After 5 hours of grading yesterday, and whole a weekend of rain, I managed to get one weekend goal partially accomplished tonight.
The toolsSaddle soap, clean cotton rags, a bucket of clean warm water (emptied as necessary) and mink oil.
I've tried using leather cleaners, and I do like Lexol, but for a regular cleaning I usually just stick to saddle soap and a clean rag, reinforced in really muddy situations with a soft brush. Twice a year I like to hit most things - excluding cinches, stirrup leathers & other potentially stretchy bits - with mink oil or a really good leather conditioner. I've also used neatsfoot oil with good results.
The Results
Three saddles completely & thoroughly saddle soaped & oiled!
I still have a ways to go to finish everything up, but the two worst saddles are done - all the tooling on the back two makes them a lot tougher to keep clean. Keeping the saddle soap from congealing in the narrow bits - no fun. But easier than getting dried mud loose!
I've tried using leather cleaners, and I do like Lexol, but for a regular cleaning I usually just stick to saddle soap and a clean rag, reinforced in really muddy situations with a soft brush. Twice a year I like to hit most things - excluding cinches, stirrup leathers & other potentially stretchy bits - with mink oil or a really good leather conditioner. I've also used neatsfoot oil with good results.
The ResultsI still have a ways to go to finish everything up, but the two worst saddles are done - all the tooling on the back two makes them a lot tougher to keep clean. Keeping the saddle soap from congealing in the narrow bits - no fun. But easier than getting dried mud loose!
The one on the far left? My mom's saddle from when she was a little girl. She passed it on to me a few years ago. It's probably my favorite piece of tack. It's super comfortable, for me, at least- unfortunately, it doesn't fit Sunny at all. His back's too short, and it bridges. But someday maybe I'll have another horse that it does fit.
Some time when the light's better I'll take it out and snap a few pictures of some of its more interesting details.
Some time when the light's better I'll take it out and snap a few pictures of some of its more interesting details.
3 comments:
Hi Sunny-D!
Your saddles look fabulous! So clean and shiney! I have one of mine sitting on the couch waiting to be cleaned...when? Boy, I have no idea.
How have you been? We have been good, just so busy,I check e-mail and go to bed. I hope once my work project is complete by the end of October, I can relax again and blog some. (and maybe spend some much needed time with the horses!)
You asked about Tonto's sweating problem. When the vet came out to do fall shots I mentioned my concern to her. She seemed to think I wasn't working him hard enough. I never really rode him long enough for him to really sweat under the saddle, so I'm not sure either...but longing him for 30 minutes in the extreme heat makes me think he should have sweated a lot more. We'll re-visit it next spring/early summer if it seems to be a problem. We haven't even ridden or been able to spend much time with the horses since my last post on Filly. It is so frustrating. Maybe one day our barn will be completed...but for now I have to settle for my sweet Mom caring for the horses and visiting while we can. My mother-in-law has had 2 major strokes in the last 3 years, so we spend a good portion of time caring and assisting with her. I never thought I would be 33 years old, taking care of my 61 year old Mom-in-law. I love her dearly, and she did not choose to have the strokes, so I have to look at it that way.
Anyway, it has been a while since I stopped by. Didn't mean to ramble on about my life on your blog! Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope to have some time to update soon. Nothing much has been going on to update anyway. :)
I love the fact that you have your Mom's saddle. What a beautiful treasure. Like you said, hopefully one day you will have a horse that can use it. :) Hope all is well with you and your beautiful horses!
Wanna come west a few miles and do mine? Kidding-I really gotta get after it myself. My saddles are pretty dry and dusty.
I tend to park myself in front of the TV in the late evening or when the weather's bad and watch something mindless while I clean - the debates tonight should work :)
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