leather, allows air and moisture to penetrate and exit the corium. While the rough helps heat and sweat from the horse’s body escape, it is also an entry point that allows dirt and grime to enter the leather.

Leather contains a certain amount of natural oil, and overtime, that oil evaporates and must be replenished. If you don’t replenish the oil, the leather will dry out and become brittle. When leather loses its moisture, its natural fibers pull away from each other and permanently weaken the piece of equipment. I, personally, can’t stand working with stiff leather that is rough and creaks. Taking time to clean and condition the leather will extend the life of your equipment and ensure your safety.


You don’t have to do a full-fledged tack cleaning every time you ride. In fact, soaping your saddle up after every ride can actually do more harm than good to the natural fibers in the leather. The goal of cleaning tack is to remove the dirt while keeping natural oils in the leather. As long as you wipe your tack off after a ride and clean and condition the leather every so often, you’ll be in great shape.


Everyday Basics


I spend two or three minutes after every ride giving my tack a quick wipe down to get rid of the dirt and dust on the surface of the leather. You’ll want to use a damp, lint free cloth or sponge to go over the surface of the tack. The sponge or cloth you use shouldn’t be soaking wet. The sponge should be damp so that there’s enough moisture to penetrate into the grain’s pores and dissolve the dirt from the arena or trail and the salts from your horse’s sweat. You don’t want to use so much water that it soaks deep into the leather and damages the protein fibers there. Lexol Cleaner Quick-Wipes work great for this. Instead of dealing with sponges and a bucket of water, the Quick-Wipes are already damp and ready to use with the right amount of moisture. After my ride, I take the saddle off of my horse, sit it on a saddle rack and wipe off the surface dirt. I pay special attention to areas where leather pieces are joined together because they tend to collect a lot of dirt and grime. This whole process takes less than five minutes, but accomplishes a lot. Any dust or grit that is absorbed into the leather will act like sandpaper on the fibers and break them down, shortening the life of your equipment. Make it a habit to wipe down your tack after every ride, removing surface dirt and dust.


Thorough Cleaning


If you ride on a regular basis, every two or three weeks, you’ll need to give your tack a deep, thorough cleaning. You’ll know it’s time to do more than just wipe your tack down after a ride when the dirt can’t be wiped off easily.

  1. Disassemble the bridle, and remove the girth, cinch and stirrup leathers from the saddle. It’s important to disassemble the equipment so that you can clean under the buckles where trapped dirt can break down the leather.
  2. Remove surface dirt from the tack by running a dry, soft towel over it.
  3. Soak a sponge in a bucket of warm water, and then wring the sponge out so that it is damp, but not dripping wet.
  4. Apply a small amount of cleaner to the sponge, and rub the sponge in circular motions onto the tack, working up a lather to lift the dirt out. Clean your tack in small manageable sections, starting with a fender or flap for example. When you are rubbing the cleaner into the leather, you don’t want to create too much lather because too much will leave a sticky residue behind that will only attract more dirt. I prefer Lexol pH Leather Cleaner because it doesn’t contain any waxes or other additives that clog up pores. It leaves my tack feeling smooth and clean, not greasy or tacky like other cleaners on the market.
  5. Periodically rinse the sponge in the bucket of warm water. If your tack is really dirty, you may have to change water and rinse the bucket out.
  6. Clean the entire area of the tack, especially the underside where dirt and sweat from your horse’s body have made contact with the leather. Water and sweat are leathers two biggest enemies because they remove all of the natural oils in leather.
  7. Rinse the soap off of the tack, removing dirt as you go with a clean sponge. Then rub the leather dry with a soft cloth.

Conditioning Your Tack


Besides keeping your tack clean, it is also important to condition it. All leather has natural oils in it, but overtime, those oils evaporate out of the pores. You have to condition the leather and put more oils back in it so that it doesn’t dry out and crack. How often you have to condition your tack depends on the climate you live in. If you live in an area with dry heat, you’ll have to replenish the natural oils more often than if you lived in an area with mild temperatures.


It’s important that you only condition leather after you have cleaned it first. Otherwise, you’ll just be adding oil to dirt. Apply a thin layer of leather conditioner to all areas of the tack with a clean, soft cloth. I use Lexol Leather Conditioner on all of my tack because it instantly nourishes and protects the leather without leaving an oily residue behind. The biggest mistake most people make when they condition their tack is applying too much oil. Don’t overdue it. Apply a thin layer once, and then wait 24 hours before applying more oil if you think the leather needs it.


Storage


As important as it is to clean your tack, it is just as important to store it in a well ventilated place with a controlled temperature. If you store your equipment in damp conditions, it can lead to mold and mildew damage. Once mold or mildew spores get into leather, it is difficult to keep them from growing back. If you live in an area with lots of humidity, you’ll have to be extra careful of this. Avoid storing your tack in dark places that encourage the growth of mold and mildew. The best place to store tack is in a clean, dry room with a controlled temperature.


Any piece of equipment that gets used on a day to day basis, even one made of high quality leather, will eventually wear out. However, if you maintain your tack by cleaning and conditioning it, you’ll be amazed at how much life you’ll get out of it. Remember, both your safety and your horse’s safety depends on the condition of your equipment. Set yourself up for success and ensure the safety of both you and your horse by taking a few seconds after every ride to wipe your tack down to protect and prevent the leather from cracking and drying. Cleaning and conditioning makes tack longer lasting, more comfortable and easier to use.