Tack Cleaning and Leather Care

Regular cleaning of your tack is an essential part of horse ownership. Not only is it important to keep your tack safe and supple, it is also vital for the welfare of your horse to remove the grease and build up.

We have put Belvoir products from Carr Day & Martin to the test on our winter muddy tack!

Belvoir Tack Cleaning Mitts

New to the range are these tack cleaning mits. What I love about these is the fact they are quick and easy to use so great for on the yard and they are 100% biodegradable – a massive plus when disposing of them. When riding in the rain I found these were great when I got back to wipe my tack over and it stopped the leather going hard. A must for any tack box.

Tack Cleaning

The best product for cleaning dirt, grease and mud from your tack is the step one spray tack cleaner. Really simple to use, just spray on to the leather and wipe over. It works really well to break down the dirt and I found it excellent on removing the grease on the inside of the reins (I confess my tack had not been cleaned for some time!!). As they were pretty dirty I left it on whilst I cleaned the rest of my bridle and then the grease simply wiped off.

Tack Conditioning

My favourite part of tack cleaning is conditioning to get that supple and soft feel and shine. The range offers several options for tack conditioning. My prefered method is the step 2 spray conditioner which is a glycerine and coconut oil formula you simply spray on to the leather and then wipe off. For a shiny finish you can then buff with a soft cloth once dry.

For more intensive conditioning such as leather boots, I found the Leather Balsalm Intensive Conditioner was really good. It gives a much thicker application and takes a bit longer to soak in however the results were well conditioned, soft and supple. It was especially good at conditioning across the toe area where I find my boots start drying out and can crack if left untreated. Do make sure you allow the leather to dry out naturally before applying a conditioner to it and avoid drying near a radiator or intense heat.

Oiling Leather

Some leather does require oiling before use and also after it has been stored for some time or has been used in wet conditions. If you find your leather is becoming a bit dry and brittle and the conditioner treatments are not working then Neatsfoot Oil is a great product. It only requires you to use it sparingly, I used a small brush to pain on the inside of the leather and left it to dry. Please note it can darken brown and tan leathers so always test on a small hidden area first.

Shop the full leather care range from Carr Day & Martin here.