I bought a new saddle and dunked it in water to twist stirrups and fenders like I have on every saddle I have ever bought. This is the first time I have had one shrink! Anybody else have a saddle that fit their horse pretty good, then dunk it and the saddle won't even sit flat on her back! Yikes!
What brand is it? It's possible for it to shrink up depending on the quality of leather and how it was dried. I would clean it with Murphy's Oil Soap and water and carefully apply Lexol Conditioner while working the leather through your hands. (ie. if it were reins I would roll the reins one way and then back the other through my hands) you can do the same thing with the leather on the saddle.
What brand is it? It's possible for it to shrink up depending on the quality of leather and how it was dried. I would clean it with Murphy's Oil Soap and water and carefully apply Lexol Conditioner while working the leather through your hands. (ie. if it were reins I would roll the reins one way and then back the other through my hands) you can do the same thing with the leather on the saddle.
Circle y. I will try that. I hung it on a rack with stirrups and fenders twisted to suit me and the rigging shriveled up and the skirt to the point it sits completely off her back.
Why would you dunk a saddle in water? I just wet the fenders with a spray bottle of water and stick a broom stick threw the stirrups to set the leather.
Why would you dunk a saddle in water? I just wet the fenders with a spray bottle of water and stick a broom stick threw the stirrups to set the leather.
I have done that before and it does not work as well. Especially when you have to take the the top hole to be short enough. Too much leather to mold with just a spray bottle.
How do you know it actually shrank? I mean the bars obviously can't so are you sure the leather didn't just dry wrinkled or something?
The rigging through the skirt all the way to the back now sits on her back holding the entire saddle completely off of her back. It used to sit on her back almost perfectly. I have been trying to push the rigging and skirt apart on the floor. What a mess. I wish I was tall.
Posts: 1314 Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass
I have heard of people putting them in their showers and cleaning them. I have a saddle that I got caught in the mountains one day that it rained all day and the saddle got soaked all the way thru. Road in it the rest of the day that way and after that it was the most comfortable saddle I have ever road in. I have heard of the old cowboys would always put a new saddle in the water tank and soak it and then put it on a horse and ride in it till it dried. That how they broke them in.
Posted 2014-12-21 8:09 AM Subject: RE: Saddle shrink?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 557 Location: Kansas and loving it
BS Hauler - 2014-12-20 10:33 PM
I have heard of people putting them in their showers and cleaning them. I have a saddle that I got caught in the mountains one day that it rained all day and the saddle got soaked all the way thru. Road in it the rest of the day that way and after that it was the most comfortable saddle I have ever road in. I have heard of the old cowboys would always put a new saddle in the water tank and soak it and then put it on a horse and ride in it till it dried. That how they broke them in.
Yes, that is who told me about it. Cowboys who spend days in the saddle. I have never had a problem before until now. But I have been putting oil on it and it is shaping up nicely!
Posted 2014-12-21 8:56 AM Subject: RE: Saddle shrink?
Northern Chocolate Queen
Posts: 16576 Location: ND
My guess is it's made from fairly low quality leather & that's why it reacted this way. What most people don't realize is that when saddles are made each piece is soaked in water to allow it to be shaped. Water should not damage your saddle......
Posted 2014-12-21 10:16 AM Subject: RE: Saddle shrink?
Fact Checker
Posts: 16575 Location: Displaced Iowegian
SaraJean - 2014-12-21 8:56 AM My guess is it's made from fairly low quality leather & that's why it reacted this way. What most people don't realize is that when saddles are made each piece is soaked in water to allow it to be shaped. Water should not damage your saddle......
^^^^ THIS....... However, water CAN damage your saddle by drying out the oils of the fibers making the leather dry and brittle. I would apply warm PURE neatsfoot oil to the leather and keep working it in.
We have had some Circle Y saddles in the shop for minor repairs but I can't remember taking any apart for rewools or intensive repairs so I'm not sure about the structure.
It may have the cardboard or fiberboard skirt stiffeners which would explain the shrinkage that you experienced. Martins and many custom saddles use leather for skirt stiffeners. The leather doesn't break down like the fiberboard or cardboard can. Again I don't know if this is the case on Circle Y.
You may want to keep it on a collapsible metal saddle rack sitting on a saddle pad to help spread the skirts for a while until it retains the shape you want. I've also rolled up towels and wedged them under skirts to help with shaping.
Saddle shrink?
