How often do you clean your bridle?

[Mel1]

In a ideal world and in a more realistic one?
I know it is a bit of a general question, but for a horse ridden 6x a week not particularly sweaty.
I always had a old, cheap, broken bridle (donated by a friend) that I cleaned when I could be bothered but now I bought a brand new and more expensive one I want to look after it properly!
so far I have cleaned it quickly after every time I rode but that just been 2 weeks and I know my enthusiasm is not going to last forever...

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

every time i use my tack it gets wiped off and soaped! stripped down about every 3 weeks! cant stand minging tack

 

[HayleyandBob]

Ditto, wiped over every time , and completly cleaned after hunting, usually once a week/fortnight
x

 

[Cop-Pop]

Erm... I *think* I cleaned it properly on Halloween....

 

[lucy1984]

Hardly ever

 

[Shrek-Eventing-SW]

Bridle and saddle are cleaned after every ride, taken apart and properly cleaned before every show.

 

[kylie88]

i keep some baby wipes handy and wipe it down after every ride only gets a proper clean before shows

 

[Snowysadude]

Ideal world everytime its used i would wipe it over, realistically every other week

!

 

[Chico Mio]

When it looks a bit sweaty I chuck it a bucket of warm water and washing up liquid and leave it for a bit. Swill it around, scrape the worst bits off then rinse and hang up to dry.

Of course, it is all beta biothane, which helps

 

[VioletStripe]

wipe over after every use and check the stitching quickly, then soaped once every week, and oiled once every 6 months or so.. i think! xx

 

[Dirty_D]

Oh . . . are you supposed to clean them?!?

 

[CrazyMare]

If I could, every day. However what I have is a system....I have three bridles (snaffle, pelham and double) and I start with one, and rotate them until they all need cleaning, have a session then start again.

 

[Nortonlala]

Never the yard girl does it and I cover her palm with silver

 

[xbuzzx]

Cleaning...whats that?! I think the last time i cleaned mine was about a year ago...i have a differant one for shows (which i only do three or four times a year) :L oops!

 

[kezimac]

ah..... oops am really bad at that, before a show if showing not bothered if dressage. oops

 

[CastleMouse]

I always clean all my tack after everytime I ride...

 

[MrWoof]

Dirty, sweat-sodden, uncleaned tack is, actually, very dangerous. A buckle or piece of leather could go pop at any time - and leave you and your horse in a seriously life-threatening situation.
Why not have "an exercise bridle". Cheap but sound leather, which should just be cleaned quickly after each use - or the webbing variety.
Keep your horse's "best party hats" for just those parties - then strip and clean them properly after every use.
I am still using tack which is 45+ years' old - simply because it has been very well looked after.
I went out one day to qualify a farmer's P2Per. Nag started bucking so I took a serious hold and clouted it. I ended up on the floor with a pair of reins in my hand and the horse ended up on the A40, two miles away. Ever since that day, I have always used my own tack if riding someone else's neddy!