PrintIt’s not enough to simply toss these items in the washing machine.
Spring has finally arrived—your arena has thawed, the grass is growing, and you’re sweeping up the last of your horse’s winter coat from the barn aisle. With the arrival of warmer weather, your thoughts are turning to the upcoming show season, and you’ll want your tack and equipment sparkling clean to make a good impression.
We tend to focus most of our cleaning energies on the leather portions of tack, but bits, buckles and saddle pads need attention too, and many non-leather materials require specialized cleaning methods. We asked several tack-cleaning experts for their favorite tips for keeping whites white, brass shiny and sheepskin fluffy.
Brightening Bits
Bits aren’t difficult to clean, but they are often overlooked when you’re in a rush after a ride. Your horse certainly doesn’t want a dirty, crusty bit in his mouth, so keep a can of bit wipes in your tack trunk or trailer for a quick wipe-down after a show or lesson. Many are flavored, so your horse gets a clean and tasty bit next time you use it.
Once or twice a month, you should put all of your bits into a bucket for a thorough cleaning. Use a product like Bit Therapy Effervescent Cleaner, which fizzes when added to water, and let the bits sit for eight minutes. They’ll come out shiny and mint-scented, even in the hard-to-reach crevices. Another option is to put your bits in the dishwasher to get them sparkling.
If you don’t have time or space in your dishwasher before a show, use a polish paste like Simichrome Polish on the rings of the bit to get them shiny, then use a bit wipe on the mouthpiece. While you’re at it, use the Simichrome paste on your stirrup irons, making sure to get the bottoms too.
For other metal hardware, a wadding polish like Nevr-Dull is easy to use and not as messy as a polish paste. The impregnated cotton can be used to easily polish brass, nickel, zinc, silver and aluminum fittings on breastplates, bridles and halters.
Getting Whites White
White saddle pads are a timeless, classic look for any discipline, but for dressage riders, sparkling whites are a way of life. Emma Purkhun, 23, has worked for Sue Jaccoma and other top dressage professionals in Wellington, Fla. She’s currently based in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., at Olympic dressage rider Sue Blinks’ Topline Dressage at Leatherdale Farm West.
“Our biggest problem is that a lot of the dressage horses have sensitive skin, so we’re always trying to find detergents that get stuff out, but are gentle on their skin,” said Purkhun. She uses Arm & Hammer complete cleaner freshener/whitener powder.
To remove the stubborn black residue at the bottom of the pad, Perkuhn uses Shout stain remover on a damp pad, and scrubs it with a toothbrush until the stain comes out. Then she runs it through the wash again.
Spotless Suede
Like leather, half chaps and other items with suede are susceptible to daily wear and tear. Half chaps can become muddy and wet as we slosh through mud on the way to the arena, or encrusted in sweat and dust from riding all day in the summer. Exposing leather and suede to barnyard conditions can cause it to break down and damage the integrity of the material. Because suede has a nap and is not a full-grain leather, it attracts and holds more dirt and grime than a full-grain leather.
