Bridles Part 5: Care

Mmmm nice clean tack

Now that we've covered some of the bridle basics, let's talk about how we take care of bridles. I can't claim to be the ultimate guru on this, because I change my methods frequently, but here are some things I've tried.

First off, let's look at cleaners. It's the first step in the process--removing all things "horse" from the leather so it doesn't get disgusting and either cause rubs or crack. It's also a good time to get up close and personal with any and all buckles, hook studs, stitching, and joints, just to make sure all is well. I prefer to leave my bridle assembled and do a quick wipedown, then fully take it apart before shows to make sure I've gotten every last speck and checked every stitch.

Cleaners

Bleach
Not kidding. The barn I grew up at would dilute bleach in warm water and then scrub tack with it. I suppose it worked well enough, but I don't like bleach on my skin, so I really didn't care for putting it on leather. Plus, if you're using a cheap container to hold it, the bleach just melts through. There's also a good chance it would take the dye off cheap leather and god only knows what it would do to nice stuff. It smells offensive and I haven't gone back to it. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're desperate.

sexy leather shot

Glycerin Soap Bar
This is one I hear about all the time, especially from more old school folks. Glycerin is cheap and readily available at any tack store, even if they only carry western stuff. It doesn't smell bad and it lasts a really, really long time. It really isn't that great at removing dirt and it serves to seal the leather... this is great if you are putting a polish on clean leather that you want to take out in the rain or something, but it really isn't your best bet for cleaning power.

Horseman's One Step
Just say no. Is that still a thing? This product purports to clean and condition, but all it ever does is gunk up the leather on top of the dirt. I'm not sure why it's considered useful, but they obviously still make this stuff, so someone must like it.

Belvoir Tack Cleaner Spray, Leather Therapy Wash, Fieblings Saddle Soap, Effax Soap
These products are readily available in my part of the world. They join the long list of commercial "soaps" that really don't do anything as far as I can tell. Quite frankly, soaps like this are why for a couple of years, I'd just do a once over of my tack with water and then use conditioner. I don't use soap just to use soap--I use soap to oh, you know, remove grime or something. Kind of like when I shower, right?

So good I almost want to eat it

Higher Standards Soap
LOVE. That is all.
No, that isn't all. This soap is/was taking the online horsey community by storm and I got some through the awesome blogger secret Santa program. LOVE. It smells amazing (the soap, not the program) and it's the first saddle soap I've used that I am really impressed with. It takes up dirt with a minimum of rubbing on my part, it smells incredible, and it doesn't leave a gunky residue. What's not to love?
Just buy it now.

Conditioners

Once the leather is clean, the next step is to put some conditioner on it. This process varies on where you live. I'm in a high mountain desert, so I never worry about moisture/mold, but hot dry air is murder on leather too. I prefer to clean/condition 3-4x a week (if I have time), but no less than once a week. I would say I'm on the high end for neurotic leather care, but I enjoy the process and well maintained leather makes my soul happy. Here are some common conditioners available on the market:

Neatsfoot Oil
Again, all the oldies talk about it and it's available pretty much everywhere. It's not expensive and it's inoffensive smelling. It gets a bad rap for rotting stitching, but given that modern tack is made (in general) with nylon thread, the rotting is no longer a problem.

That said, the stretching is. At least, the other side of it's reputation is that it makes leather stretch. I used neatsfoot for a while when I got back into horses because it's cheap and I was trying new things, and yeah, stretching. It's real. Used in moderation, neatsfoot is perfectly fine and it is GREAT for rehydrating sad old leather or starting to break something new in, but I would NOT put it in the regular rotation for tack care.

Olive Oil
Olive oil gets less of a bad rap than neatsfoot and it's supposed to be good for darkening leather. My two cents on that: just buy the color you want in the first place. ;-) At any rate, olive oil can help darken or condition tack and can be used in much the same way as neatsfoot with all the same benefits and drawbacks. I guess if you're in to that kind of thing, go for it. I prefer to cook with it.

Also good

Higher Standards Balm
Given my rave review of the soap, you'd expect me to be all over this. I only sort of am. The balm is lovely, mostly unscented, and easy to use. It doesn't leave much residue and is my go-to daily conditioner.

However. It's really not a deep conditioner. Between my dry environment and my personal preference for leather with a little bit of creamy protection, I prefer to keep something else around. Some people like their leather a little drier--if that's you, this is your dream conditioner.

Effax Ledersbalsm, Passier Ledersbalsm
I rank these two about the same. I've had both. I like both. They last a long time and they do an excellent job whether you're just using a little bit to soften up leather or you're really rubbing it in to leather you're about to store for a while.

They both give my husband severe headaches. I don't know what it is about them, but if you're sensitive to smell, you may want to steer clear.

mmm nice clean leather

Akene Leather Conditioner
This was my trainer's favorite stuff at the show barn and I could definitely see why. It does a lovely job on conditioning without feeling like you're rubbing Vaseline into your hands. It's also kind of pricey and doesn't have a wide distribution. Honestly, I've never bothered to purchase it because I didn't feel like it was so mind-blowingly amazing that it was worth it. Also I like to try new things.

Oakwood Leather Conditioner
This product is the recommended conditioner for Nunn Finer products. It's what I have currently and I really like it for deep conditioning. It also doesn't give hubs a headache, which is a big plus. It's not the be all and end all, but it certainly does the job.

ALL THE LEATHER

Wrap Up

There are a lot of products available on the market and I'm sure everyone has their own opinion on them. At the end of the day, as long as you're making an effort with your tack, you can't go too far wrong. First and foremost, make sure the stitching and and hardware are safe, then make sure the worst of the grime is off, then put something on it to keep the leather from dry rotting or molding, depending on your climate.

I realize not everyone has a near-spiritual experience while wiping down leather, but no one wants to have tack break while they're riding. ;-)