Boot care and Leather care
Care products for leather boots, saddles, and bridles. Protects, conditions, and extends the life of your leather goods.
Leather care for saddle, bridle and boots
Leather lasts for decades if it is cared for, and turns hard and cracked in a single wet winter if it is not. 16 products from 5 to 35 euro, mostly from Fiebings – an American maker that has produced leather care for western riding for generations.
The order matters: clean, feed, protect
Saddle soap comes first. Fiebings Saddle Soap at 13 euro lifts sweat, dust and grease out of the surface – without that step, any grease seals the dirt into the leather. Then comes feeding: leather grease, balm or oil soak in and make the fibres supple again. Finally, if you want it, shine.
Greases, oils and conditioners
Take Care leather grease for boots and saddles at 9 euro, Huebeli leather balm at 5 euro. Fiebings Neatsfoot Oil comes as a compound at 11 euro, with an applicator brush in 946 ml at 29 euro, and as 100 % oil with brush at 35 euro. Fiebings 4 Way Care Leather Conditioner is 5 euro in 236 ml, 10 euro in 946 ml and 17 euro as a sprayer; the Aussi Leather Conditioner is 21 euro. Absorbine Horseman's One Step at 19 euro cleans and conditions in one pass.
Shine and colour
Fiebings Leather Sheen at 22 euro and Saddle Lac in an aerosol at 29 euro give shine for the show pen. Tan Kote at 28 euro is the finish saddlers use over freshly dyed leather. The Oil Dye in black (946 ml, 32 euro) is for dyeing – repairs and colour changes.
The three most common mistakes
Greasing wet leather – let it dry first, or the grease seals the moisture in. Too much grease – the leather turns spongy and loses firmness. And drying on a radiator – that shrinks the leather and makes it brittle. Room temperature and time are the answer.
How often?
In normal use, once or twice a year is enough, plus after any ride in the rain once it has dried. New harness leather wants a little care more often at first, until it is broken in.
Frequently asked questions
In what order should leather be treated?
Clean with saddle soap, feed with grease, balm or oil, then shine if wanted.
How often should leather be greased?
Once or twice a year in normal use, plus after rain.
What is neatsfoot oil?
A traditional leather oil. It penetrates deeply and makes the fibres supple.
Can wet leather be greased?
No. Let it dry at room temperature first, or the grease seals the moisture in.
How do you clean western boots?
Saddle soap for the surface, then leather grease. Smooth leather takes both; suede needs dedicated products.