Find out all the best ways to clean your riding tack right here, and get some handy tips to make the job much easier too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Cleaning a Saddle<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Not all horse riding tack is made equal, and riding tack is also made from many different materials (and combinations of materials) that require their own cleaning method. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve got you covered with the best advice and helpful hints on how to clean your riding tack, no matter the material it\u2019s made from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n (By the way, if you’re a newbie and are still wondering what tack even is, check out this guide<\/a>! And here’s a guide to help you buy tack for the first time<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditionally, all riding tack was made from leathers of various kinds, from rawhide to polished hide, tooled leather, and more. Leather can be woven, braided, tooled, nailed, and edged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You will find leather tack on bridles, stirrup leathers, and saddles. Even girths and fenders can be made from leather. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cleaning leather tack requires that you first clean, then condition, and finally, wipe down or buff the tack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To clean leather tack, you should: <\/p>\n\n\n\n To condition leather tack, you should:<\/p>\n\n\n\n To finish and buff the leather tack:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reassemble your leather tack, dressing saddles, and bridles. Ensure the tack is stored in a dry place so it isn\u2019t exposed to excessive dust or heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To clean leather tack, it\u2019s vital to use the best quality products that won\u2019t leave a sticky or oily residue. Leather is a living \u201ctextile,\u201d which means it needs to be fed with good quality oils or balms. Here are two of my absolute favorite leather cleaning and nourishing products:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. <\/strong>Fiebings Glycerine Saddle Soap Spray<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n This soap spray has none of the soapiness you\u2019d expect, but all of the cleaning power. Plus, it really nourishes the leather too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pros <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can find a full review on Fiebing’s here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Buy on Stateline Tack<\/a> | Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. <\/strong>Oakwood Leather Conditioner<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n If your saddle needs that extra conditioner, or if you want to simply proactively protect the leather from environmental damage, you can\u2019t go wrong with this great conditioning balm. Apply after cleaning, or use it to touch up saddles and tack between cleaning as part of your daily routine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pros <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Buy on Stateline Tack<\/a> | Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n With the different types of saddles on the market, it\u2019s no wonder that new and innovative materials are also being used, which has given rise to the revolution of synthetic saddles. Brands like Wintec<\/a> and Collegiate<\/a> have dominated the market, and these synthetic saddles require a different approach to cleaning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Synthetic saddles, bridles, and other tack can be washed. That said, you wouldn\u2019t want to soak these saddles as the padding that makes up the saddle seats could become wet. Wet padding + time = mold, so be warned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, cleaning a synthetic saddle is much quicker and easier than a leather saddle. Simply follow these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pro Tip: <\/strong>If you have a suede-finished saddle or bridle, allow it to dry before using a clean body brush with soft bristles to brush up the synthetic pile for a neat-as-new finish. Special synthetic tack cleaners like the Wintec Saddle Cleaner<\/a><\/u> are available for use if you wish to use something recommended by the manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PVC is becoming a popular material for bridles, especially endurance bridles and sports bridles. These bridles come in a range of vibrant colors and designs. Cleaning them is easy, but take care not to soak as the inner core is usually a nylon webbing, which can become moldy if soaked and left in a cool spot where it can\u2019t dry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cleaning the PVC bridle requires little effort, and you can use most mild detergents. To clean PVC bridles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to the metal parts of your tack, it requires a little creativity to clean some of the buckles and trim that feature on saddles. For the most part, the metal parts of the saddle such as dee rings and studs won\u2019t require special cleaning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you are showing, you can use a metal wipe such as Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner Wipes<\/u><\/a>, which is already infused with a cleaning solution that you can safely use to wipe studs and hardware. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For stirrup irons and bits, a more intensive cleaning is required. To maintain general cleanliness and the condition of these parts, always rinse off the bits after riding, and if you\u2019ve gone through mud, clean your stirrup irons too, removing any mud or debris that may cling there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once a week, it\u2019s a good idea to disassemble your bridle, clean your bridle, and at the same time, clean your bit by thoroughly scrubbing it with a nail brush and warm soapy water. Regular dishwashing liquid is a good choice. Dunk your stirrup irons while you\u2019re at it, scrubbing these to remove any build-up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once clean, rinse and dry with a lint-free cloth. Allow to air-dry before you assemble your bridle or dress your saddle and attach your stirrup irons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your riding tack also includes \u201csoft\u201d textile items such as saddle pads<\/a> and half pads made from neoprene, sheepskin, fleece, and cotton. Depending on what type of material the item is made from, you can wash these and dry flat in the shade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve always had good luck with washing all my saddle pads in lukewarm water, giving it a light spin cycle in the washing machine, and drying flat in the shade. After the sheepskin pads are dry, I use a soft and clean body brush to give the pile a good brushing to soften the sheepskin texture. Using a nail brush is a good way to clean out the spiky side of your Velcro attachments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In between the washing, I like to keep things clean, which also means I don\u2019t have to wash as frequently (and my saddle pads aren\u2019t as soiled and grimey as when I don\u2019t do daily cleaning). After each ride, I use a dandy brush to clean the hair, grime, and sweat from the underside of my saddle pads, sheepskin pads, and neoprene pads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For winter fluff, I like to use a handheld vacuum cleaner that I run over the surface to vacuum up any shedding hair and keep things neat. Surprisingly, it is not as big a chore as you may think to clean your riding tack after each ride, and the benefit is that you never have the dreaded \u201cscrub till your fingers bleed\u201d clean as you do when you allow things to get really gunky. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When I discovered that some riding helmets like the TuffRider Starter Riding Helmet<\/u><\/a> come with detachable liners, I was in my seventh heaven. If you have a helmet with a non-detachable lining, you need to be creative to wash it, as helmets do get quite sweaty and smelly if not cleaned regularly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For a full helmet wash, simply place your helmet inside a pillowcase. Wash on the shortest and gentlest of settings of your washing machine in cold water with a small amount of regular laundry detergent. If your helmet has diamante detail, you should consider wrapping a thin towel around the helmet before placing it inside the pillowcase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I like to throw a couple of old towels in the wash with the helmet to minimize it banging around in the machine. Air-dry flat in the shade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When cleaning safety gear, it\u2019s always advisable to follow your manufacturer\u2019s instructions. Some padded vests <\/a>are washable, while others can only be wiped with a damp cloth. Airing out vests after each ride will help limit body odor in the vests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I have found that if I work really carefully, I can hand wash my air vest, though this is always a risk as you need to ensure no moisture gets into the mechanism where the pressurized canisters go or in the inflatable bags inside the vest. Most air vest manufacturers have a cleaning service where the vest is checked and cleaned for a fee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your riding tack should receive a light cleaning after each ride, which includes basic cleaning steps like wiping down sweaty bridles, rinsing bits, and wiping off any mud or water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you ride regularly or more than twice a week, you should set aside a day to clean your tack and oil it once a month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If the weather has been poor and your saddle becomes wet or was exposed to a lot of heat, you should immediately dry your saddle, then clean and oil it to ensure the leather is protected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Clean your horse riding tack, including saddles, bridles, stirrup leathers, stirrup irons, bits, and saddle pads to ensure the equipment remains in the best possible condition, lasts, and to check for signs of damage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There is nothing worse than having a saddle become uncomfortable because water damage has twisted the leather or having a stirrup leather snap mid-canter because of a crack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Clean tack is always a joy for rider and horse. I\u2019ve seen my horses pull faces when I tack up with a saddle pad that\u2019s seen sweaty use from another horse the previous day. Cleaning your tack ensures everything works well, there are no hidden wear and tear signs you would have missed, and keeps you and your horse looking smart while being comfortable too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to keep your tack neat, check out my detailed guide with 25 ideas on how to organize your tack room<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Find out all the best ways to clean your riding tack right here, and get some handy tips to make the job much easier too!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":13967,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[289,262,16],"tags":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/guide-to-tack-cleaning-on-equestrianbootsandbridles.com-1.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Talitha","author_link":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/author\/talitha\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13966"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13966"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13966\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14754,"href":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13966\/revisions\/14754"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13967"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/ol><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Basic Tack (and How to Clean Each Type)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Leather Tack: Saddles and Bridles <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Leather Cleaning Products I Like:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"fiebings](\"https:\/\/equestrianbootsandbridles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/fiebings-saddle-soap-spray.jpeg\")
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\n\n\n\nSynthetic Leather Tack: Saddles and Bridles <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nPVC Tack: Bridles <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nMetal Work: Bits, Buckles, and Stirrup Irons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nTack Trim: Sheepskin, Fleece, and Cotton <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nHelmets and Safety Gear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nCleaning Horse Riding Tack FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How often should I clean my horse riding tack?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What is the purpose of cleaning horse riding tack?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Final Thoughts on Tack Cleaning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Like this post? Save it on Pinterest. Follow me on Pinterest<\/a>.<\/h2>\n\n\n
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