just got a new bridle arrive yesterday for a show tomorrow - nothing like pressure LOL
As I do with all new leather, I oil it with neatsfoot and do that a few times, leaving it to soak in each time
I then use a leather balm, leaving it overnight. I rebalm in the morning and after lunch I then start saddle soaping. I rub the soap in like mad.
Once that is done, I use a 2:1 cleaner and leave that to soak in
Another saddle soap - not wet, just moist and rub that in like mad. Late tonight I will buff up the leather
Every time we've used our tack we clean off with a damp sponge - not wet. We then rub in either 2:1 (eg Red rum or similar) or soft soap (Robinsons is fine but I am using naf at the mo as it was a similar price but no postage costs as it was in our tack shop!)
Every week, I take it all apart and use the glycerine soap and check all the stitching whilst rubbing it like mad. I use a cocktail stick to take all the soap out of the holes.
Once a month, I oil all the leather, leave it overnight and then glycerine soap it the next morning
My tack is soft as butter
If it ever gets wet (like last night!), it comes home, taken apart and oiled as water just makes the leather so dry. If its only a bit damp, the 2:1 seems to be sufficient
This sounds like a big deal, but cos I do it all the time, it takes me about 1 - 2 mins to wipe over the tack each time its used. The weekly clean, I do in the sitting room, in front of the TV and it takes me very little time. The oiling takes under 5 mins and gets done in the kitchen whilst I listen to the radio
Our pony club bridle is my pony's bridle - I sold her 20 years ago! The bridle is still in excellent condition and I've only just had to have one keeper repaired.
I'd stop using water on your bridle as I suspect that may be the problem?
As I do with all new leather, I oil it with neatsfoot and do that a few times, leaving it to soak in each time
I then use a leather balm, leaving it overnight. I rebalm in the morning and after lunch I then start saddle soaping. I rub the soap in like mad.
Once that is done, I use a 2:1 cleaner and leave that to soak in
Another saddle soap - not wet, just moist and rub that in like mad. Late tonight I will buff up the leather
Every time we've used our tack we clean off with a damp sponge - not wet. We then rub in either 2:1 (eg Red rum or similar) or soft soap (Robinsons is fine but I am using naf at the mo as it was a similar price but no postage costs as it was in our tack shop!)
Every week, I take it all apart and use the glycerine soap and check all the stitching whilst rubbing it like mad. I use a cocktail stick to take all the soap out of the holes.
Once a month, I oil all the leather, leave it overnight and then glycerine soap it the next morning
My tack is soft as butter
If it ever gets wet (like last night!), it comes home, taken apart and oiled as water just makes the leather so dry. If its only a bit damp, the 2:1 seems to be sufficient
This sounds like a big deal, but cos I do it all the time, it takes me about 1 - 2 mins to wipe over the tack each time its used. The weekly clean, I do in the sitting room, in front of the TV and it takes me very little time. The oiling takes under 5 mins and gets done in the kitchen whilst I listen to the radio
Our pony club bridle is my pony's bridle - I sold her 20 years ago! The bridle is still in excellent condition and I've only just had to have one keeper repaired.
I'd stop using water on your bridle as I suspect that may be the problem?
)
) and i wet the saddle soap then squeeze as much water out of the sponge as possible -water and leather don't go well, too much water makes it go bobbly IME, it goes rough with too much water - then rub the soap over all the leather. then find an old tee shirt and use that to rub of the "white" foamy stuff from the soap that's left on the leather.
I cleaned then oiled both my bridle and saddle last night - and this morning my saddle has gone all white
?????