Saddle Storage and Handling

Good saddle care means taking proper care of your saddle, even when it's not being used.  Ignoring your saddle when you're not using it is a common mistake, and this part of good saddle care is often given much less attention than conditioning and cleaning.  That's a bad idea, since handling your saddle badly will actually cause a lot more damage than failing to condition once or twice.

Control Moisture

Remember to store your saddle out of the sun and away from too much moisture.  Too much moisture will cause stretching and can cause the leather to mold.  Too much sunlight and heat dry the leather, causing cracking and brittleness.

Use a Saddle Stand

A saddle stand is extremely important.  There are plenty of wooden or aluminum commercial stands out there, or you could build your own.  Remember that your saddle stand should be tall enough to keep the stirrups from touching the ground.

Allowing them to touch can bend the fenders out of shape.  The top of your saddle stand should also be wide enough to support the whole saddle.  An overly thin or narrow saddle stand will cause your saddle to lose its shape.  When using the stand, make sure the skirts aren't twisted, and all straps and strings are hanging down freely.

On the Ground

If you can avoid it, you should never leave your saddle on the ground.  But sometimes there are times when that's all you can do.  If this is the case, either lay your saddle down on the side, making sure that the stirrups and fenders lie smoothly, or with the fork down, on its nose.  However, you shouldn't leave a saddle in these positions for very long, since it can distort.

Using a Saddle Cover

Make sure to always cover your saddle when you store it.  This keeps water, dirt, and bugs off of it.  There are lots of commercially available saddle covers, but you can use newspapers, blankets, sheets, and similar materials if you're on a budget.  However, both homemade and commercial plastic covers are a poor choice.  This material keeps moisture in, causing mildew.

Saddle Carriers

If you're traveling with your saddle, you might want to take the time and money to invest in carriers for both your saddle and saddle pad.  Travel can take its toll on your tack, and a padded carrier does a lot of good, keeping your saddle from being scuffed and bumped, as well as cleaner.

A saddle is designed for lots of hard use, but it'll have a shorter life if you care for it improperly or abuse your saddle.  Correct care and handling of your saddle will reward you with a longer lasting piece of tack and a more comfortable ride.