[MargaretW]

My sheepskin saddle pads NEVER seem to dry in summer and I've been told not to dry them in the sun.
What does everyone else do? I'm thinking of sneaking them into the dryer for 5 or 10 minutes.

[Equibrit]

Dryer with no heat.

[MargaretW]

Oh, thank goodness! I've been dying to press that little "Start" button!

[suze]

Yup. Dryer with no heat & a good way to clean off hair & stuff is to put a couple of wet (wrung out) towels in the dryer with the pad. The hair & dirt - like blankets with dog hair on them - sticks to the towels, which then can be washed with the rest of your barn-type laundry. It works for anything wool that you don't want to have to send off to the cleaners.

[Eventaholic]

So my beautiful love-it-more-than-my-sister full wither relief sheepskin that was recently used sans baby pad (sin on all sins- on bare sweaty horse coat!) can *safely* be thrown into the drying on low low delicate heat with a couple of damp towels.... and survive?!

I really do love the damn thing, and I hardly ever see its dopplegangers around, and when I do it's for twice what I spent on mine. I'd love to be able to clean it once in a while (you know, after my h/j friends use it without "protection").

[suze]

low low delicate heat

I do 'em on no heat, simply because I'm afraid any heat will make it shrink. The towels seem to absorb most of the moisture from the sheepskin/wool & when I take them out the sheepskin will be barely damp & the towels more damp with all the dirt & hair attached. The sheepskin will then dry in no time at all it seems.

[LLDM]

NO Heat. You can hang 'em up in the barn and they dry just fine. If they don't take 'em home and hang them up there.

Just curious though, what's with the baby pads? I spent all that money to make more horse more comfortable. The whole idea is that they wick well and are superior at preventing rubs, sores and all manner of nastiness which can effect the skin. Yes, they help a bit with saddle fit even with a baby pad, but really, aren't you wasting the best reasons for getting the sheepskin pad?

I wash mine about once a week in the height of the summer heat and every two or three when they aren't sweating as much. I let them dry and brush the sweat and dirt off between rides. Each horse has their own. They hold up fine for multiple washings. I sheepskin show pads for showing (like any other show pad) and they go in the washer too. Only difference is that the white cotton parts are sprayed with waterproofing so they clean up (like any other show pad.)

SCFarm <proud member of the no baby pads click>

[Tiligsmom]

I pop my Mattes pads in the washer - cold wash and dryer, full heat. No problems for over 7 years! I don't know if the other brands can handle that type of "abuse", but the Mattes are so well constructed and of such high quality, I've had absolutely NO issues.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

I pop my Mattes pads in the washer - cold wash and dryer, full heat. No problems for over 7 years! I don't know if the other brands can handle that type of "abuse", but the Mattes are so well constructed and of such high quality, I've had absolutely NO issues.

I'm not as brave as you. I use the delicate cycle, Melp, and no heat in the tumble dry.

[LearnToFly]

TrotTrotPumpkin- you have the greatest sig line I have EVER SEEN.

[tpup]

I washed mine in Melp, and put it out on a lawn chair, sheepskin side up, on a breezy day in the sun to dry. Worked beautifully!

[Roan]

I wash my sheepskin in the washer with either Murphy's or Leather Therapy. Then I toss it in the dryer, no heat, with some towels as others have said. I usually throw my leather half chaps in the washer/dryer with it.

Eileen

[anabug]

I put mine in the dryer on the normal cycle. I'm totally naughty though. But nothing bad has ever happened.

[Coreene]

Leave mine out in full baking sun. No problem, no shrinking.

[Somantu]

Machine wash in cold water, regular cycle, dry fleece side up over dining room chairs. They dry pretty quickly!