If you have bought a bridle for your horse, you naturally want it to stay beautiful and in good condition for as long as possible. How do you do that? What is the best maintenance for your bridle? And is there a difference between the maintenance of a new and a used bridle? In this blog we explain how you can maintain your horse's bridle as well as possible, so that you can enjoy it for as long as possible.
The bridle
The bridle is an important part of your horse's harness. The bridle allows the rider to lead and steer his horse. But a good bridle is more than just functional: it also looks very nice. A bridle consists of several parts, such as a noseband, browband, throatlatch, reins, etc., and it is important that the leather parts are well maintained. In this way, the bridle is comfortable for the horse, and it stays beautiful and strong for longer. How should you handle it?
New versus used
There is a difference in the maintenance of a new and a used bridle. We notice that some riders are not aware of that difference. With a new bridle it is important that it immediately receives good nutrition and is protected against sweat. A used bridle mainly needs cleaning and a new layer of grease. Below we explain how you can do it.
Maintain new bridle
You have to prepare a new bridle for the first use, as it were. You thus lay the foundation for a long lifespan in which the bridle remains in good condition. You need the following things for this initial maintenance: good leather oil, possibly a bucket, a brush and a soft, dry cloth. Then follow these steps:
- Disassemble the main unit
- Treat with leather oil
- Let leather oil soak in
- Dry
Step 1: Disassemble the bridle
Before you can start treating the bridle, you must first take it apart. So loosen all straps and buckles, so that all parts that can be separated are loose.
Step 2: Treat with leather oil
Then treat the new bridle with leather oil. Note: if you have a browband with stones or clinchers, only oil the back so that no oil gets on the stones or clinchers. You can choose to put the oil in a bucket and place the parts of your bridle in it. Many producers of leather oil supply the oil in a can with a brush. It can therefore also be a practical choice to apply the oil with a brush. This way you use less oil while the bridle still gets a good feed.
Step 3: Let leather oil soak in
After you have treated the bridle with leather oil, let the oil soak in for an hour. Definitely don't do this any longer. That is bad for the stitching and the leather will also become oversaturated. This makes it difficult to handle and it no longer wants to go through the loops, for example.
Step 4: Dry off
Now dry the bridle with a soft cloth. Done with these steps? Then your new bridle is ready for use!
Maintenance used bridle
A used bridle mainly needs cleaning and a new layer of grease. For this you need saddle soap, a sponge, a dry cloth and saddle cream or saddle grease. Here are the steps:
- Clean bridle
- Treat with saddle cream
- Let the saddle cream soak in
- Take
Time to work out these steps.
Step 1: cleaning bridle
Start by cleaning your bridle. You wet the sponge and put saddle soap on it. You will then use this to clean the entire bridle. Excess saddle soap can be rubbed off the bridle with a soft, dry cloth. Then you start with the nutrition.
Step 2: treat with saddle cream
Apply the saddle cream or saddle grease with a soft, dry cloth. This only needs to be a thin layer, but make sure you grease both the front and back carefully. The leather is particularly sensitive to wear and drying in the places where the buckles are located. That's why a good grease job is really vital there.
Step 3: let the saddle cream soak in
After greasing, let the bridle rest for ten minutes to allow the cream to penetrate.
Step 4: decrease
Then go over the greased parts again with a soft, dry cloth. Thanks to this last step, your bridle will shine nicely. In addition, you remove excess fat from the bridle, which prevents the bridle from transferring the fat to other products.
You can clean the buckles of the bridle, any stones or other shiny parts of your browband with a slightly damp cloth and dry with a soft cloth.
Advice at Horse Riders Classics
Do you have questions about the maintenance of your bridle or do you have another question about your bridle? Then feel free to contact us. At Horse Riders Classics you can count on the best products and the best advice. Are you looking for a nice bridle for your horse? Then view our range.
