“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” – Warren Buffet
Good tack ain’t cheap. And if you’re going to spend a substantial chunk of change on saddles, bridles, reins, girths and what-have-you, it really makes good sense to think of them as investments, and be conscientious in their care so you get a good return. Tack in general and saddles in particular can last for years and years if given proper care and treatment. It doesn’t take a huge amount of time to care for your tack, but you do need to remember that, thanks to advances in the tanning process, the old “Neatsfoot oil and saddle soap” regimen has been replaced by updated methods. Let’s take a look.
KEEP IT CLEAN
Keeping your tack clean is the first step in assuring its longevity. You should wipe your tack down with a damp sponge or cloth after every use. This will only take a couple of minutes, and will keep the dirt and sweat from building up. If you skip a wipe-down or three, and need to really remove dirt from the leather, use a product that’s specific to tack. Tanning processes for the leather use for tack are different from the processes used for, say, clothing, so the cleaning needs will be different, too. Mostly any commercially available tack cleaner should be fine, but I will give you one caveat: some products can lift the dye from the leathers that don’t have the hard, shiny finish – calf leather, Black Country’s Vintage leather and Frank Baines’ Rio Tactile, for example – so it’s often best to go with the manufacturer’s recommendations if you have any doubts. But I’ve used Effax and Passier cleaners on all leathers with no problems. Glycerin soap is fine, too – just make sure to rinse all the soap off, since any residue will attract dust and dirt (the verdigris you often see around saddle nails and dees is the result of glycerin residue). And if your leather should get really dirty, do not succumb to the temptation to use any sort of abrasive material or scrubber on your leather – patient work with a piece of terrycloth will eventually take the dirt off (and might help you to remember that it’s way easier to prevent such a build-up again).
(NOTE: If you store your tack for any length of time – especially your saddle, and especially in cooler weather – you may notice that a white film forms on the surface. This is most likely not mildew or mold, but rather something called “saddler’s bloom”, which is the natural tallow/fat present in all high-quality leather. Regular use rubs the fat back into the leather as it rises to the surface, but if the leather isn’t used regularly, it’ll rise to the surface and stay. Moving the tack to a warmer area and rubbing with a soft cloth will often take care of the issue; if not, take a hair dryer on the “low” setting and blow warm air carefully onto the bloom to melt it, then rub with a soft cloth.)
KEEP IT CONDITIONED
Repeat after me: “I will not oil my tack. I will not oil my tack.” It’s not that oil is bad – in fact, oils are found in all commercial conditioners – but too much oil is bad … so I just recommend staying away from plain oil, period. Excess oil will cause the collagen fibers that make up the leather to weaken, and then they’ll be prone to stretching, and that will render your tack “unsafe at any speed.” If you’ve ever seen a piece of tack that was as floppy and flexible as a dish towel, you’ve seen a piece of tack that’s been over-oiled. A good commercial conditioner will contain the right amount of oil, along with fats and waxes, and should be your product of choice. It should be applied in light coats (the operative word here being “light”) when needed, to keep the leather supple. You’ll know by the feel of your leather if it needs conditioning, and the frequency with which you condition will depend on the climate in which you live, and the frequency and conditions in which you ride.
KEEP IT SAFE
This is a twofold warning – you want to keep your tack in safe and sound condition for use, AND you want to keep it safe from damage. Let’s take those concerns in order.
That after-every-ride wipe-down I mentioned is a great time to check your tack for minor problems like surface cracks, stretched holes or a loose line of stitching. Being aware of these issues early will allow you to have the problematic part replaced or repaired before it becomes a safety hazard.
Second, you want to keep your leather away from harsh conditions and products. That means no ammonia, vinegar, bleach, Murphy’s Oil Soap, baby wipes, hand lotion or olive oil. A good rule of thumb is that if it’s not formulated specifically for tack, it shouldn’t touch your tack. Remember to store your tack out of direct sunlight, and try to keep it in a well-ventilated, non-humid and (if possible) climate-controlled area. Hang it, rack it and/or cover it to keep it out of reach of the barn dog or cat or sheep or goat; when you’re tacking up, be sure that it’s not going to be knocked off a saddle rack (great way to leave some ugly scuffs in the leather or even break the tree) or chewed by a curious critter. And one further caveat: don’t leave your saddled horse unattended in his/her stall, even for a second; I’ve seen saddles trashed because Dobbin decided to have a lie-down or even a roll in the fluffy, inviting shavings while wearing the saddle.
So there you have it. Your routine tack care should take about 5 minutes after each ride, and will go a long way to protect your investment and your (and your horse’s) safety.