Weather Extremes Are Hard on Horse Tack

As the weather starts to turn warm, it’s time to think about some extra TLC for your tack. While leather and synthetic tack will survive climate extremes – cold and heat, dampness and dryness – it won’t thrive in those types of extremes.

If you want your tack to last as long as possible and stay in the best shape, it’s a good idea to get it out of extreme weather conditions. That means making sure it’s in an enclosed area (tack shed, etc.) and covered with a saddle cover (not plastic) or blanket.

The absolute best location is a temperature controlled environment. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have access to a temperature controlled tack shed or room. If you have a particularly valuable or favorite piece of tack, you might consider bringing it into the house.

I hate to show favorites but my custom saddle comes in for the winter, while my older Crates saddle toughs it out in the tack shed. But once it’s warm, they’re side-by-side in the tack shed with a cover over each.

Can You Oil a Saddle Too Much?

The answer to this important question is an emphatic YES.

Over time, excessive application of oil will break down the fibers in the leather and weaken it. Leather does need oil, but much less than most folks think. Applying a good coat of oil once a year will usually be sufficient.

On the other hand, there’s no such thing as cleaning your saddle too much. This can range from a quick dusting with a soft cloth to a full cleaning with a glycerin soap. And you certainly want to do a good cleaning prior to applying oil or you will trap the dirt in the pores of the leather.

Mold & Mildew: Bad News For Saddles

Both mold (green and hairy) and mildew (white-ish gray and powdery) are fungi that thrive in damp, moist environments. And by “thrive,” I mean grows and spreads. It can start from a single spore and multiply like crazy. Ewww!

Mold damage on leather tack can be extensive and usually irreversible. Mold penetrates the leather pores and eats away at the fibers, causing stains and damaging the leather.

Obviously this problem is a much more prevalent in humid clients. In dry Montana we seldom see mold, but it still occasionally rears it’s ugly head.

Steps for preventing mold damage:

1. Wipe down your tack after use removing dirt and sweat.
2. Use a leather cleaner that contains a fungicide and is Ph neutral rather than one that contains humectants such as glycerine. Humectants trap moisture in.
3. Apply oil sparingly. This is good practice regardless of the mold situation. Most folks over oil their saddles.
4. Don’t resort to harsh chemicals that are recommended for hard surfaces such as bathroom grout. They will damage your leather.
5. Don’t store your tack in a moist, damp environment

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.