Clean the Back Side of Your Saddle For Your Horse

The other day I went on a ride where we went through plenty of water and a good bit of mud. Today I was cleaning that crud from my saddle and was reminded of how important it is to clean the back side of your saddle.

Cleaning the top side of your saddle is for you. Cleaning the back side is for your horse. All the mud, sweat, and grime on the back side of your flank cinch and billets, off billet, breast collar, cinch, fenders and latigo is what will be next to your horse on your next ride, causing irritation and sores.

A good habit to get into is to check the back side of your saddle after (or before) every ride and to clean when you see crud. Too often, folks will clean off the top side of their saddle and ignore the back side. Dirt on any surface is bad for a saddle. But dirt on the back side is bad for your partner.