Does anyone know of a good way to soften a new Dressage saddle?

possum tail on Tue, 30th Dec 2008 4:00 am 



soak it in buttermilk overnight. Then allow it to air dry.

ewolfbalto on Fri, 2nd Jan 2009 6:41 am 



Oil it lots and ride in it alot!

lisa m on Sat, 3rd Jan 2009 12:15 am 



Give it a good coat of neatsfoot oil and let it soak for several hours and then soap with something glycerin based. Then soap after every use and oil once per week for a month and that combined with riding in it will soon soften it. Just don’t apply to much oil after the first time to the girth straps otherwise they can become slippery and hard to pull up.

nixitee on Sun, 4th Jan 2009 10:49 pm 



I really like the lotion-y based leather conditioners. The texture makes the leather nice and supple but also adds a touch of stickiness (not a ridiculously huge amount) so that the leather isn’t so smooth and slippery. That’s what I use on my Antares.. I’ll never go back to oil!!

1crossmare on Wed, 7th Jan 2009 7:46 pm 



I recommend Dr. Jackson’s Hide Rejuvenator. You can get it on EBay or directly from Tandy Leather Company. In my opinion and 40 years of horsing’ around, this is one of the best leather products out there.This is great for breaking in new leather and restoring dried out, old leather. This is great stuff! I have seen it bring back old leather that I though was a goner. Use it sparingly on new leather and massage it in. A little goes a long way. Work your leather by gently bending back and forth to encourage absorption. Before you know it , your saddle leather will be beautiful and supple. This is only the first step. Saddles need mileage before they are truly broken in. With proper care and maintenance, your new saddle will give you many years of service.Enjoy!

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