When you look your best, you feel your best – this mantra is repeated by trainers, judges, and non-pros when discussing how to build confidence in the show pen. While getting the newest, trendy, blinged-out tack is certainly fun, our judges all agree that the presentation of your equipment is far more important to your overall picture than showing in the latest and greatest.
We spoke with Stanton Harris of Harris Leather & Silverworks to get his tips for keeping your tack in good shape so that it lasts longer – saving you money over time.
Store Your Tack Appropriately
Any quality leather goods are a serious investment and, therefore, should be treated as such.
“The first recommendation I have for storing quality leather and silver goods is to keep them in a temperature-controlled environment.”
Harris chuckles, “I understand that can be difficult, but the reality is that the worst thing you can do for your tack is leave it in the heat or the rain. Leather tends to decay faster in warm environments, and silver will also tarnish quicker.”
Second, Harris recommends storing tack with silver embellishments in bags with anti-tarnish fabric liners. This will help polished silver stay bright longer, but still won’t negate the impact of exposure to intense heat.
Finally, Harris recommends that exhibitors avoid storing their tack while it is damp. “It is critical to dry off your tack before putting it in the bag and storing it. If you store it while it is wet, it can grow mold or mildew easily – especially if kept in a warm environment.”
He concludes, “If you want your leather to last a long time, a hot trailer is the worst place to keep it.”
Keep Your Leather Clean
Harris recommends cleaning show tack immediately after each use. “The most effective way to clean your show equipment is to use an air compressor and air hose to blow off dirt and dust. If you don’t have access to that, a vacuum with a brush attachment can also be effective to remove dust and debris.”
He adds, “A lot of people want to use products to clean their show tack, but this can be risky as 99% of the conditioners on the market have oil in them and that oil will inevitably change the color of the leather.”
To avoid altering the color of your leather, Harris recommends cleaning it with a specially-formulated soap. “We use our Blue Foam Cleaner on all our tack to keep it nice and looking its best. We add some water to the foam and wipe down the leather before drying it off with a towel.”
Keep Your Leather Supple
It can be hard to keep show tack nice and supple when you avoid using conditioning products on it.
Harris says the best way to avoid stiff show equipment without a conditioner is to treat it like a baseball glove and “play with it.”
“I recommend taking 10 minutes a day at a show to play with the fenders on your saddle or your reins. Bend and roll them to keep them from becoming stiff. In fact, saddles will often get ‘broken in’ more quickly by these methods than actual riding time.”
Remove Stains from Leather Quickly
To keep your saddle looking nice, it is critical to immediately remove any staining or products that may impact the color.
Harris advises, “People often overlook that the quality of the leather on chaps has an impact on how long your saddle stays light. Cheaper chaps are made from leather with a looser grain, and the dye tends to transfer onto the saddle when showing.”
“If you need a specially dyed chap color, I recommend using Scotchguard on your chaps before riding in your show saddle to help prevent or limit the color transfer.”
“In the event that color transfers from your chaps to your saddle or you get silver polish on the leather of your saddle during a cleaning, use regular isopropyl alcohol to clean the leather to prevent the color from setting in.”
Keep Your Silver Shiny
Silver adds the special flare to saddles and bridles, so long as it remains bright. Unfortunately, silver tarnishes quickly when exposed to the elements.
“A lot of people like to go straight to the polish to brighten up silver, but it is incredibly important to clean the silver first,” Stanton says. “I recommend using a cleaning product like Silver Dip prior to polishing. I take a toothbrush and scrub the silver with the cleaner to get all the dirt and grime off. ”
Harris notes, “Once the silver is clean, I polish it with Haggerty brand polishes to bring out the shine. The more you polish silver, the less you have to polish it. Newer tack will tarnish more quickly because it hasn’t built up years of polish. If you polish your equipment regularly, you will notice that it won’t tarnish as easily.”
“Ultimately, it is a lot easier to maintain equipment than it is to restore it,” Harris adds.”If you take care of your equipment regularly, it will last longer and you can avoid expensive restorations down the road.”
