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Can I save this bridle? Disgusting

2K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  NorthernMama 
#1 ·
A few months ago I bought a used schooling bridle to use on two horses I ride that aren't my own, since both my horses go in kind of odd bits (one goes in a happy mouth mullen, and one goes in 6" bits) so I thought I'd pick up one so I don't have to switch bits out every day. No brand name on it, but it didn't matter, leather seemed "okay", not cardboard, but not a Vespucci either (obviously!)

Well, a few weeks ago I cleaned it along with all my other tack and it was a little dry so I put some conditioner on it (Effol), but a few days after that it had not seemed to absorb the conditioner. I wiped it off but it remains sticky and gross. Not only will it not absorb anything, anything I use to clean it seems to cling to it. It's so icky I don't want to touch it and I definitely don't want to put it on a horse (especially since one of the horses I use it on is gray, and the other has a large white blaze, bleh).

What to do? No matter how much I wipe and wipe, I cannot get it be dry. I even hung it in my basement that had a de-humidifier running and I can't really lay it out in the sun because it's 9 degrees outside.

Any ideas?

Thanks so much!
 
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#3 ·
Hello, try starting all over again. Get some Glycerine saddle soap, warm water and a brush. Put the bridle in the warm soapy water and give it a scrub to get rid off the conditioner and any dirt. Let the bridle dry completely to get rid of any stickyness. Then see what state it's in, if it's pretty old and hasn't been maintained properly the fibres in the leather could be clogged with grim and will find it difficult to absorb a conditioner or cream so you may have to find something thinner like a leather oil. Hope that helps a little :)
 
#4 ·
Murphy's oil soap also does a great job. Dismantle the bridle and you can soak the pieces in a solution of 25/75 oil soap and water. Let it soak for an hour or so; mix it up; soak again in the same solution; mix it up. Then change the solution and let soak overnight. Then clean with the oil soap and warm water. Then switch to a leather cleaner as stated above; let dry and apply proper leather oil over a few days.
 
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