Help! My tack keeps going mouldy

[4leggedfurries]

I clean my tack on a regular basis, despite not riding D as he's got the winter off. I use saddle soap and a barely damp sponge to clean it then use a leather treatment to help keep it nourished, but within a couple of weeks due to this weather its going mouldy. Does anyone know how i can stop this?

 

[BigRed]

Take it home, your tack room sounds cold and damp.

 

[Kenzo]

Use a bridle/saddle bag and those sashets that soak up the moist damp air, otherwise take it home.

 

[Vixxy]

I had this when I first moved to Norway even though my tack room was insulated. The only thing that stopped it was putting an oil heater on a very low setting, never had a problem since.

If this is not possible I second taking tack home, a pain I know but tack is sooo expensive ;-)

 

[4leggedfurries]

No point taking it indoors its just as cold and sometimes damp in there, plus i dont have any room, its a tight squeeze as it is. My leather belt has done the same in my wardrobe. I'll have to see where my bridle/saddle bag is and get some of those things you mentioned Kenzo.

 

[Twizzel]

Either take your tack home, or keep the tack room well heated... ours goes mouldy and damp but we have a wood burner in the tack room which is lit once a week on average and dries everything out. We also have a small heater which is kept on low most of the time, that also helps

 

[claireelizabeth]

We put a dehumidifier in the tack room and it's not gone mouldy since. Mine was worse when I put it in a saddle and bridle bag

 

[Annagain]

If you think about it, it doesn't go mouldy when it's being used reguarly and the difference there is that it's getting out into some sunshine and fresh air regularly. Clean it and then every chance you get take it out of your tack room and leave it in a sunny (I know, impossible at the moment!) and fairly windy spot for an hour or so, maybe when you're mucking out or seeing to the horses? I did this when Arch was off work for 5 months and no mould on my tack.

 

[ester]

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/dry-egg-dehumidifier/F/product/21109

re the wardrobe, having lived somewhere damp. (better now) I have one in my wardrobe and one in my big chest of drawers and unlike a lot of the others they are reusable

 

[milliepops]

All good advice here - you may also try changing your saddle soap. I always find that glycerine based soap tends to make tack go mouldy when it isn't used - and our tack room is bright, airy and has a low heat at all times. My tack never goes mouldy and I use effax leather balsam rather than the normal glycerine soaps (and I haven't ridden since October!!)