How to Clean an English Saddle

After a lot of time, trial and research, you have finally found the perfect saddle. It fits you and your horse perfectly and you want to make sure it stays serviceable for a long, long time. The two most important things you can do to extend the life of your saddle are to regularly clean and condition it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Saddle
• Saddle rack
• Tack hook
• Tack sponges
• Saddle soap (or glycerin bar)
• Leather Conditioner (such as Lexol)
• Bucket of clean water

1. Unbuckle your stirrup leathers and drop your stirrup irons into the bucket of water to soak. Remove the stirrup leathers and hang them from a tack hook high enough that they don't touch the ground.
2. Wet a sponge and squeeze it firmly until it is just damp. Swirl it lightly over the saddle soap until a thin haze of lather appears on the soap.
3. Flip the saddle over and set to work on the bottom portion, rubbing firmly in a circular motion. This is the part of the saddle that is routinely exposed to sweat and oils from the horse's skin and from your fingers (when you pick it up). Clean it thoroughly, rinsing the sponge and applying more soap once it seems that the sponge has gone mostly dry. Pay special attention to the pommel and cantle ends of the gullet.
4. With the saddle still upside down, pull in the bottom flaps and clean the outward-facing sides. Take the opportunity to focus on any grime that may have built up along the girth leathers while they are out of the way. Clean as close to the tree as you can reach.
5. Turn the saddle right side up and set it on a saddle rack. Push up the saddle flaps and girth straps and finish cleaning the bottom flap if necessary.
6. Wipe down the girth straps, paying special attention to any grime embedded in the leather by the girth buckles
7. Clean the underside and topside of all remaining flaps, making sure to get the sponge as high into the creases as possible. On the topmost flap, be sure to clean under the stirrup leather keeper and along the stirrup bar under the skirt.
8. Wash the stirrup leathers, inspecting them closely for cracks, tears and loose or rotted stitching.
9. Thoroughly wash stirrup irons, being careful to remove any caked on mud. Set them aside to dry.
10. Get a clean tack sponge and condition the saddle in the same order that you cleaned it, being careful to follow the application instructions on the bottle of leather conditioner.
11. Put stirrups back on stirrup leathers and re-attach stirrup leathers to stirrup bar.
12. If saddle is not being immediately used, cover it with a saddle cover and put back on the saddle rack.

Tips & Warnings

• Always pay special attention to the creases along seams. These are easily clogged with dirt and oil from one cleaning to the next.
• Never use a dripping wet sponge to clean tack - it rots the stitching.
• Always clean leather before conditioning it. If you condition first, it seals in the dirt and makes it harder to clean in the future.