# What products do you use to clean your saddle, oil, and for breaking tack in?



## Fifty (Jul 1, 2010)

I use mink oil on all my leather stuff. It's normally for like shoes but I use it. I hear some people say it's not very good for it, but it works really good for me. Also, I heard baby powder stops your saddle from squeaking.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

For conditioning: Dover Saddlery | Effax Leder Balsam Leather Care. (it smells SO good - coconut!)

For cleaning - soap Dover Saddlery | Leather New Leather Cleaner.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

I use Lexol leather cleaner. It's in a spray bottle and is easy to use. I also sometimes use a plain glycerine bar.
Browsing Store - Lexol Leather Cleaner Spray - 16 oz. spray
Glycerin Saddle Soap Bar, Saddle Soap From Adams Horse Supplies

For conditioning I LOVE Passier Lederbalsam. It does an excellent job of softening and conditioning leather. I put it on with my bare hands, using my skin to warm it before applying it. It has a great smell and makes your hands soft too. It's not cheap, but a little goes a LONG way!
Browsing Store - Passier Lederbalsam Leather Conditioner

If the tack is really stiff, like doesn't bend stiff, then I use Hydrophane Leather Dressging. It's an oil that penetrates well and softens. I'll coat both sides of the leather mutiple times, until I can bend and flex it in different directions, then let it sit over night.
Browsing Store - Hydrophane Leather Dressing - 17oz

For light conditioning on items I clean a lot, or get dirty easily (like bridles and girths) and for pieces of tack that I don't want to stretch (like billets), I like Belvoir Conditioning Spray. It's a glycerin based conditioner with coconut oil. I spray it on and use my hands to rub it in.
Browsing Store - Belvoir Tack Conditioner Spray 500ml


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## kmacdougall (Feb 12, 2010)

luvs2ride1979 said:


> For conditioning I LOVE Passier Lederbalsam. It does an excellent job of softening and conditioning leather. I put it on with my bare hands, using my skin to warm it before applying it. It has a great smell and makes your hands soft too. It\'s not cheap, but a little goes a LONG way!
> Browsing Store - Passier Lederbalsam Leather Conditioner


I have been eyeing this up for a while, does it darken?


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Only while it's wet. Once it's totally dry, 2-3 days later, the leather is back to it's original color. That said, I only have medium and darker colored tack, so I don't have any experience putting it on light oil or natural leather.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

My go to, everyday, cleaning and care for product is Fiebing's Saddle Soap (in the can not the spray) used especially after a sweaty ride. 

When I condition my saddles I like Hydrophane (there is a darkening version to). I find that it really gets into the pores of the leather. 

I like BlackRock cream too. It find that it does a great job of conditioning and softening leather without darkening it. I even use it on shoes, belts, and my wife's handbags. A tiny bit goes a long way. It buffs out to give the leather a nice patina as well. 

I also like using 100% Neatsfoot Oil but I like to heat it up before applying. I wouldn't use that method on a light saddle because it will darken it somewhat and subsequent applications will continue to darken it.

BTW, if your leather is not getting soft after applications with cleaners and conditioners, then it may be that the leather is too far gone to bring back or that it is Asian which has leather that wasn't tanned the way European or American leather is prepared.


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

iridehorses said:


> My go to, everyday, cleaning and care for product is Fiebing's Saddle Soap (in the can not the spray) used especially after a sweaty ride.
> 
> When I condition my saddles I like Hydrophane (there is a darkening version to). I find that it really gets into the pores of the leather.
> 
> ...


I also use Fiebing's Saddle Soap. I really, really like it. Makes the leather look nice and new and softens it up a bit.

I've used Black Rock too. It conditions really well and like iride said, a little bit goes a long way. I wouldn't use it after every ride but that's just me. It makes the leather look really...creamy almost. I don't know if leather can look creamy...maybe it just looks smooth.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I use this:
Amazon.com: Horseman's One Step Leather Cleaner & Conditioner, 7 Lbs: Kitchen & Dining

Works pretty well. I like that it's a cream and not a spray. Doesn't really help loosen up stiff leather, though


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## CessBee (Dec 6, 2008)

^ this

though I find it helps break in new leather quite nicely


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## CheyGurl17 (Aug 19, 2010)

I have used many differnt kinds. Usually I like to clean with Fiebings Glycerin Saddle Soap (bar). Otherwise I use Lexol Cleaner. And my favourite to conditioner with is Lexol Conditioner. There is also a Lexol-NF (a type of neatsfoot oil). it has been proven that regular neatsfoot oil can actually damage your leather. most of my tack was in really bad shape when i got it! now, it is fancy looking and in great shape. even for my new tack, i use lexol. I dont think i will ever go back to anything else, because nothing else works this well. even the expensive stuff i have tried, or that my riding friends have tried. Once in a while i use Bick-4 Leather Conditioner on my show tack.


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## Luvs2jump (Oct 11, 2010)

Sorry didn't get back to this sooner. Thanks guys for the information, I'll keep this in mind when I replace some of my tack. 
Anyone used Tack CPR? Just wondering how that works?


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## dognbone666 (Sep 23, 2010)

Flyaway's patent leather shine (think thats what its called) works really well. It repels any water as well so saves you cleaning later on. It gets into hard old leather as well and softens it up.


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