Here you will find many interesting topics on horseback and saddle!
The right saddle storage
In general, the place where you keep your tack should be easy to access. There is nothing more annoying than when you have to squeeze through the tack room to get your saddle from the back end. It is also advisable to store your tack near the grooming area to save energy and time.
However, it’s even more important to find the right saddle holder.
Which one is the best? The saddle holder should meet several criteria. One of them is that the saddle should be safe and stable. And it should not get in contact with metal, concrete or chalk. Ideally, you should store your saddle on a wooden holder.
It would be good if the panels/padding could hang freely to avoid pressure marks. Furthermore, the numnah should be hanged separately for drying/airing. We also recommend covering the saddle with a breathable saddle protector to keep the dust off.
Neither too damp nor too dry
Your saddle shouldn’t be stored too damp nor too dry. The ideal storage for leather is in a relative humidity of 50-70% and in a temperature between 10 and 15°C. Too much humidity increases the growth of mould, too much dryness makes the leather go rough and brittle. However, the drying out of the saddle is more serious because it’s hard to be undone and the saddle can go out of shape and get crooked. So please don’t store your saddle in direct sunlight like for example in the car in summer, or in your boiler room.
As a precaution, you can clean and grease your saddle regularly. Additionally, it helps to put a water container in the tack room to humidify the air. In case your tack gets fatty or mouldy, clean it carefully with saddle soap and slightly grease it afterwards. Most of the times it’s not as bad as it looks.