Maintaining the leather of your equipment: boots, saddle, and leather goods
Leather is a living material. Riding boots, saddle, bridle, reins, or girth: all these leathers work in contact with the horse’s sweat, rain, dust, and friction. Without maintenance, leather dries out, cracks, and loses its suppleness. Well maintained, it gains comfort, safety, and lasts many years.
Here we offer a simple and cautious routine, applicable to most of your equestrian leathers. The idea is not to spend hours on it, but to get into the habit of good practices and recognize when the leather really needs care.
New leather is not ready to use
Leather fresh from the factory is often dry: it has traveled, been stored, sometimes for several months. Before first use, clean it gently then give it a first nourishment. This step rehydrates the fiber and prevents cracking at folds (back of boot knees, saddle flaps, buckles) from the first outings. New bridles or reins also benefit from being softened before being mounted on the horse.
Step 1: clean
Before any nourishing care, the leather must be clean. Dirty leather that is nourished directly traps dirt and does not absorb products properly. Start by removing dust and residues with a soft, slightly damp cloth, then use a soap or cleaner dedicated to leather.
Glycerin soap is a classic in saddlery: it gently cleans while leaving a light film that helps preserve suppleness. Apply it with a barely damp sponge, without soaking the leather, then wipe off the excess. For a bridle or a pair of reins, a cleaning spray can save time daily.
After cleaning, always let the leather dry naturally, at room temperature and away from a radiator, hairdryer, or direct sunlight: direct heat hardens and cracks the leather.
Step 2: nourish (soften and rehydrate)
Once the leather is clean and dry to the touch, it’s time for nourishing care. Balms and greases rehydrate the fiber and restore suppleness: that’s their role, and it’s the central step in leather maintenance. Apply a thin layer with a soft cloth or brush, focusing on areas that bend (boot creases, buckles, back of knees). Let it absorb, then buff with a clean cloth.
Better to apply several light layers than one thick one. For boots, a coloring cream can revive the shade and mask micro-scratches while nourishing.
Beware of over-greasing
Nourish “when the leather pulls or feels dry to the touch,” not on a schedule. Excess grease does not make the leather stronger: on the contrary, it softens the leather and damages the stitching threads. On reins or stirrup leathers, overly greasy leather becomes slippery and weakened — this is a real safety issue. In short: less, but better.
Protecting and waterproofing: a separate step
Nourishing is not waterproofing. A nourishing balm rehydrates the leather but does not create a true barrier against water: it does not replace a protective product. If your leathers are very exposed to rain and mud (field boots, outdoor leathers), a specific greasy grease or dedicated waterproofing product is added once the leather is clean and nourished to limit water absorption.
Reserved for leather that really needs it: on contact leather or reins, a thick greasy layer would make the grip slippery. Need help choosing the right product? Browse our leather care section or ask us for advice.
Competition finish: the shine varnish
A varnish like Absorbine's Supershine is not a nourishing treatment: it is a cosmetic finish that leaves a shiny film on the surface for a flawless look in the ring. It does not nourish and never replaces the nourishing step — apply it on leather that is already clean and nourished.
Avoid on contact leathers (reins, inside quarters, handles): the film makes the surface slippery. Reserve it for decorative areas, the day before the competition.
Special leathers: nubuck, suede, and light leathers
Not all leathers are treated the same way:
- Nubuck and suede (certain boots, uppers): they should not be soaped or greased. Soap and grease crush the nap and cause rings. They are maintained dry, with a special nubuck/suede brush and, if needed, a dedicated spray.
- Light leathers (light Havana, white, natural): favor colorless products. A pigmented grease or cream risks darkening or unevenly staining the color.
Mold: green or white spots
Leather stored in a damp or poorly ventilated place can develop green or whitish spots: this is mold. The reflex:
- Wipe with a cloth (outside if possible, to avoid spreading spores), with a little diluted white vinegar in water.
- Let air dry, away from any heat source.
- Clean then nourish to restore suppleness.
The best defense remains prevention: store in a well-ventilated place, dry, away from light, without an airtight cover that traps moisture.
Check the stitching at every cleaning
It’s the safety step that is often forgotten. At each cleaning, check the stitching on the stirrup leathers, girth, and reins: these are the parts that bear the tension. A thread that whitens, frays, or loosens signals a weakness. Excess grease attacks this thread: another reason not to drown the leather in grease.
Common misconceptions: what NOT to use on your leather
Lacking a suitable product on hand, we are sometimes tempted to improvise with what we have in the medicine cabinet or kitchen cupboard. Two common reflexes deserve a warning:
Nivea cream (or any cosmetic face/body cream)
These creams are formulated for skin, not for saddle leather. They often leave a greasy film on the surface that does not maintain the fiber structure over time: they are not designed to nourish thick, heavily used leather like that of a saddle or boot. Avoid regular use in favor of a product designed for equestrian leather.
Olive oil
It can occasionally soften very dry leather, but it’s not designed to last: a vegetable oil goes rancid over time, which can cause an unpleasant odor and degrade the leather. It also tends to clog the leather’s pores and may irreversibly darken the color. It is not a maintenance product intended for repeated use over time.
In both cases, the risk is not that a single incident will definitely damage the leather, but that these quick fixes, used regularly, end up harming the leather’s suppleness, appearance, or color without truly caring for it. A soap and balm dedicated to leather, formulated to nourish without clogging or going rancid, remain the reliable choice to preserve boots, saddle, and leather over time.
All-in-one kits
Don’t want to build your product kit piece by piece? A care kit gathers the essentials in one box, ideal for starting out or as a gift. An applicator brush usefully completes the set for a clean and even application.
Routine: by feel, not by calendar
No need to do everything every time, nor to follow a fixed schedule. The best indicator is the leather itself: clean when it’s dirty, nourish when it feels tight or dry to the touch. Here are rough guidelines, to adapt to your use and the weather:
| Indicator | Action |
|---|---|
| After a heavy session | Wipe dust and sweat with a soft, slightly damp cloth |
| Dirty leather (often weekly) | Cleaning the bridle, reins, and saddle with glycerin soap |
| Leather that feels tight to the touch | Nourishing care with balm, in a thin layer, on clean and dry leather |
| Leather exposed to rain/mud | Protection/waterproofing as a complement, after nourishing |
| Before long-term storage | Complete cleaning, nourishing, storing in a dry, ventilated place, away from light |
Actions to avoid:
- Soaking the leather: apply products with a sponge or cloth, never with a lot of water.
- Drying near a heat source (radiator, hairdryer, direct sunlight): the leather hardens and cracks.
- Nourishing leather that is still dirty or damp: the care traps the dirt.
- Over-greasing: a layer that is too thick softens the leather, damages the stitching thread, and makes the reins slippery.
- Soaping or greasing nubuck/suede: use a special brush only.
- Applying a shine varnish on contact leather or reins: it becomes slippery.
- Use a cosmetic cream (like Nivea) or olive oil as a substitute for real leather care: effect is not lasting, and can even be counterproductive with use.
Soaked boots? Stuff them with crumpled newspaper (or a boot tree) to keep their shape while air drying, then clean and condition once dry.
Unsure about the right product for your leathers?
We take the time to discuss it with you, in-store or by appointment.
Make an appointment / contact usFAQ
How often should leather be conditioned?
No fixed schedule: condition when the leather feels tight or dry to the touch, not by calendar. Wiping after heavy use and cleaning with soap when dirty are the basics; conditioning is added depending on use and humidity. Over-greasing is counterproductive.
Does balm waterproof the leather?
No. A balm nourishes and softens but does not create a true water barrier. To protect leather heavily exposed to rain, use a specific heavy grease or dedicated waterproofing product in addition, after conditioning.
Does shine varnish replace conditioning?
Never. A varnish like Supershine is a cosmetic finish: it creates a shiny film on the surface for shows without conditioning. Apply it on already clean and conditioned leather, and avoid it on reins and contact leathers, where it makes the surface slippery.
Can Nivea cream or olive oil be used on saddle leather?
It is not recommended for regular use. These products are not formulated for saddle leather: cosmetic cream leaves a film that does not maintain the leather’s structure over time, and olive oil goes rancid, clogs pores, and may permanently darken the color. Prefer a soap and balm dedicated to leather.
My leather got wet in the rain, what should I do?
Blot excess water with a cloth (stuff boots with paper to keep their shape), then let air dry away from any heat source. Once dry, clean and condition to compensate for dryness.
How to treat mold stains?
Wipe with a cloth dampened with diluted white vinegar, let air dry, then clean and condition. To prevent recurrence, store the leather in a dry, well-ventilated place without an airtight cover.
Can the same products be used for all types of leather?
Many products are suitable for several types of equestrian leather, but not all: nubuck and suede should neither be soaped nor greased (use a special brush), and light-colored leathers require colorless products. Check the manufacturer's instructions and test on a less visible area. If in doubt, ask us for advice.
