Tack should ideally be cleaned each time it is used so you will always need a plentiful supply of saddle soap. Choose a bar format like Carr & Day & Martin’s Belvoir Tack Conditioning Soap with a traditional mix of vegetable oils, coconut oil and glycerine, or a tub - NAF Leather Soft Soap contains citronella and glycerine and is effective at keeping leather soft and supple.
For a quick spruce up in between classes at a show, Nettex Tack Cleaning Wipes are ideal and easy to use. With Neatsfoot oil included, they give a quick shine to all your leatherwork before you go in the ring.
Not all tack is leather; there are plenty of synthetic options on the market and if you have synthetic saddles then you will need a proprietary cleaner for them. Use Synthetic Tack Clean from NAF, an easy and quick way to restore synthetic saddles back to their best and this cleaner is ideal for synthetic boots as well.
Even with regular cleaning, all saddlery will benefit from a deep, nourishing treatment from a balsam or leather food; this replaces oils which are lost over time or because the tack has been saturated. Choose Lincoln Superior Leather Balsam which will nourish and protect your leather with refined beeswax, lanolin and avocado oil keeping it supple and soft. Stubben Hamanol Leather Care contains paraffin emulsion which is designed to feed and nourish leather without harming its fibre structure.
It pays to take good care of your saddlery as neglected leather will dry out and crack. Leather which is not supple will rub and chafe the horse and could cause sores or girth galls and in extreme cases, the leather could crack and snap causing an accident.
Browse online to find everything you need to look after your tack and leather goods at Chelford Farm Supplies or visit our friendly store. We stock trusted brands like Stubben, Lincoln, Carr & Day & Martin and NAF to help you take the best care of your saddlery.