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Thread: Dressage Saddle Discoloration

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2021
    Posts
    1

    Default Dressage Saddle Discoloration

    I bought my dressage saddle in August of 2020. I have noticed two problems with it...
    1.) the leather seems to have worn (for lack of a better term) down the grain. spots that had grain before are now smooth. this is something I would expect on an older saddle, I am just surprised to see it on a 7-month-old saddle.
    2.) several places on the saddle seem to have discolored. it was originally a deep black and in these spots, it now appears to be a brown color. I wipe down my saddle with a clean cloth every time that I use it (approx 4 times a week). I TRY to clean it about every two weeks and I condition it when I clean it. My saddle is kept in a climate-controlled tack room and when it is not on my horse, it is kept on a saddle rack with a fleece-lined, waterproof cover on it. I did contact the manufacturer regarding this problem and was told that it was "dirt and grime" that has been ground into the saddle and the brown that I see is actually the said dirt. It was suggested that I use some black saddle soap (can't say that I am familiar with this product) on it. I explained that I didn't really feel comfortable using any sort of dye-type product on the saddle myself and was asked if they could send me some products to use on it. I agreed, but I'm not sure exactly what they are sending me and I am definitely not sure that I am going to be using them!

    I snapped some pictures of the discoloration and will attach them for better reference.

    Does this all sound right to you guys? or do you think that they are just blowing me off? because that is what it seems like to me! any insight would be greatly appreciated!!

    PS This company advertises this saddle as having:
    "Soft grain Buffalo and cowhide are specially treated to assist with seat and leg security"

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Greater Vancouver, Canada.
    Posts
    5,102

    Default

    >>> 1.) the leather seems to have worn (for lack of a better term) down the grain. spots that had grain before are now smooth. this is something I would expect on an older saddle, I am just surprised to see it on a 7-month-old saddle.

    Almost all saddle leather are vegetable-tanned, dyed-through to the desired color and fatliquor to input leather integrity with suppleness and possible with an oil-effect secondary conditioner for a natural outdoor waterproofing (An example of waterproofing is a wooden boat on a lake, where the wood appears wet from the outside, the other inside is dry)...


    >>> the leather seems to have worn (for lack of a better term) down the grain. spots that had grain before are now smooth.

    Abrasion from body rubs is one reason, the second reason is the leather lacks the fat and oil to plump up the leather or the leather fiber structure with the lack of fatliquor collapsed.


    >>> 2.) several places on the saddle seem to have discolored.

    The discoloration from the second picture shows the effect of rubbing than the effect from the sun.
    The main reason is the lack of “fatliquor” and the “oil effect” that need replenishing.


    >>> it was originally a deep black and in these spots, it now appears to be a brown color.

    After a restorative cleaning with a leather-safe system for vegetable-tanned leathers and continue with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > EffectOil-2.8 the appearance should return back to the original.


    >>> I wipe down my saddle with a clean cloth every time that I use it (approx 4 times a week). I TRY to clean it about every two weeks and I condition it when I clean it.

    Tips: Check the pH value of the products you used. High pH value will denature the leather, and non-leather-safe cleaner and conditioner are one of the main courses, the more you used, the more the leather denatures.


    [B]>>> My saddle is kept in a climate-controlled tack room and when it is not on my horse, it is kept on a saddle rack with a fleece-lined, waterproof cover on it.

    Leather needs to breathe, waterproof covers may be conducive for mold growth too.


    >>> I did contact the manufacturer regarding this problem and was told that it was "dirt and grime" that has been ground into the saddle and the brown that I see is actually the said dirt.

    No! Dirt and grime will darken the leather appearance, it will not be lighter. For example, a light skin person drained out of blood, will have a pale skin. It is the water and blood in our skin that contributes the color of our skin more visible when our skin is light colored. The life-blood of leather is the “fatliquor” and in this case possibly the secondary conditioner with “EffectWax-2.8” as well.


    >>> It was suggested that I use some black saddle soap (can't say that I am familiar with this product) on it.

    Saddle soap will destroy your leather, please check its pH value, the more you use the more the leather will dry up and will eventually crack. (Remember, saddle soap is NEVER used in a modern tannery that produces this leather).


    >>> I explained that I didn't really feel comfortable using any sort of dye-type product on the saddle myself and was asked if they could send me some products to use on it. I agreed, but I'm not sure exactly what they are sending me and I am definitely not sure that I am going to be using them!

    Always check the pH value of products used on leather, second test on a piece of leather before experimenting on your saddle.

    What I am sharing with you is based on leather tannery science and logic. You need to treat your leather using the same principle, products, and sequence the original tannery has produced this leather. I learn from the tannery, or you can read up some leather tannery handbook, to know the importance of pH value when it comes to the care of leather. Because leather is an “amphoteric” product and is pH sensitive.

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    Roger Koh
    Leather, Skin, Hair, Eye & Acne Care System Formulator
    Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor / Coach
    web: www.leatherdoctor.com
    forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
    email: [email protected]

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