# How often do you oil your saddle?



## Nutty Saddler (May 26, 2009)

---- never -----


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

I never "oil" mine but I clean with Lexol spray and condition with Passier Lederbalsam at least once every two weeks. I can't afford my tack breaking


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Never. I do not like using oil on saddles. Over-oiling a saddle can weaken the leather over time.

I use Passier Lederbalsam 2-3 times a year, or Beinenwachs Leather Balsam or Effax leather Balm. All three are deep conditioning products that soften and preserve leather without adding too much oil. They also help protect the leather form water spots. My area is really humid though, so I only use a heavy conditioner when needed. If you use the balms too much, you can also risk getting a waxy build-up in the crevices of the leather.

After each cleaning (usually once a month with Lexol cleaner) I will use a light weight conditioner to keep the leather supple. I like Belvior spray conditioner, Hydrophane leather conditioner, or Lexol leather conditioner, in that order (Lexol is my least favorite, but it will do in a pinch).


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

^ never heard of anyone else using the Passier Lederbalsam. I LOVE that stuff! And it lasts forever!

I love the Lexol, never had a problem with it.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

I always recommend Passier Lederbalsam. It's such a good product! I put it on my tack with my hands. It makes your skin soft for DAYS, lol. I just bought some Beinewachs for something different. I like it, but definitely like the Passier conditioner best. I've heard good thinks about Ko-Chi-Line (sp?) dressing too, but I have never tried it.


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## justsambam08 (Sep 26, 2009)

I don't oil my stuff....I use mink oil to condition (its in a solid form) and someone recommended that to me, it works REALLY well on my saddle and has the added bonus of weather proofing it a little bit, since our tack room isn't climate controlled. then to clean of course I use Kiwi Outdoor Saddle Soap.


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

Most new modern saddles are surfaced treated and even the saddler usually says "wipe them off with a specialised cleaner". The word "oil" could be translated as "neats foot oil" or "tall oil fatty acid" - which was used in years gone by but is really these days inappropriate for modern finished leathers.

If you use oil for the seat of your saddle, then in effect your are oiling your breeches or whatever you are wearing. 

Maybe the girth straps - if supplied untreated could do with a touch of oil but not much else. Leather bridles of course, do need oiling/waxing to keep them soft/supple. 


B G


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I use saddle soap and then conditioner on mine. I used oil once on bridle and that was one of the stupidest things I did. It smelt horrible for 2 months plus was greasy on touch and several washings I did couldn't help with that.


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## Polaris (Nov 6, 2009)

Have to agree....oiling is a rarity for me as well. The higher end conditioners are excellent choices.

In my order of preference:

1. Passier Lederbalsam

2. Effax Lederbalsam

3. Stubben Hamanol


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## GoldRush (Dec 14, 2009)

About 2x a year...Right before riding season, and after! When I KNOW for certain I won't be riding for a few days, I'll put a coat of saddle oil on. But after riding season, I'll give it a good couple of coats.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I don't oil often. I have had my saddle for about 6 years and have oiled it twice. Once was shortly after I got it and the other was last summer after Dobe bogged down in the creek and I had to wash all of the mud off of my saddle. Bridles and reins will get oiled once after being bought but never again. Using them keeps them supple.


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## savvylover112 (Jul 17, 2009)

Well I clean my tack after every ride I wipe it clean with a wet cloth then use saddle or leather soap and I oil it with neats foot oil once a year


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

I don't oil my saddle, because it's a Wintec.

However, I've always used leather bridles/reins and they get cleaned after every ride, as do the bits.

The bridles get taken apart, cleaned, and deep oiled about twice a year, along with the reins. This keeps the leather smooth and supple.


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## Indyhorse (Dec 3, 2009)

Wow, I'm terrible *l* My saddles get oiled with neatsfoot on the day I bring them home, and then never again. Generally, I'm doing good if I brush the hay bits off them with a horse brush before I ride. :lol: I usually give them a once a year wipe down with leather conditioner, if I get bored enough in the winter months, but not always.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

If you want your tack to last, you take care of it properly. 

Not being rich, it's less expensive for me to take the time to maintain my leather tack, than it would be to replace it because it dry rotted.

I've had one bridle for over 25 years now, and it looks better than the day I bought it. 

I also have an old leather saddleseat saddle that I don't use anymore, but it gets cleaned every several months and deep oiled once a year. It's in excellent condition, and I rode in that sucker a LOT.

My Wintec gets cleaned after every ride too, although no oiling. I bought my 2000 AP 6 or 7 years ago, and it still looks brand new.

My horses always get groomed before a ride, and groomed and bathed (weather permitting) after each ride. I also keep their bridle paths, facial whiskers, and fetlocks clipped. 

I'm going to assume all of this is because of my show riding training. Unless the horse, tack, and rider are all impeccably groomed, they're not to go out in public. Even for a backyard trail ride.


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## Fowl Play (Sep 22, 2009)

My daughter got a saddle for Christmas. She's pretty serious about it and takes an old sock or t-shirt and sprays that with Leather New, then wipes the saddle down weekly. It's really to wipe dust off of it, but she takes her saddle care very seriously. The funny thing is the saddle is a little too big for her so it hasn't been used in about 10 years (it was a relatives.)


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## Indyhorse (Dec 3, 2009)

Speedracer ~ aww see that makes me feel worse *l* My horses are always impeccable when riding (they have to be, they're pigs in the pasture) but while my gear is all in great shape, it doesn't get that kind of attention. Most my bridles etc are nylon anyways, so they don't need it, but my saddles are all pretty decent quality and I ought to do more. I am resolved to do better in the future


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Naw Indy, don't feel bad. 

I'm anal retentive and do believe I have a touch of OCD, so I'm already close to being mad as a hatter! :lol:

Most people are more like you than me when it comes to cleaning their tack. As long as it's not growing mold or falling apart from dry rot, you're probably okay.

Like I said, my old show training makes it impossible for me to leave tack or an animal dirty. I had that pounded into my head, and what you learn first is what you remember best! :wink:

I actually (gasp!) rode my horse without clipping him the last time. Oh the guilt!!!! My old trainer would have been furious that I wasn't turned out properly.


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## IslandWave (Nov 25, 2009)

I oil my tack 1-2 times a year. I did it a couple times when I first got my saddle because it was badly needed, and now I only do it if the leather looks really dry.

But I do clean my tack thoroughly once a week, using Murphy Oil Soap to clean and then Stubben Hamanol to condition. I love that stuff!


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## Indyhorse (Dec 3, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> I actually (gasp!) rode my horse without clipping him the last time. Oh the guilt!!!! My old trainer would have been furious that I wasn't turned out properly.


Oh dear. :shock: Good thing she can't see my polar bears. I keep their bridle paths trimmed, but that's it. They are enormous fuzzballs right now.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I was notoriously bad at maintaining/cleaning my gear. I had a wintec, so not so bad, but my bridles were always in a bad state!

but I just bought a custom made saddle & breastplate for $4,000. So I have $4,000 reasons to keep it in tip top shape :] 

I generally clean it before competitions - So every week/every few weeks. I'll often sit down in the afternoon at a comp and clean my saddle while everyone chats. I am actually quite enjoying it now, it's kind of cathartic.

I just slop on the cream conditioner if i'm strapped for time, and if i'm not, I do it with saddle soap first.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I've actually had really good luck with neatsfoot oil, and in the past I oiled my tack ALOT. I've actually gotten to where I do it less now, but the only thing I ever ruined by over oiling it was suede. 

I will oil a saddle, bridle or reins pretty heavy when I first get it to help it break in. Because I would rather have the stress areas stretch then crack. I hate dry, cracking leather. 

Then, once something is broke-in nicely, I will often use saddle soap and only oil when I feel it is getting dryer than I would like. 

I hate Lexol. It never seems to do anything for me. If I put all the work into cleaning and conditioning something I want it to feel supple and somewhat oily or waxy. Lexol leaves things as dry as when I started. 

If money were no object, I really LOVE Leather Therapy conditioner (and the cleaner is great too). 

I know it is possible to over-oil things, but trust me, when I was a teenager and got my first horse I oiled things wayyy too much and never ruined anything but some suede saddlebags. I learned not to oil suede! But I have saddles and bridles from that era of my life and they are all in excellent shape today, including one of my favorite headstalls. About 15 years old and still in perfect working order. 

I am in Arizona though, so maybe climate has something to do with it. I probably oil my saddles (that I am using) at least 4 times a year.


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## Plains Drifter (Aug 4, 2009)

Ok..next question. My saddle (which is just an old western saddle) squeaks alot when I ride in it compared to other people I've ridden with. (before I bought Neatsfoot oil, so it's not because I oiled it.) While, I do love the gentle squeak of saddle leather, this saddle seems to be a bit louder than any previous saddle, (though I am getting a newer saddle/better one in a couple of months.) I guess I'm wondering if this is because it wasn't oiled enough and needs to be oiled, or if it needs to be cleaned with a leather conditioner, or if this is just the sound an older saddle will make regardless.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

A lot of people will tell you to turn it upside down and sprinkle baby powder in there. (The squeak is caused by the friction of leather rubbing on leather). I have never done that myself because I figure the powder does nothing to condition it, but I hear it works.

What I've done is taken liquid glycerin saddle soap (or neatsfoot oil would probably work too) in a spray bottle and spray up under all the flaps, especially where I think the squeak is coming from. I think the liquid glycerin saddle soap is pretty safe, but I would be careful not to spray too much oil if you use the neatsfoot. It takes a few applications, but I have had good luck diminishing squeaks that way.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Yup, any conditioning treatment will help with the squeaks. My new saddle starts to squeak when it needs cleaning.


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## Amir (Nov 18, 2009)

I love Effax leather Balm!!
I clean my leather gear with Effax liquid saddle soap when it's pretty grungy and then go over it with the Effax leather Balm. I guess I do it every 3 months. When it's competition season, since I'm poor and only have one bridle, it gets cleaned before each show but if I'm just doing a gymkhana then it won't get cleaned unless I have presentation.
My boots and gaitors get done after every show.


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## fire walker TWH (Jan 10, 2010)

*i do oil my leather, old saddle makers tip*

This works well for dry leather or leather that needs restored. I add a half cup of Murphys wood oil to a gallon of warm water and use a sponge or wash rag to clean every nook and cranny. Youll want to ring the mix out well so that your not over soaking the saddle , bridle or what have you.You can also make it stronger by adding more oil soap for really sweaty areas. Let it dry well, for the next step youll need a sauce pan or a crock pot dedicated to the oil. I have a small crock pot that I use for the oil only. you will also need a 2 or 3 inch paint brush for applying oil paint to brush on the oil. I recommend using virgin olive oil for best results. Conola does alright but any other type gums up and doesnt penetrate the leather. heat the oil in the crock pot to around 90 to 120 degrees, ( i use a candy thermometer to see what temperature its at)then paint it onto leather areas. you will see that the leather will soak it up quickly. really dry leather sometimes needs several coats.If some patches stop absorbing then avoid those areas and continue to apply to other areas. Pay special attention to areas where the leather flexes alot and to areas connected to buckles. After you feel it is absorbed enough wipe away all the access with a clean dry cloth and set the leather or saddle in the sun to help it absorb the oil deeper. ( an hour or two). I often go back and use kiwi shoe polish in the correct color to match my leather to give it a nice glossy shine. Do not use the oil treatment on light leathers or on ruff out or suede leather, it WILL darken them. I use lexol products for light leathers or mahogany leathers. To refresh my suede I use the murphys oil mix on a damp cloth to spot clean and follow with a ruff brushing with a stiff brush. To polish light, or mahogany leathers use nuetral polish, brown polish will darken them. I also use Silvo polish on all the metal fittings (not the bit, it wouldnt be safe for the horse). Silvo seems to keep moisture spots and rust at bay.Sometimes I will even coat silver with a little virgin olive oil to keep it nice if i know im storing the equipment for over a month. I have lots of differant brands of cleaners and conditioners but this method is best for restoring leather . I do use it on my other equipment as well, once every spring and once every fall. But only on my dark colored leathers.I have found that if you use this method too often, perhaps once a month or so, it will let the leather stretch out, especially on stirrup leathers. So I recommend twice a year thourough cleanings. I usually ride older saddles and buy them for resale so they need something a bit more penetrating than most products on the market today. I also like this method because it costs so little and everything you need can be found at most any department store. One container of murphys oil and one container of virgin olive oil lasts a very long time and costs n the area of 10 dollars. Hope this is of some help to someone out there.


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## dianascherff (Aug 11, 2018)

My saddle is a 20+ year old Pessoa and the only thing that's saved it is oiling it. Whenever it looks dry i apply oil. I tried Kiwi Mink Oil after using Neatsfoot oil for years, but it did nothing for the dry areas. It may have weather proofed it, but that's all. I tried it weekly over a month and a half with no improvement. I've switched back to Neatsfoot oil and the dry spots are 100% improved in one application. I apply the Neatsfoot oil several times until the leather looks and feels better, or until it stops absorbing oil, depends on my mood how many times I apply it. It definitely darkens the leather but I love dark leather and my saddle is already pretty dark. I apply it all over, even the seat. I wear black breeches but in the past I have had oil rub off on my tan breeches the first time out, but then it usually stops. I clean my saddle weekly, currently with Kiwi Saddle Soap because for some reason I really hate bar soap. I make sure to rinse off the soap residue after cleaning so it doesn't get caked on. Then I oil a few times a year as needed. I'm in Los Angeles so you may not need it as often if you're in a humid climate. I just hate when my saddle looks dry because it gets permanent damage easier when dry, so I'm super picky about cleaning it weekly and oiling it with Neatsfoot oil when needed. Right now I'm using Fiebing's 100% Neatsfoit Oil. I used to use a brush to apply it but I have started using like a car waxing sponge instead and I like it better because you can rub the oil into the leather a little in really dry areas. I rarely oil my girth because it doesn't seem to need it, I just clean it after every ride along with the bridle. Boots every month or two.


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## bkylem (Sep 21, 2013)

I always groom before riding ( brush, hoof picks, fly spray) and typically wipe off my saddle after every ride. I use Lexol spray about once a month. I have found the waxes to be a bit too greasy for my taste and I have never used oil.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

@dianascherff and @bkylem Just to note this is an 8 year old thread.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

I clean my tack after every 2nd ride usually or after each ride if it's really dirty. I oil my saddle, breastplate and bridle every time and use beeswax every month to help waterproof and protect it. It makes a HUGE difference to keep all our tack in pristine condition and looking soft and well maintained.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

My saddle gets cleaned when my horoscrope specifically tells me to clean my saddle or I'm selling it. I'll let you guess at frequency from that.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

BAHAHAAHAHAHA that's the best answer I've read all day. Thanks for the laugh.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

My western saddles get a good cleaning and oiling once or twice a year, or if they've been soaked in a rainstorm. Harness gets wiped down after each use, and in the fall I will take it to a local harness guy who dips it in a big tank of an oil blend (I think it's neatsfoot, tallow, lanolin, and something else) and hangs it to dry, and it comes back to me a week or two later soft and supple and pretty much waterproof. I send my harness leather bridles, breastcollars, rear cinches, leather halters, and reins with the harness to have them done, too. Costs me about $15 but the leather comes back looking, feeling, and smelling great. 

If I use my English saddle, I wipe it down after every couple of uses. It gets a lot less dirty than the western stuff, and doesn't have all the crevices and tooling, plus the leather is much lighter so it's a lot faster and easier to do.


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