I just bought a new saddle and the leather is not finished?

Question

How do i finish it so that it doesn't dry out and crack or just get totally ruined??? Is there a special product and procedure to do it or do I just use saddle soap?

Answer 1

you can use a variety of saddle soap's and oil's.fiebing's is excellent,what i do to new tack is first i apply a ample amount of leather oil,next i apply an ample amount of saddle soap,do not soak your leather in oil as it will stretch it.use enough to cover where you want to soften then apply your soap,you will feel the difference in a couple of day's.

Answer 2

Clean and condition your saddle on a regular basis. We suggest that a weekly cleaning is good preventive maintenance. Begin cleaning your saddle with saddle soap - there are lots to choose from and most will lift the dirt and grime. Use only a moderate amount of warm water, NEVER hot! Use a vegetable scrub brush or old toothbrush to clean the tooling, stitch lines, and to get into narrow places. Pay special attention to those areas of the saddle that come into direct contact with the horse. Be sure you rinse the soap off thoroughly - take a clean rag or sponge with fresh water and rinse the soap off the saddle  completely. Do not put your saddle in the sun to dry! Be sure to take your brush and get the soap out of all stitch lines and tooling.

While still damp, follow the cleaning with several light coats of the conditioner of your choice. There are many excellent products from which to choose. Be sure and dress the underside or flesh side of your saddle’s leather wherever possible. In fact, oil is absorbed better from the flesh side than the grain. Some folks pour or drip small amounts of oil on to these parts of the saddle otherwise inaccessible. Pull the stirrup  leathers of a Western saddle around the bars and oil them at the spot where they bend. Most folks forget to do this. A good place to put extra conditioner is anywhere the leather is sharply bent and at any place metal is attached to or touches the leather, especially where there are rivets.

Be sure not to over oil your saddle - too much oil will make your leather spongy. After conditioning, buff your saddle with a soft, clean cloth for a nice finish. Cover the saddle while storing. Bird droppings are very hard on leather, and mice love the taste of fresh leather and oil.

Normally folks do not soap the rough out part of their saddle, either the seats on Western saddles or skirts on some jump style English saddles. Soaping the suede portions will mat down the nap. Moreover, oil is not normally applied to suede. A good, hard brushing will clean the nap and give it a fresh look.

Frequent cleaning is advisable for areas which come in direct contact with the horse since moisture carries the sweat from the horse into the leather. When the moisture evaporates, salt crystals remain. The salt, in turn, absorbs essential moisture and oil from the leather, causing the leather to dry out! Before you put your equipment away, be particularly careful to clean these areas.