Beauty is Only a Side-Effect
The Saddle Salon - January 25, 2019
The most common compliment we get at The Saddle Salon is “my saddle looks new!” We love hearing it and really appreciate it. We put a lot of effort into breathing life back into leather. The truth is though, beauty is only a side-effect.
The major purpose of cleaning or detailing is to enable saddles and other tack to perform at their optimal level. Proper cleaning and conditioning provide greater flexibility, better performance, and increased safety for both horse and rider. Saddles need flexibility to take the stresses of riding. They need to bend and not break. Flexibility also helps your horse to perform better by allowing them to move out correctly and to feel what you are communicating.
Example - This J.C. Higgins saddle is at least 50 years old and still ridden in parades!
Example -
This B.H. Koke saddle is between 98 & 111 years old and still ridden on a ranch for regular work!
Did you know... many saddle makers recommend cleaning your saddle
every 6 months to a year!
At The Saddle Salon, our goals are to restore, preserve, and maintain leather. We remove as much dirt and grit as possible. Why? Dirt and grit work into leather and act like sand paper to slowly deteriorate leather. We also strive to apply the correct amount of nourishment by applying high quality conditioners. Under oiling leads to a loss of flexibility. Over oiling also causes issues by weakening the fibers within leather. It takes many hours of work to truly detail a saddle and find the balance, but it is worth it. By doing this, we give leather greater flexibility, better performance, and increased safety. As a side effect, your saddle and tack also look better!
Whether you have The Saddle Salon take care of your gear or if you do it yourself, be sure to clean and condition your saddle and other tack every 6 months to a year. It is about obtaining the most optimal performance that you and your horse deserve. Remember, beauty is only a side effect.
Saddle due for a cleaning? Contact us.​