How do I get rid of the squeaking?!?

Question

I lease a cute Quarter Horse named Hobbes. He's a great dressage horse, so lots of times I ride him in a saddle in the ring. His saddle is pretty old - it's a Crosby Sovereign Close Contact saddle (http://www.riderscrossing.com/101_6988.JPG - it isn't specifically my saddle, but it's what my saddle looks like) and I don't this his owner has cleaned it in forever. I clean and condition it whenever I can, but it STILL squeaks, and it's pretty embarrassing.

I don't know if I should try the baby powder trick because I only lease him, so I'm not sure if I'm allowed to try that on his saddle. I don't want to mess it up and then have to pay for it (The Sovereign isn't manufactured anymore, anyways.) Any ideas or things I can do - low-cost and not noticeable or harmful to the saddle?

Answer 1

try baby oil then... it doesnt leave any powder behind... just make sure you do it evenly where it squeaks.. i try only oiling in the flaps where it actually rugs, instead of where you can see, so just in case it doesnt look bad.

Answer 2

Baby powder won't hurt a thing, will stop the squeak.  (Old cowboy trick)

Answer 3

english saddles really shouldn't squeak.  If this saddle does more then a small creak when you mount you need to check the tree.  Odds are its been sprung or is broken. try flexing it pommel towards cantel  and then push the front bars togeather then apart.  The tree should NOT flex on a crosby. I have a ancient stuben sigfried  and it does not squeek at all even if its not been cleaned in a long time

Answer 4

Most saddles will squeak until they are pretty broken in....at least that's what western saddles are like. I would say that you just need to ride in it more.

Answer 5

I use the baby powder. It helps.

Answer 6

try a different type of saddle oil

i have a similar problem but it is with a western saddle..its a very heavy saddle and no matter how much i clean it, it squeaks, so i just gave up on cleaning it

but my mom has been riding in it alot and some of the squeaking has actually stopped since it is getting used more

Answer 7

Leather squeaks and thats it.   You can put it upside down and pour powder in it.  It might help for a while.  We personally lie the squeak.