Help with my new leathers?

Question

so i bought new leathers the other day and they are a bit stiff... is there anything i can do to loosen them up a bit?

also is there anything i should do to care for/prepare them for use? (someone at the tack shop mentioned oiling them??)

Answer 1

There many ways to do this they all come down to handling the leather.  I use water, bending, flexing, handling and when the leather drys out I use oil.

Answer 2

Here is what I do when I buy leathers or reins or a new bridle. Roll them in one continuous spiral and place them in the bottom of a small bucket. Cover with neatsfoot oil and let them soak overnight. The next morning pull them out slowly using paper towels to squeeze the excess oil off. Keep rubbing them with the paper towels till the towels no longer show oil. Leave them lay out awhile to dry, then go ahead and use them. You'll probably notice a little excess oil the first time you use them (might want to wear old jeans/breeches).

Answer 3

Pour some leather conditioner into a lipped pan and place your leathers into the pan.  Allow them to soak for several hours or even overnight.  This will help soften the leather and make it more pliable.

My friend does this with new reins.

Answer 4

hi,

ya i would suggset saddle soap thats what i always use to loosin up my leathers so go out and get ya some saddle soap.

you can buy that at your local tack stores

Answer 5

Fill a small bucket with peanut oil and let the leather soak in it for a few minutes. When you take them out, clean them well with saddle soap to get rid of the oily feel. You will then be left with very soft, flexible leathers :)

Answer 6

I'm not sure I'd hire a trainer who doesn't know how to condition leathers.

Answer 7

Yeah i agree with everything everyone's said so far about useing leather conditioner (opt for conditioner over oil, it tends to get greasy and takes longer to soak) I just wanted to add that if you layer (coat leathers, let them dry, REPEAT! until soft) your leathers will be more flexible.

Answer 8

Oiling the stirrup leathers is not a good idea because they stretch out and can break if they are too soft.

I bought new leathers for both of my saddles and even though they are stiff, I just go straight to using them, and after a couple of days they are all broken in. If they stay stiff for more than a few days, use a cleaner/conditioner, but no oil. I like horseman's one step, it does the exact same thing as leather CPR but is WAAAAAAY cheaper.

Answer 9

When I got my new leathers I used leather oil. It loosens them up a lot. Try oiling them a couple times and they will loosen up. Also use leather conditioner too. It will help. I clean my tack with Horseman's One Step. It cleans and oils.

Examples of leather oil: http://www.google.com/products?um=1&hl=e...

Horseman's One Step: http://www.smartpakequine.com/productcla...