# Do you oil a new bridle?



## madmav (29 June 2011)

Old wisdom was to thoroughly oil a new bridle a couple of times. Have now been told this is bad for leather and just to wipe it down after use. But it's so stiff and horrid! What do you think? Cheers.


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## team barney (29 June 2011)

I always oil my new tack, never had any problems as a result.  It makes bridles so much softer for the horses, and I love oiling tack!


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## Tickles (29 June 2011)

I've been trained the old way (although usually with old tack so not an issue!)


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## StormyMoments (29 June 2011)

i always oil my new bridles - including an expensive keiffer bridle that i have, nothing wrong with that or any of my cheap £20 bridles from robinsons, its the same with a saddle i always give them a good oil before i use them for the first time i have never had a problem with the leather


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## Kenzo (29 June 2011)

Nope, I never oil tack, I only use leather conditioner, never had any problems neither.


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## Capriole (29 June 2011)

no, id never use oil on leather these days, there are so many treatments around now which are IMO much better for the leather


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## bumblelion (29 June 2011)

I always oil my bridles but use a leather conditioner on saddles


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## Ibblebibble (29 June 2011)

i give the leather a good old bending about to supple it up a bit , oil it once and then use some leather balsam, i oil the underside of saddle flaps and stirrup leathers but only put balsam on 'polished' side


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (29 June 2011)

I had a new bridle recently; it was awful, couldn't possibly use it as it was as stiff as a board to the extent that I couldn't even shift the buckles to make it a different size.

So I did what we always did in Pony Club days, got out the Hydrophane and got oiling. Result, luvverly soft leather - although unfortunately oiling it does make it much darker.

But I can go out in the rain like I did the other day, and not worry about my "precious" bridle.


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## ThePony (29 June 2011)

yep - just a v light coating of neatsfoot oil, before a wipe over with leather condioner. I know you aren't supposed to, but in an ideal world leather is butter soft from the out and we all know that isn't the case!  I don't use oil other than that as it can cause leather to stretch more easily. A wipe with a v slightly damp sponge to clean followed by a wipe of leather conditioner keeps things soft and nice.


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## Ashgrove (29 June 2011)

I never oil tack. I'd use Ko-cho-line to soften the leather id it's new or going into storage.

I often get complimented on the condition of my tack .


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## honetpot (29 June 2011)

Some of my bridles are 30 plus years old, use good quality leather conditioner oil or cream,like stubben, use leave paying particular attendsion to buckels or were the leather gets stressed, leave to soak in. Then a another application then leave over night.
 Leather is skin, if it dry add moisturiser, if its wet leave in a warm room to dry out naturaly. Don't over oil or it goes floppy.


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## marmalade76 (29 June 2011)

Lisabeth said:



			Old wisdom was to thoroughly oil a new bridle a couple of times.
		
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Old leather was nothing like the leather of today. It used to be only tanned, today it is coated in all sorts of stuff.

I never oil new tack these days. The best way to supple it up is to use it


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## horsedreams (29 June 2011)

Lisabeth said:



			Old wisdom was to thoroughly oil a new bridle a couple of times. Have now been told this is bad for leather and just to wipe it down after use. But it's so stiff and horrid! What do you think? Cheers.
		
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every new or old stiff english leather bridles we own have always been left to soak in oil over night (we use a peice of guttering with ends on and take the bridle to pieces and lay flat in the oil) brings them out lovely and soft


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## moana (29 June 2011)

NO. Absolutely not, never


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## ebonyallen (29 June 2011)

Yes always have and always will.


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## teddyt (29 June 2011)

If new leather is very stiff its probably crap leather! Decent english leather isn't stiff.


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## Toby_Zaphod (29 June 2011)

No, many years ago probably would but things have moved on & there are better ways. I use Grand Prix Leather Gloss & it makes them supple & gives them a deep sheen.

Some people may say Yes, always have & always will........there again chips used to be cooked in lard.....but things have moved on & now use vegetable oil


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## Bobbie83 (29 June 2011)

marmalade76 said:



			Old leather was nothing like the leather of today. It used to be only tanned, today it is coated in all sorts of stuff.

I never oil new tack these days. The best way to supple it up is to use it 

Click to expand...

Message to marmalade - please tell your friend ngrace (Nathalie) that I have sent her a private message, thanks


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## madmav (13 July 2011)

Toby_Zaphod said:



			No, many years ago probably would but things have moved on & there are better ways. I use Grand Prix Leather Gloss & it makes them supple & gives them a deep sheen.

Some people may say Yes, always have & always will........there again chips used to be cooked in lard.....but things have moved on & now use vegetable oil 

Click to expand...

Off (my) subject, I know, but chips cooked in lard taste SO much better...!!!


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## Kaylum (13 July 2011)

No need to nowadays there are so many better products on the market.  So no I dont.


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## ILuvCowparsely (13 July 2011)

always oil new tack  some times  i dismantle the bridle   use one of the malteser buckets put the oil in then put all the small bits in  cheek piece brow band etc leave them in a few  hours  , they come out lovely and soft and i havent had to keep coating it   during this time i do the reins normally inside as the warmth makes oil go in quicker.


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## unicornleather (13 July 2011)

New saddlery can be stiff, it is supposed to be as long as it isn't dry, if it's dry it will creak and then that is the time to feed it.
It is unadvisable to oil tack, especially with that awful neatsfoots oil, I only add a slight oiling on old tack to give it the "leather smell" back AND THEN IT'S COD LIVER OIL, NEVER NEATSFOOT!
Any substance/product (leather conditioner/food) with tallow, beeswax or lanolin or all 3 if possible is by far the best thing for leather.  If oil is used it tends to make the fibres of the leather go soggy, it can rot out certain types of thread used in stitching too. IF you must use oil (very lightly), then use it VERY sparingly on the flesh side of the leather (under side) here the fibres of the hide are much more open, allowing the oil to soak in far better than the grain side. Oil will not conditioner leather either, fat does.
Oil tends to darken leather too, another reason you shouldn't use it if you have a lighter coloured leather.

Oz


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## tinap (13 July 2011)

I only have cheap leather tack & its always stiff as a board when new so I do soak it in neatsfoot oil. If not it cracks way too easy! Only problem we had was after oiling reins they took ages to not be too greasy & slippy, so now they just get a wipe over instead of a soaking!!


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## ILuvCowparsely (13 July 2011)

I have a show bridle which i bought 15 years ago  always use neatsfoot oil  to start with   still in lovely condition   neatsfoot is supposed to rot stitching in time but 15 years later this bridle is still in tacked  use neatsfoot since my training  and qualifying in the late 70,s   once supply then i buy   coleman croft leather good and two others which i use alternately my tack looks lovely and soap to finish off

 as you say you always use neatsfoot on the side facing the animal as the other side is the outside and designed not to let leather products soak in specially a saddle  when u will get a brown bum if you oil  top side of saddle  not a good look in showing class


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