Your bridle is an investment and when properly cared for will last you many years. However, people are often unsure how to correctly maintain and clean a leather bridle.
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Ideally you should wipe your bridle down with a damp cloth after every ride. This prevents the build-up of sweat, dirt and grease which will compromise the leather over time.
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Every few weeks you should give your bridle a thorough deep clean. This ensures that the leather remains supple and the stitching intact and strong.
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You will need:
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A towel
Small bucket of warm water
A cloth
A dry sponge
Leather soap
Leather conditioner/oil
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Cleaning your bridle:
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Take apart your bridle completely and lay out on an old towel.
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Using a damp cloth clean off the sweat, grease and dirt from the bridle. Warm (but not hot) water works best.
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Slightly wet the sponge and wipe over the leather bar soap, or apply a small amount to the sponge if using liquid, and work into the leather.
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While the leather is still damp after the soap apply a thin coat of leather conditioner or oil. Work it in with a sponge or cloth.
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Clean your bit.
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Leave the bridle to air dry out of direct heat and sunlight.
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HINT: If you are new to putting a bridle back together, wash it piece by piece. Remove one part of the bridle, clean it and then put it back on.
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Reassembling your bridle:
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Lay down the crown piece and throatlash as it would sit on the horse.
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Put the browband on by threading the end of the throatlash and upper cheek piece through. If your brow band has a โrightโ and โleftโ, put the right side on first, upside down, as it will then be on the correct way.
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Attach the cheek pieces, ensuring the buckles face outwards.
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Attach the noseband by putting the long strap through the browband loops, under the crownpiece, and buckling the end to itself.
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Attach the bit to the cheekpieces, ensuring that it is attached so that the curve of the bit will be convex over the horses tongue.
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Attach the reins to the bit under the cheekpieces.
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Things to remember:
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Pay extra attention to cleaning the ends of reins and cheek pieces where they attach to the bit as they get a lot of saliva on them.
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When cleaning check that stitching is intact, buckles are not breaking and that the leather is not cracking.
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You do not need to rinse leather soap off. It is made from glycerine which helps to keep the leather sealed, protected and supple.
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You do not want a lather to build up when you are soaping the bridle as it will coat the leather and can cause it to harden.
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If you want to use oil, use only a small amount. Wait for the first coat to absorb properly and dry before applying more. Too much oil will damage fibres in the leather.
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Always air dry your bridle. Direct heat and sunlight will cause leather to dry out and crack.
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Store your bridle in a cool and dry area to prevent mildew build up.