Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

conditioning stiff bridle

From: Kirby

Dear Jessica, I just bought a new bridle for my horse. It's a medium brown color, which I like, but it is incredibly stiff. It's not a cheap bridle. I'm not bragging, but I saved all spring for a really good brand, so I know it's a good quality bridle. The man at the tack shop said that it didn't need oiling because it's German, but I don't understand what that means. Don't they oil bridles in Germany? Anyway I've used it on my horse twice but it is very hard to do the buckles and stuff, because it is so stiff. I need your advice. I've heard that some kinds of oil are good and some kinds are bad, and some leather cleaners are good and some are bad, and I don't know what to do. I don't want to ruin my bridle but I want it to be softer, and if it gets darker that would be okay as long as it doesn't get too dark. My friend who has the horse with the stall next to my horse's stall says I should soak it in warm oil all night, but I don't want to do that if it's the wrong thing. Please help me.

Kirby

Hi Kirby! I'm glad you wrote -- please do NOT soak your bridle in warm oil overnight, or at all. It's a good way to ruin a nice piece of leather. Over-oiled leather is not supple, it's soft and flabby and weak, and will ooze oil when you don't want it to, and will break easily. This is not a good fate for a nice bridle.

My personal favourite leather-cleaning and leather-conditioning products are Hydrophane, but there are plenty of good products on the market. I have students who swear by Lexol, others who won't use anything but Saddler's Leather Care, and so on.

Take your bridle in to the tack shop, or call and ask to speak with the man who sold it to you. Ask him about cleaning and conditioning suggestions. Most manufacturers have products that they recommend, and cleaning/conditioning methods that they advise. If this man doesn't know, HE CAN FIND OUT FOR YOU. This is part of customer service, and he should be happy to help you out. Some strap goods come with a finish that needs to be removed before the leather can be conditioned effectively -- you need to find out if there is such a finish on YOUR bridle, and, if there is one, you need to find out how to remove it and what the manufacturer recommends that you do next. Most manufacturers recommend the use of pure glycerin saddle soap, followed by a leather conditioner.

You CAN use oil, but only lightly, as a wipe-on, never as a bath. Be careful about what oil you use, though. Olive oil works well (but your tack will smell like a salad). Neats-foot oil will work well, but you have to be very careful that your can of neats-foot oil IS pure, and not a mixture containing petroleum distillates. Those will rot the stitching on your tack -- and that is something you want to avoid.

Remember that good heavy leather is never going to be as soft and sticky as over-oiled cheap leather; it will always have some integrity. This is a GOOD thing, not a bad thing. Take care of that bridle, Kirby! It may last you a lifetime.

Jessica

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