This page has instructions for the care and cleaning of leather goods and braided rawhide work. I plan to add instructions for mecates when time allows.
Some of the cleaning and conditioning products mentioned are readily available, but others can be hard to find. We regularly stock all of these items, so give us a call if you can't find them locally.
Sheepskin swatches are usually not commercially available, but we have decided to offer them for sale as they are the best applicator for all oils and conditioners. I have also found some of the boar bristle brushes I like and will be offering them for sale shortly as well as all of the cleaning products I recommend.
Quality leather goods will last for years if they are given proper care. The right kind of cleaning and conditioning can add years of use but incorrect care can significantly shorten the lifespan of a piece of gear.
Tack should be cleaned thoroughly with the soap and water method explained below only when it truly dirty. If it is just a bit dusty, there are other solutions. If it isn't truly dirty, use the light cleaning method. This may sound funny, but tack can just as easily be killed with kindness as with neglect.
All of our gear goes out the door ready to go to work. Each item had been treated with the proper conditioner and finish and doesn't require any additional treatment. The first time our customers need to worry about conditioning our products is the first time they do a thorough cleaning.
You can minimize in-depth cleaning by doing some basic maintenance. If you ride long enough to work up a sweat on your horse, use a damp sponge to wipe off the inside of headstalls, flank cinches, back billets, breast collars and martingales.. Latigos can also be wiped down the same way.
You can also do this to the back side of the fenders of your saddle, but I don't recommend it. If you feel that you must do the fenders, be sure to dampen the entire back side of the fender, not just the part that touched the horse. If you try to spot clean you will end up with permanent water stains on the leather.
Before you actually start cleaning, find a place to work that isn't in direct sunlight and won't be in direct sunlight until you are finished and the tack is dry. Direct sun will dry the leather too quickly and will do more damage than cleaning or conditioning can combat.
Next, take your tack apart. Remove spur straps from spurs, take headstalls apart completely, remove martingales or breastcollars from saddles and disassemble them. Remove front and flank cinches and disconnect them and then take the stirrups off of the saddle. If you have bucking rolls on your saddle and can take them off, now is the time. Otherwise you'll just have to clean around them.
This process allows you to see how dirty things are and what parts will require extra attention. Also use this time to look for wear, loose stitches and cracked leather. You will be able to see these even better as you clean, but make a preliminary inspection now anyway and note any problems you see.
As you take things apart, make note of the different kinds of leather used to construct your saddles as other tack. This is very important as different leather tannages have different properties and sometimes require alternate cleaning and conditioning methods.
Use an air compressor to blow off all loose dust and dirt. Remove any caked-on mud by gently flaking it off with a finger nail, dry soft brush or a rag. A plastic spatula can also be used to flake off mud. Don't use a knife or metal scraper as you may damage the grain of the leather. Roughout saddles are an exception to the rule in that you can use a brush with harder bristles to loosen it. The more grime you can get off now, the less work you will have to do later.
This page is very long and there are different instructions for different types of gear. Use the links below to jump to the sections that apply to you and the tack you are cleaning.
If your tack is just dusty and not really dirty, use an air compressor to blow off as much loose dirt as possible.
Apply a light cleaner/conditioner (I like Rudy's for this) with a sheepskin swatch. Use a circular motion to apply it. You will have to change swatches as they get dirty, so have quite a few on hand. It may seem like you are wasting swatches, but they are cheap compared to ruining a headstall or breastcollar by either neglecting or over-cleaning a piece of gear.
When you have gone over the entire piece of gear, go back with a clean swatch and buff it to a luster.
You can do a light cleaning/conditioning on a saddle as well. When all of the dust is either wiped off with a rag, or blown off with an air compressor, put some Rudy's on a swatch, start at the horn and work your way down. If the seat is padded and covered in suede, skip it as Rudy's will mat down the knap of the suede. Instead, brush it with a soft brass bristle brush to rejuvenate it. Any commercial suede cleaner can be used on it as well. You will have to throw swatches away when they get dirty or else you will just be spreading the dirt around. Figure on using at least 15 swatches to do a saddle.
The best order of cleaning for a saddle is as follows--- horn, entire fork, entire seat and cantle binding. If the cantle binding is rawhide, use rawhide cleaning and conditioning instructions in the Heavy Cleaning section. Then do the entire back cantle and back jockeys. Clean and condition one skirt and then the other. Do the fenders and stirrup leathers next, one at a time. Finally, the saddle strings and rope strap. Save the back billets, flank cinch and latigos for last.
Once the conditioner has soaked in, go back with a fresh swatch and buff it. On the average saddle, you will probably go through several swatches in the buffing process.
If you have a suede seat, it will not be cleaned with any of the products mentioned above. Before starting to wash, use the brass bristle brush to loosen dirt and lift the knap. If you feel it really needs cleaned, use a commercial suede cleaner before going any further.
Fill the bucket about two-thirds full of tepid water. Cold water won't do the best job of cleaning and hot water can cause shrinking and permanent damage to nearly all types and tannages of leather.
Most cleaning will be done with the sea sponges. Only use the soft bristle brush when absolutely necessary. The last thing you want to do is damage the grain of the leather. That means firm bristles are a no-no on these types of saddles except for on the back sides of the fenders, flank cinch, back billets and latigos, assuming these parts are rough out and not lined with smooth leather. If they are lined with smooth leather, then smooth leather rules apply.
Dampen the sponge and work up a good lather with the bar soap. Keep in mind that you only want to use enough water to get the saddle clean. Avoid getting it soaking wet. More is not better when it comes to water and leather. You'll work from the top down, so apply the suds with a circular motion starting with the horn. Do not wash the horn wrap. Soap on a horn wrap will make it slick and unless you're a better hand than most, a fast horn is dangerous. Then move on to the fork and then to the seat, assuming it isn't suede. Do the entire seat and both seat jockeys. If you do the entire area at one time you won't get permanent water marks on the leather. Plan on getting the suds off of the horn, fork, seat and seat jockeys before moving on.
To get rid of the suds, wash out the sponge well (or use a fresh one) and change the water in the bucket. Use a damp (not wet) sponge and wipe the suds off in the same circular motion you use for cleaning. Rinse out the sponge frequently as you wipe. The water will probably have to be changed a couple of times before you are done wiping off the horn, fork and seat.
If you drip water onto any dry parts of the saddle as you are washing these areas, use your sponge to dampen the entire area around the drip mark. This will prevent permanent water stains.
Move to the back of the cantle and back jockeys. Clean these parts the same way as described above. Do the entire back cantle and both back jockeys at the same time. Try to avoid lifting or curling the back jockeys too much. These pieces are held in place with the back saddle strings and cover the back of the bars of the saddle tree. Most custom saddlemakers work very hard to make these pieces fit tight so they protect the tree. Excessive bending when the leather is wet will affect how they look and fit once the leather dries out. Keep an eye out for any drips onto lower parts and take care of them as described earlier. Wipe off suds before moving on.
From this point on, it is best to wash and rinse one side of the saddle completely before cleaning the other side. Start with the left side and clean the skirt and rigging as described earlier. Try not to get water on the sheepskin covering the underside of the skirts. Be sure to work your sponge up underneath the rigging to get this area as clean as possible. It is very easy to drip water on the fender when doing this, so keep an eye out for any water drops and take care of them promptly. Rinse the suds off and move onto the fender and stirrup leather.
Wash and rinse the fender and stirrup leather as described above. Pay special attention the part of the stirrup leather that is in contact with the stirrup itself. This area usually collects a lot of dirt and grime and is in constant contact with metal, so it needs to be cleaned well. However, try not to get it excessively wet. If the back side of the fender is rough out and not lined, you can use a firm bristled brush to loosen dirt and sweat. If it is lined with smooth leather, use a soft bristle brush instead. Once you are done with these parts, be sure to refasten the stirrup leather by putting the buckle posts back into the stirrup leather holes. Don't bother with the slide portion of the buckle. The only reason you are doing this is so the stirrup leather will dry in the proper position and keep the twist. If you fasten the sliding sleeve you will prevent the portion covered by the sleeve from drying properly. Don't forget to clean the stirrup leather hobble as well.
The dirtiest parts and latigo-type leathers are saved for last. Clean the saddle strings by running a sudsy sponge up and down them and wipe the suds off the same way. Be careful not to drip water on any other parts of the saddle as you do this as the water may have picked up some of the red color from the strings. Use a rag to lightly dry the strings so they won't bleed color onto the saddle.
Wash the top sides of the back billet and flank cinch the same as every other smooth part of the saddle. The flank cinch will probably need some serious attention with the soft bristle brush to get it clean. The part of the billet and flank that touch the horse can be scrubbed with a hard bristle brush unless they are lined with smooth leather. You will go through several water changes getting these parts truly clean. Wash and rinse the latigo last. Don't give in to temptation and drop the whole thing in the bucket of water. It will cause more harm than good. Wash and rinse it the same as everything else.
Now move to the right side of the saddle and repeat the process.
Let the saddle dry for several hours before going on to the conditioning treatments.
Roughout saddles are much easier to clean. Since the knap of the leather is up, you can use a brush more to clean it and the whole process is goes faster.
Fill the bucket about two-thirds full of tepid water. Cold water won't do the best job of cleaning and hot water can cause shrinking and permanent damage to nearly all types and tannages of leather.
Most cleaning will be done with the brushes on the top side of the leather. Use a sea sponge or soft bristle brush on the parts of the saddle that are smooth to prevent damaging the grain.
Dampen the brush or sponge and work up a good lather with the bar soap. Keep in mind that you only want to use enough water to get the saddle clean. Avoid getting it soaking wet. More is not better when it comes to water and leather. You'll work from the top down, so apply the suds with a circular motion starting with the horn. Do not wash the horn wrap. Soap on a horn wrap will make it slick and unless you're a better hand than most, a fast horn is dangerous. Then move on to the fork and then to the seat, assuming it isn't suede. Do the entire seat and both seat jockeys. If you do the entire area at one time you won't get permanent water marks on the leather. Plan on getting the suds off of the horn, fork, seat and seat jockeys before moving on.
To get rid of the suds, wash out the sponge well (or use a fresh one) and change the water in the bucket. Use a damp (not wet) sponge and wipe the suds off in the same circular motion you use for cleaning. Rinse out the sponge frequently as you wipe. The water will probably have to be changed a couple of times before you are done wiping off the horn, fork and seat.
If you drip water onto any dry parts of the saddle as you are washing these areas, use your sponge to dampen the entire area around the drip mark. This will prevent permanent water stains.
Move to the back of the cantle and back jockeys. Clean these parts the same way as described above. Do the entire back cantle and both back jockeys at the same time. Try to avoid lifting or curling the back jockeys too much. These pieces are held in place with the back saddle strings and cover the back of the bars of the saddle tree. Most custom saddlemakers work very hard to make these pieces fit tight so they protect the tree. Excessive bending when the leather is wet will affect how they look and fit once the leather dries out. Keep an eye out for any drips onto lower parts and take care of them as described earlier.
From this point on, it is best to wash and rinse one side of the saddle completely before moving to the other side. Start with the left side and clean the skirt and rigging as described earlier. Try not to get water on the sheepskin covering the underside of the skirts. Be sure to work your sponge up underneath the rigging to get this area as clean as possible. It is very easy to drip water on the fender when doing this, so keep an eye out for any water drops and take care of them promptly. Rinse the suds off and move onto the fender and stirrup leather.
Wash and rinse the fender and stirrup leather as described above. Pay special attention the part of the stirrup leather that is in contact with the stirrup itself. This area usually collects a lot of dirt and grime and is in constant contact with metal, so it needs to be cleaned well. However, try not to get it excessively wet. Use a soft bristle brush on the back side of the fender. Once you are done with these parts, be sure to refasten the stirrup leather by putting the buckle posts back into the stirrup leather holes. Don't bother with the slide portion of the buckle. The only reason you are doing this is so the stirrup leather will dry in the proper position and keep the twist. If you fasten the sliding sleeve you will prevent the portion covered by the sleeve from drying properly. Don't forget to clean the stirrup leather hobble as well.
The dirtiest parts and latigo-type leathers are saved for last. Clean the saddle strings by running a sudsy sponge up and down them and wipe the suds off the same way. Be careful not to drip water on any other parts of the saddle as you do this as the water may have picked up some of the red color from the strings. Use a rag to lightly dry the strings so they won't bleed color onto the saddle.
Wash the top sides of the back billet and flank cinch the same as every other part of the saddle. The flank cinch will probably need some serious attention with a brush to get it clean. The part of the billet and flank that touch the horse can be scrubbed with a hard bristle brush unless they are lined with smooth leather. You will go through several water changes getting these parts truly clean. Wash and rinse the latigo last. Don't give in to temptation and drop the whole thing in the bucket of water. It will cause more harm than good. Wash and rinse it the same as everything else.
Now move to the right side of the saddle and repeat the process.
Let the saddle dry for several hours before going on to the conditioning treatments.
These saddles are a breeze to clean because there just isn't much to them.
Fill the bucket about two-thirds full of tepid water. Cold water won't do the best job of cleaning and hot water can cause shrinking and permanent damage to nearly all types and tannages of leather.
Most cleaning will be done with the brushes on the top side of the leather. Use a sea sponge or soft bristle brush on the parts of the saddle that are smooth to prevent damaging the grain.
Dampen the brush or sponge and work up a good lather with the bar soap. Keep in mind that you only want to use enough water to get the saddle clean. Avoid getting it soaking wet. More is not better when it comes to water and leather. You'll work from the top down, so apply the suds with a circular motion starting with the white leather covering the seat. Do not wash the horn wrap. Soap on a horn wrap will make it slick and unless you're a better hand than most, a fast horn is dangerous. Do the entire seat and both seat jockeys. If you do the entire area at one time you won't get permanent water marks on the leather. If you drip water onto any dry parts of the saddle as you are washing these areas, use your sponge to dampen the entire area around the drip mark. This will prevent permanent water stains. Wash out the sponge well (or use a fresh one) and change the water in the bucket. Use a damp (not wet) sponge and wipe the suds off in the same circular motion you use for cleaning. Rinse out the sponge frequently as you wipe. The water will probably have to be changed a before you are done wiping off the seat.
Unbuckle the rigging from the strap that goes behind the cantle and let the rigging hang free. This will make it more accessible and easier to clean. From this point on, it is best to wash and rinse one side of the saddle completely before moving to the other side. Start with the left side and clean the skirt and rigging with the sponge and brush as described earlier. Try not to get water on the sheepskin covering the underside of the skirts. It is very easy to drip water on the fender when doing this, so keep an eye out for any water drops and take care of them promptly. Rinse the suds off and move onto the fender and stirrup leather.
Wash and rinse the fender and stirrup leather as described above. Pay special attention the part of the stirrup leather that is in contact with the stirrup itself. This area usually collects a lot of dirt and grime and is in constant contact with metal, so it needs to be cleaned well. However, try not to get it excessively wet. Use a soft bristle brush on the back side of the fender. Once you are done with these parts, be sure to refasten the stirrup leather by putting the buckle posts back into the stirrup leather holes. Don't bother with the slide portion of the buckle. The only reason you are doing this is so the stirrup leather will dry in the proper position and keep the twist. If you fasten the sliding sleeve you will prevent the portion covered by the sleeve from drying properly. Don't forget to clean the stirrup leather hobble as well.
The dirtiest parts and latigo-type leathers are saved for last. Clean the saddle strings by running a sudsy sponge up and down them and wipe the suds off the same way. Be careful not to drip water on any other parts of the saddle as you do this as the water may have picked up some of the red color from the strings. Use a rag to lightly dry the strings so they won't bleed color onto the saddle.
Wash the top sides of the back billet and flank cinch the same as every other part of the saddle. The flank cinch will probably need some serious attention with a brush to get it clean. The part of the billet and flank that touch the horse can be scrubbed with a hard bristle brush. You will go through several water changes getting these parts truly clean. Wash and rinse the latigo last. Don't give in to temptation and drop the whole thing in the bucket of water. It will cause more harm than good. Wash and rinse it the same as everything else.
Now move to the right side of the saddle and repeat the process.
Let the saddle dry for several hours before going on to the conditioning treatments.
Although there is a lot of rawhide showing on our stripdown saddles, this is not the same as the rawhide trim on other saddles. The rawhide coving the tree should be left alone or if dirty, wiped clean with a damp sponge. All of this rawhide has been treated with several coats of marine varnish before the saddle was ever made to prevent water from reaching the tree. It doesn't require any further treatment or conditioning.
Water and rawhide don't mix very well, so you want to use the least amount of water possible to get the job done.
If the trim is smooth rawhide, slightly dampen a rag and use the white saddle soap to work up some suds. Wipe the trim with the sudsy rag. Use a clean dry rag to wipe the suds off. If dirt comes up with the suds, repeat the process until no more dirt is lifting off.
if your saddle or bridle has braided rawhide trim, use a damp soft bristled toothbrush to scrub the suds into the braiding. Wipe off the suds with a clean dry rag. Repeat until no dirt is lifting off with the suds.
Then put a small amount of white paste saddle soap on a swatch and work it into the braiding. Buff off any excess with a dry clean swatch. This will serve as a nice light conditioner that won't damage or darken surrounding leather.
After the saddle has dried a bit, it's ready to condition. Even though glycerin soap is very mild, it still removes the natural oils and any oils or conditioners the saddlemaker may have added. This lack of lubrication to the leather fibers is what causes leather to crack over time. These oils need to be replaced to prevent damage to the leather, but too much oil is just as bad as too little.
Over-oiling leads to a number of problems. First of all, it can significantly darken the leather. All oiled leather will darken with exposure to sunlight. The amount of color change is determined by the amount of oil applied. Keep in mind that oiling has a cumulative effect. Once a saddle begins to darken, the process cannot be reversed. Secondly, too much oil will attract dirt. The dust sticks to the oil and then acts as an abrasive where two pieces of leather rub against each other. Third, too much oil causes the leather fibers to break down. The leather starts to get very soft, raggy and prone to stretching out of shape. These saddles will have a much shorter life span than one that has been properly maintained.
Unless the saddle is very dry or I want the color of the saddle to change, I usually only oil the undersides of the saddle and use a light conditioner on the top side.
These critical parts include the backs of the fenders, stirrup leathers, the underside of the rigging, inside of the back billets and flank cinch. That's it. If the leather is very dry on the underside of the back billets and flank cinch, I use dubbin on those parts instead of oil. Dubbin instructions come a little later on.
To apply the oil, put a swatch over the top of the oil bottle and tip it until you get some oil on the swatch. Scrape the excess oil off of the swatch using the lip of the bottle so the oil runs back in. This prevents wasting oil and also keeps you from getting too much oil on the saddle. Quickly rub the swatch in small overlapping circles on the leather. Never hesitate too long in one spot and never ever lay an oily swatch on a piece of gear. It will leave a dark spot that will never go away. This method is time consuming because you are applying so little oil at a time. Keep going back to the bottle for more oil, but always remember to scrape off the excess. Remember it's better to have to go back and apply a second light coat than put on a single coat that is too heavy. Consider the cumulative effect of oiling I mentioned earlier if you are tempted to get liberal with the oil application. The stirrup leathers should be oiled sparingly as too much will cause the holes to stretch and weaken with time.
When your swatch gets too oily and you can't control the amount of oil you are applying, throw that swatch away and get a new one. Plan on using 2 or 3 swatches to do an entire saddle.
If you do want to oil the entire saddle, follow the instructions above, but oil everything on the top and bottom sides (not suede, horn wrap, latigos, saddle strings or latigo rope straps though). Apply the oil the same way you washed the saddle. Do the horn and fork, followed by the entire seat. Then the back of the cantle and both back jockeys. Then do the rest of the left side completely before moving onto the right side. Plan on applying one light coat and then do a second light coat the following day. This gives the first coat time to soak in and lets you see where your application may need some evening up. If you have light spots, give them a bit more oil on the second coat. If dark spots are the problem, just oil very sparingly, if at all, there on the second coat. It takes a bit of practice to apply oil evenly, but you'll get better with time.
If you just oiled the specific critical parts mentioned earlier, you will need to give the rest of your saddle a light conditioning. I really like Rudy's for this. Apply the Rudy's to the swatch just like you did the oil. Scrape off the excess and apply it with the same circular motion as you applied the oil. Don't put Rudy's on suede, horn wrap, saddle strings, latigos, latigo rope strap, insides of billets or flank cinch or on the cinch connector. Otherwise, put it everywhere you didn't oil. Plan on using several swatches before you are done. After you have applied Rudy's to everything, go back with a clean dry swatch and buff it to a soft luster. This will probably take 3 or 4 swatches depending on how much of the conditioner is caught in the stamping or carving.
Pappy's Premium Dubbin is an excellent heavy conditioner that is ideal for the parts of the saddle that are in constant contact with the horse or are made out of latigo or Indian tan. I dip a swatch into the container and get a bit of dubbin on it. Then I apply the dubbin in small overlapping circles just like I apply oil or Rudy's. This is just the ticket for the inside of the back billets, flank, cinch connector, and the underside of the rigging. Apply it the saddle strings and rope strap, but be sure to wipe any excess off of them as they will be touching other parts of your saddle and you want to avoid any transfer. Be sure to apply a good coat to the latigos as well.
The horn wrap should be left completely alone. I don't know of any product that won't make it too slick to dally on safely.
The final step is a light coat of Tan Kote over everything except the horn wrap. It is safe to put a light coat on rawhide trim. I like to let all of my other conditioners soak in for a day before applying this. Tan Kote is water soluble, so it may look like it is pulling up some of the other conditioners, but when it dries your saddle will have a nice luster and look great. Apply it to the swatch the same as the oil. Be sure to scrape off the excess before going to the leather with it. Trying to apply too much at a time will cause a goopy mess. Save any latigo or Indian tan parts until the end so you avoid color transfer to the veg tan leather. You can expect to use 2 or 3 swatches during this step.
After the saddle has dried a bit, it's ready to condition. Even though glycerin soap is very mild, it still removes the natural oils and any oils or conditioners the saddlemaker may have added. This lack of lubrication to the leather fibers is what causes leather to crack over time. These oils need to be replaced to prevent damage to the leather, but too much oil is just as bad as too little.
Over-oiling leads to a number of problems. First of all, it can significantly darken the leather. All oiled leather will darken with exposure to sunlight. The amount of color change is determined by the amount of oil applied. Keep in mind that oiling has a cumulative effect. Once a saddle begins to darken, the process cannot be reversed. Secondly, too much oil will attract dirt. The dust sticks to the oil and then acts as an abrasive where two pieces of leather rub against each other. Third, too much oil causes the leather fibers to break down. The leather starts to get very soft, raggy and prone to stretching out of shape. These saddles will have a much shorter life span than one that has been properly maintained.
Use these instructions if your roughout has been cleaned and oiled before. Please keep in mind that if you follow these instructions to the letter, you will end up packing down all of the rough out fibers. If you want your roughout truly rough, then skip the last Tan Kote step and instead use a brass bristle brush to rough the knap back up on your saddle. It will take some time and elbow grease, but your saddle will definitely be rough again. Remember that roughout saddles are not suede and do need conditioning and oiling.
I personally prefer to pack down the fibers rather than rough them up. first, it gives the saddle a unique appearance (it almost looks like a smoothout), but more importantly, with the rough side sealed with Tan Kote, conditioners are held in while dust and dirt are repelled. This combination means a longer life for the saddle.
Unless the saddle is very dry or I want the color of the saddle to change, I usually only oil the undersides of the saddle and use a light conditioner on the top side.
These critical parts include the backs of the fenders, stirrup leathers, the underside of the rigging, inside of the back billets and flank cinch. That's it. If the leather is very dry on the underside of the back billets and flank cinch, I use dubbin on those parts instead of oil. Dubbin instructions come a little later on.
To apply the oil, put a swatch over the top of the oil bottle and tip it until you get some oil on the swatch. Scrape the excess oil off of the swatch using the lip of the bottle so the oil runs back in. This prevents wasting oil and also keeps you from getting too much oil on the saddle. Quickly rub the swatch in small overlapping circles on the leather. Never hesitate too long in one spot and never ever lay an oily swatch on a piece of gear. It will leave a dark spot that will never go away. This method is time consuming because you are applying so little oil at a time. Keep going back to the bottle for more oil, but always remember to scrape off the excess. Remember its better to have to go back and apply a second light coat than put on a single coat that is too heavy. Consider the cumulative effect of oiling I mentioned earlier if you are tempted to get liberal with the oil application. The stirrup leathers should be oiled sparingly as too much will cause the holes to stretch and weaken with time.
Roughouts are more difficult to oil evenly, so take your time and perhaps get in some practice on the smooth back sides of the fenders first.
When your swatch gets too oily and you can't control the amount of oil you are applying, throw that swatch away and get a new one. Plan on using 2 or 3 swatches to do an entire saddle.
If you do want to oil the entire saddle, follow the instructions above, but oil everything on the top and bottom sides (not suede, horn wrap, latigos, saddle strings or latigo rope straps though). Apply the oil the same way you washed the saddle. Do the horn and fork, followed by the entire seat. Then the back of the cantle and both back jockeys. Then do the rest of the left side completely before moving onto the right side. Plan on applying one light coat and then do a second light coat the following day. This gives the first coat time to soak in and lets you see where your application may need some evening up. If you have light spots, give them a bit more oil on the second coat. If dark spots are the problem, just oil very sparingly, if at all, there on the second coat. It takes a bit of practice to apply oil evenly, but you'll get better with time.
If you just oiled the specific critical parts mentioned earlier, you will need to give the rest of your saddle a light conditioning. I really like Rudy's for this. Apply the Rudy's to the swatch just like you did the oil. Scrape off the excess and apply it with the same circular motion as you applied the oil. Don't put Rudy's on suede, horn wrap, saddle strings, latigos, latigo rope strap, insides of billets or flank cinch or on the cinch connector. Otherwise, put it everywhere you didn't oil. Plan on using several swatches before you are done. After you have applied Rudy's to everything, go back with a clean dry swatch and buff it to a soft luster. This will probably take 3 or 4 swatches.
Pappy's Premium Dubbin is an excellent heavy conditioner that is ideal for the parts of the saddle that are in constant contact with the horse or are made out of latigo or Indian tan. I dip a swatch into the container and get a bit of dubbin on it. Then I apply the dubbin in small overlapping circles just like I apply oil or Rudy's. This is just the ticket for the inside of the back billets, flank, cinch connector, and the underside of the rigging. Apply it the saddle strings and rope strap, but be sure to wipe any excess off of them as they will be touching other parts of your saddle and you want to avoid any transfer. Be sure to apply a good coat to the latigos as well.
The horn wrap should be left completely alone. I don't know of any product that won't make it too slick to dally on safely.
The final step is a light coat of Tan Kote over everything except the horn wrap. It is safe to put a light coat on rawhide trim. I like to let all of my other conditioners soak in for a day before applying this. Tan Kote is water soluble, so it may look like it is pulling up some of the other conditioners, but when it dries your saddle will have a nice luster and look great. Apply it to the swatch the same as the oil. Be sure to scrape off the excess before going to the leather with it. Trying to apply too much at a time will cause a goopy mess. Save any latigo or Indian tan parts until the end so you avoid color transfer to the veg tan leather. You can expect to use 2 or 3 swatches during this step.
After the saddle has dried a bit, it's ready to condition. Even though glycerin soap is very mild, it still removes the natural oils and any oils or conditioners the saddlemaker may have added. This lack of lubrication to the leather fibers is what causes leather to crack over time. These oils need to be replaced to prevent damage to the leather, but too much oil is just as bad as too little.
Over-oiling leads to a number of problems. First of all, it can significantly darken the leather. All oiled leather will darken with exposure to sunlight. The amount of color change is determined by the amount of oil applied. Keep in mind that oiling has a cumulative effect. Once a saddle begins to darken, the process cannot be reversed. Secondly, too much oil will attract dirt. The dust sticks to the oil and then acts as an abrasive where two pieces of leather rub against each other. Third, too much oil causes the leather fibers to break down. The leather starts to get very soft, raggy and prone to stretching out of shape. These saddles will have a much shorter life span than one that has been properly maintained.
The white seat is conditioned first with the Fiebing's white saddle soap. Use a sheepskin swatch to apply some of the soap paste to the seat. Work in small overlapping circles until you have applied a liberal coat. Use an dry swatch to remove any excess. The seat is now done until you get to the last Tan Kote step. Those instructions follow below.
Unless the saddle is very dry or I want the color of the saddle to change, I usually only oil the undersides of the saddle and use a light conditioner on the top side.
These critical parts include the backs of the fenders, stirrup leathers, the underside of the front and back rigging straps, the underside of the strap that connects the front rigging to the back rigging, inside of the back billets and flank cinch. That's it. If the leather is very dry on the underside of the back billets and flank cinch, I use dubbin on those parts instead of oil. Dubbin instructions come a little later on.
To apply the oil, put a swatch over the top of the oil bottle and tip it until you get some oil on the swatch. Scrape the excess oil off of the swatch using the lip of the bottle so the oil runs back in. This prevents wasting oil and also keeps you from getting too much oil on the saddle. Quickly rub the swatch in small overlapping circles on the leather. Never hesitate too long in one spot and never ever lay an oily swatch on a piece of gear. It will leave a dark spot that will never go away. This method is time consuming because you are applying so little oil at a time. Keep going back to the bottle for more oil, but always remember to scrape off the excess. Remember it's better to have to go back and apply a second light coat than put on a single coat that is too heavy. Consider the cumulative effect of oiling I mentioned earlier if you are tempted to get liberal with the oil application. The stirrup leathers should be oiled sparingly as too much will cause the holes to stretch and weaken with time.
Roughouts are more difficult to oil evenly, so take your time and perhaps get in some practice on the smooth back sides of the fenders first.
When your swatch gets too oily and you can't control the amount of oil you are applying, throw that swatch away and get a new one. Plan on using one or two swatches to do an entire saddle.
If you do want to oil the entire saddle, follow the instructions above, but oil everything on the top and bottom sides (not the white seat, horn wrap, latigos, saddle strings or latigo rope straps though). Apply the oil the same way you washed the saddle. Start with the left side and do the rigging straps and skirt. Move on to the fender and stirrup leather, back billet, flank cinch and cinch connector. Go to the right side and do it the same way. Plan on applying one light coat of oil and then do a second light coat the following day. This gives the first application time to soak in and lets you see where the oil may need some evening up. If you have light spots, give them a bit more oil on the second coat. If dark spots are the problem, just oil very sparingly, if at all, there on the second coat. It takes a bit of practice to apply oil evenly, but you'll get better with time.
If you just oiled the specific critical parts mentioned earlier, you will need to give the rest of your saddle a light conditioning. I really like Rudy's for this. Apply the Rudy's to the swatch just like you did the oil. Scrape off the excess and apply it with the same circular motion as you applied the oil. Don't put Rudy's on the white seat, horn wrap, saddle strings, latigos, latigo rope strap, insides of billets or flank cinch or on the cinch connector. Otherwise, put it everywhere you didn't oil. Plan on using a couple of swatches before you are done. After you have applied Rudy's to everything, go back with a clean dry swatch and buff it to a soft luster. This will probably take 2 or 3 swatches.
Pappy's Premium Dubbin is an excellent heavy conditioner that is ideal for the parts of the saddle that are in constant contact with the horse or are made out of latigo or Indian tan. I dip a swatch into the container and get a bit of dubbin on it. Then I apply the dubbin in small overlapping circles just like I apply oil or Rudy's. This is just the ticket for the inside of the back billets, flank, and cinch connector on the flank cinch. Apply it the saddle strings and rope strap, but be sure to wipe any excess off of them as they will be touching other parts of your saddle and you want to avoid any transfer. Be sure to apply a good coat to the latigos as well.
The horn wrap should be left completely alone. I don't know of any product that won't make it too slick to dally on safely.
The final step is a light coat of Tan Kote over everything except the horn wrap. The white seat should get a coat of Tan Kote as well. This product is water soluble, so it may look like it is pulling up some of the other conditioners, but when it dries your saddle will have a nice luster and look great. Apply it to the swatch the same as the oil. Be sure to scrape off the excess before going to the leather with it. Trying to apply too much at a time will cause a goopy mess. Save any latigo or Indian tan parts until the end so you avoid color transfer to the veg tan leather. You can expect to use 2 or 3 swatches during this step.
Roughout saddles need oiling and conditioning just like smooth, stamped or carved saddles do. I'm not sure why, but many saddlemakers don't seem to put any finish at all on their roughout saddles. if these saddle were made properly, all of the pieces were wet all the way through at least once and some parts were wet completely through twice. This pulls out a lot of oils and lubricants. These should be replaced before the saddle ever goes to the customer. If your new roughout is dry, follow the new roughout instructions below.
If you have one of our saddles, this was done before it ever left the shop, so please don't repeat the process. Instead use the Old Roughout or Stripdown instructions. These are written for those people who have a new roughout saddle that has never been oiled by the saddlemaker.
This is how we finish all of our new roughout saddles. It does pack down the rough out fibers and leaves them packed down. If this is not the look you want, don't apply dubbin to the top sides of any saddle parts and don't Tan Kote anything.
I personally prefer to pack down the fibers rather than rough them up. First, it gives the saddle a unique appearance (it almost looks like a smooth out), but more importantly, with the rough side sealed with Tan Kote, conditioners are held in while dust and dirt are repelled. This combination means a longer life for the saddle.
To apply the oil, put a swatch over the top of the oil bottle and tip it until you get some oil on the swatch. Scrape the excess oil off of the swatch using the lip of the bottle so the oil runs back in. This prevents wasting oil and also keeps you from getting too much oil on the saddle. Quickly rub the swatch in small overlapping circles on the leather. Never hesitate too long in one spot and never ever lay an oily swatch on a piece of gear. It will leave a dark spot that will never go away. This method is time consuming because you are applying so little oil at a time. Keep going back to the bottle for more oil, but always remember to scrape off the excess. Remember it's better to have to go back and apply a second light coat than put on a single coat that is too heavy. Consider the cumulative effect of oiling I mentioned earlier if you are tempted to get liberal with the oil application. The stirrup leathers should be oiled sparingly as too much will cause the holes to stretch and weaken with time.
Roughouts are more difficult to oil evenly, so take your time and perhaps get in some practice on the smooth back sides of the fenders first.
When your swatch gets too oily and you can't control the amount of oil you are applying, throw that swatch away and get a new one. Plan on using 2 or 3 swatches to do an entire saddle.
Oil everything on the top and bottom sides (not suede, horn wrap, latigos, saddle strings or latigo rope straps though). Apply the oil the same way you washed the saddle. Do the horn and fork, followed by the entire seat. Then the back of the cantle and both back jockeys. Then do the rest of the left side completely before moving onto the right side. Plan on applying one light coat and then do a second light coat the following day. This gives the first coat time to soak in and lets you see where your application may need some evening up. If you have light spots, give them a bit more oil on the second coat. If dark spots are the problem, just oil very sparingly, if at all, there on the second coat. It takes a bit of practice to apply oil evenly, but you'll get better with time.
If you want the fibers to pack down, go ahead with Pappy's Premium Dubbin over the entire saddle. If you want to leave the roughout rough, just apply dubbin to the inside of the back billets, flank, cinch connector, and the underside of the rigging. Apply it the saddle strings and rope strap, but be sure to wipe any excess off of them as they will be touching other parts of your saddle and you want to avoid any transfer. Be sure to apply a good coat to the latigos as well.
Pappy's is an excellent conditioner but shouldn't be used on the top side of the saddle every time you clean as it factors in to the cumulative effect of oil and will cause leather to darken over time. I dip a swatch into the container and get a bit of dubbin on it. Then I apply the dubbin in small overlapping circles just like I apply oil or Rudy's. Do the entire saddle in the same order you washed and oiled. be sure to get the undersides of the seat jockeys, back jockeys, and the back side of the fenders. Finally, apply it the saddle strings and rope strap, but be sure to wipe any excess off of them as they will be touching other parts of your saddle and you want to avoid any transfer. Be sure to apply a good coat to the latigos as well.
The horn wrap should be left completely alone. I don't know of any product that won't make it too slick to dally on safely.
The final step is a light coat of Tan Kote over everything except the horn wrap. It is safe to put a light coat on rawhide trim. I like to let all of my other conditioners soak in for a day before applying this. Tan Kote is water soluble, so it may look like it is pulling up some of the other conditioners, but when it dries your saddle will have a nice luster and look great. Apply it to the swatch the same as the oil. Be sure to scrape off the excess before going to the leather with it. Trying to apply too much at a time will cause a goopy mess. Save any latigo or Indian tan parts until the end so you avoid color transfer to the veg tan leather. You can expect to use 2 or 3 swatches during this step.
If you have any rawhide trim on these pieces, see the Rawhide Trim instructions.
If your tack is just dusty and not really dirty, use an air compressor to blow off as much loose dirt as possible.
Disassemble headstalls, breastcollars, etc. so you can reach all areas.
Apply the Rudy's with a sheepskin swatch to both the top side and underside of all pieces. Use a circular motion to apply it. You will have to change swatches as they get dirty, so have quite a few on hand. It may seem like you are wasting swatches, but they are cheap compared to ruining a headstall or breastcollar by either neglecting or over-cleaning a piece of gear.
When you have gone over the entire piece of gear, go back with a clean swatch and buff it to a luster.
Disassemble headstalls, breastcollars, etc. so you can reach all areas.
Fill the bucket about two-thirds full of tepid water. Cold water won't do the best job of cleaning and hot water can cause shrinking and permanent damage to nearly all types and tannages of leather.
Most cleaning will be done with the sea sponges. Use the soft bristle brush on smooth leathers if you need to and only use the firm bristle brush on roughout leather or on the back side of headstalls, martingales and breastcollars. This brush should be used with great care as it will scratch leather.
Dampen the sponge and work up a good lather with the bar soap. Keep in mind that you only want to use enough water to get the tack clean. Avoid getting it soaking wet. More is not better when it comes to water and leather. Scrub the gear in small circular motions. Rinse out your sponge or brush frequently so you won't be spreading dirt around. Clean both the top and undersides of all pieces thoroughly.
To get rid of the suds, wash out the sponge well (or use a fresh one) and change the water in the bucket. Use a damp (not wet) sponge and wipe the suds off in the same circular motion you use for cleaning. Rinse out the sponge frequently as you wipe. The water will probably have to be changed a couple of times before you are done.
If you drip water onto any dry leather as you are washing other pieces, use your sponge to dampen the entire area around the drip mark. This will prevent permanent water stains.
If you have bucking rolls to clean, only clean the veg tan bases if they are truly filthy. Otherwise just use some Rudy's to clean and condition in one step. Instructions for applying Rudy's are in the next section. If the bucking rolls are suede leather, brush the suede with a brass bristle brush to lift the knap of the suede. A commercial suede cleaner can also be used.
Let the pieces dry out for a bit before going on to oiling or conditioning.
All veg tan, latigo and Indian tan leathers need conditioning, even if it is roughout. Suede also needs it, but no real conditioning product exists that won't mat down the knap of suede, so you'll have to skip it.
The type of conditioner you use will be determined by the dryness of the leather and whether or not you want it to be darker. Both olive oil and Pappy's Dubbin will darken leather, but they are also heavier conditioners and are best for dry leather. The amount of darkening can be controlled by the amount applied. a light coat of either product will reduce the amount of darkening and will still condition well. Rudy's will not darken leather, but won't add a sufficient amount of lubrication to the leather fibers if the leather is very dry.
Use Rudy's when you just need a light conditioning treatment. Place a sheepskin swatch over the open mouth of the bottle and tip it until you get some Rudy's on the swatch. Then scrape off the excess product with the lip of the bottle so it runs back in and apply it with an overlapping circular motion. Keep going back to the bottle for more Rudy's, but always remember to scrape off the excess. Do this to the entire piece of gear on both the top and bottom sides. Once you have done all of the pieces, go back over it with a clean dry swatch and buff it to a soft luster.
Change swatches as needed. Plan to use several for this process.
A light coat of Tan Kote will make your gear look even better. It is applied the same as Rudy's. Apply to the top side, let dry, then apply to the back side. It is water soluble, so it will need to be applied the next time you clean your gear, but it will seal out dirt while still letting the leather breathe.
This works well for those items that are getting a bit dry but aren't to the critical point. You may see some darkening, but it can be minimized by applying oil sparingly. Do not get oil on rawhide trim.
Place a sheepskin swatch over the open mouth of the bottle and tip it until you get some oil on the swatch. Then scrape off the excess oil with the lip of the bottle so it runs back in and apply it with an overlapping circular motion. Keep going back to the bottle for more oil, but always remember to scrape off the excess. It's better to have to do a couple of light coats rather than one uneven heavy coat. Do this to the entire piece of gear on both the top and bottom sides. Remember you can always go back and even up the oil application after a couple of hours. Change swatches as needed when oiling. you will probably use several.
Apply a light coat of Tan Kote to give your gear a soft shine. Get it on the swatch just like the oil and apply it with the same circular motion. Do the top side of things first and then after it is dry, flip pieces over and do the back side. Use a new swatch when you start on the back side of the pieces. If you get Tan Kote on rawhide trim it is fine and no damage will be done.
This is only for critically dry gear and you can expect to see some darkening of the leather.
Apply a light coat of olive oil to the top side of all pieces. Do not get oil on rawhide trim. Place a sheepskin swatch over the open mouth of the bottle and tip it until you get some oil on the swatch. Then scrape off the excess oil with the lip of the bottle so it runs back in and apply it with an overlapping circular motion. Keep going back to the bottle for more oil, but always remember to scrape off the excess. It's better to have to do a couple of light coats rather than one uneven heavy coat. You can always go back and even up the oil application after a couple of hours. Change swatches as needed when oiling. You will probably use several.
You will need to use Pappy's Dubbin on the back side of everything. I get a little bit of dubbin on a swatch and rub it in with an overlapping circular motion. When all of that dubbin is worked in I go back to the can for more. This may take awhile, but at least no product will be wasted. You may go through a couple of swatches before you get everything done. Let it soak in for an hour or two and then buff off any excess dubbin with a dry swatch. Flip everything back over and apply a second light coat of olive oil the same way you did before.
Wait several hours for all of this to soak in before applying a light coat of Tan Kote. Get the Tan Kote on the swatch just like the oil and apply it with the same circular motion. Do the top side of things first and then after it is dry, flip pieces over and do the back side. Use a new swatch when you start on the back side of the pieces. If you get Tan Kote on rawhide trim it is fine and no damage will be done.
In general, rawhide work requires minimal care. The best things for it is use and some conditioning. Brand new rawhide work needs no conditioner at all as the braider gave it a proper conditioning treatment when it was finished.
I'm often asked about using a block to shape a bosal to open up the bottom. I have never used a block, although I know a lot of people who do. I prefer to let my bosals shape themselves by hanging them from the heel knot over a large hanger. Many things will work to make this hanger. A soup can nailed to the wall or a small chunk of round fence post (about 3" in diameter) are just two possibilities. Anything with a large diameter will work. When you are done riding, just hang your bosal upside down on the big peg to keep it open and ready for the next ride.
The two enemies of rawhide braidwork are water and heat. Water can dry it out or rot it, depending on other climatic conditions.
If your bosal gets very wet, it will need to be dried properly to minimize damage. The best way is to hang it from the heel knot over a large peg as described earlier. The peg it is hung from must not be in an overly warm place and absolutely not in direct sunlight. When it is almost dry, shift the bosal so the nose button is over the large peg so the part near the heel knot can dry as well.
Reins should be hung to dry in such a way that there is no curve in them and they are absolutely straight. Make sure they are not touching metal. If necessary, use a string through the rein or romal loop rather than hanging them directly from a metal hook or nail
When the braided item is dry, look carefully at the edges of the rawhide strings. If they look fuzzy or feel rough, then conditioning is necessary. Ray Holes Vaquero Rawhide Cream has given us the best results. Rub the braidwork liberally with the cream. Then hang it in a warm (above 75 degrees) place for a few hours. If you must hang it somewhere warmer, bring it in in an hour or so. If you hang it in direct sunlight, 30 minutes is plenty. Try to work in any excess conditioner with your hands and then use a clean cloth or sheepskin swatch to remove any that can't be worked it. Your rawhide gear is ready to use again.
Cleaning rawhide braidwork is rarely necessary, but if you feel it must be cleaned, here is a good way to do it. You'll need cool, clean water, a soft tooth brush, a clean cotton rag or towel, a few sheepskin swatches and Murphy's Oil Soap Paste or Fiebing's White Saddle Soap. If you don't mind a slight yellow cast, the Murphy's paste is the best choice. If you don't want to change the color of the rawhide, then choose the white saddle soap.
Rub the piece with some of the Murphy's paste or white saddle soap and then dampen the tooth brush and use it to scrub the braiding. Wipe off the dirt and suds with the rag. Never immerse the piece in water and try to keep it as dry as possible when doing the actual cleaning. Remove any excess water and soap suds as soon as possible. Let dry as described above. When the braid work is dry, test the edges of the strings for the fuzzy look or rough feel that indicates a need for conditioning. If the piece is showing little need, then just rub it down well with the Murphy's paste or white saddle soap as it is a wonderful light conditioner. Buff off any excess conditioner with a sheepskin swatch. If it needs a more through conditioning treatment, use the Ray Holes Vaquero Rawhide Cream and the conditioning method described earlier.