Saddle getting mouldy - what can i do?

[SWE]

So my saddle stays in a little tackroom near my stable but its just a little wooden building so gets relatively damp when the weather is like this!! I'm finding that my saddle is getting mouldy... is there anything I can do to avoid having to take it home?

I can't leave a heater in there and already give it a wipe over most days. Thanks

 

[VioletStripe]

Would a saddle cover help? Will watch this thread with interest!

 

[milliepops]

I think if the air and environment is a bit damp there's not much you can do. Increasing air flow might help a bit if you can.

I find that things that are in regular use tend not to get mouldy, probably a combination of warming up/drying out in use and increased cleaning. But I keep saddles at home in the winter because once things go mouldy its a bit of a battle to stop it happening again.

 

[Shay]

A really cheap fleece sheet.

We have the same problem with tack stored in a shipping container. It can get dripping wet in the right weather condiitons. We have all the tack on saddle racks / bridle hooks etc at the far wall. There is cheap insulation material tacked along the back wall and immediate ceiling with the racks etc. mounted on wooden battens above that. It wasn't enough to really limit the mould (nothing stops it) so we tacked a cheap fleece sheet from flying tiger to the top batten so it lies over the saddles and bridles. The rest if the container can be wringing wet (annoying for stored rugs) but that extra sheet does seem to keep the tack mildew free.

Anything not in use at least every week is kept in oiled pillow cases inside a hessian storage box so that is different. But this works really well for stuff in constant use and regualrly cleaned.

 

[cremedemonthe]

I will send you an article on leather treatment if it gets mouldy, Oz

 

[AdorableAlice]

I will send you an article on leather treatment if it gets mouldy, Oz

Please may I have it too. Thank you.

I was told a tray of cat litter in a small tack room helps, no idea if it does.

 

[holeymoley]

Could you get a little dehumidifier box or something?

I was always told by ‘old school’ ladies that were bhs examiners etc etc that you can get ‘good’ growth on tack it’s something that grows on it and tries to protect the leather. You just wipe it off with a damp sponge. I’m sure it was a white colour, not actual green mould.

 

[Red-1]

I will send you an article on leather treatment if it gets mouldy, Oz

Please could I have it to? I find that when the tack goes back into regular use, it stops, but I have a couple of unused saddles now and one of them is white!

 

[sbloom]

In a word no, all you can do is put in heating or a dehumidifier, after having got rid of the mould as per cremedemonthe's instruction sheet.

Could you get a little dehumidifier box or something?

I was always told by ‘old school’ ladies that were bhs examiners etc etc that you can get ‘good’ growth on tack it’s something that grows on it and tries to protect the leather. You just wipe it off with a damp sponge. I’m sure it was a white colour, not actual green mould.

That's not mould, it's waxes, and usually only on new saddles, or fairly new. Keep rubbing in with a waxy conditioner after cleaning. Mould can be white too so you need to know the difference - smell etc.

 

[SWE]

I like the fleece sheet idea, I will try that thank you! I always keep it covered with my numnah but the sides and underside are the worst so that may help. Its annoying I'd be a bit more accepting if it wasn't used much but i use it pretty much daily and clean minimum twice a week. Thank you

Ps will read the article cremdemonthe - thank you

 

[SpotsandBays]

I put an old saddle pad on the rack itself, then a saddle cover over the saddle so it’s pretty much covered from all angles and it does ok! I also have a rhinegold bridle bag which is cheap too

 

[Summit]

I use. Saddle cover, never had a problem

 

[SWE]

I use. Saddle cover, never had a problem

Even with a cover and cleaning daily its getting mouldy! Its an old saddle so not sure if that makes any difference.

 

[sbloom]

Even with a cover and cleaning daily its getting mouldy! Its an old saddle so not sure if that makes any difference.

Saddle covers won't make any difference in most cases, doubly so if you've had mould on that saddle, it's impossible to get rid of all the spores, and reducing airflow around the saddle may make it worse.

 

[mini_b]

I will send you an article on leather treatment if it gets mouldy, Oz

Oz, please could you send me this. Dressage saddle gone mouldy!! Thanks in advance

 

[JBM]

I have a fleece saddle cover from Derby house was like a tenner
Does the job

 

[humblepie]

I’ve hung a wardrobe dehumidifier bag under my saddle. My saddle wasn’t mouldy but there was mouldy tack in the tack room. Collected two full bags over the winter.

 

[mini_b]

I have a fleece saddle cover from Derby house was like a tenner
Does the job

All mine have covers on and still go mouldy

 

[JBM]

All mine have covers on and still go mouldy

Is there any ventilation in the room where your tack is? I once stayed at a yard and my bridle used to always go mouldy even in a bag but it was stone walls and no ventilation in it at all

 

[mini_b]

Is there any ventilation in the room where your tack is? I once stayed at a yard and my bridle used to always go mouldy even in a bag but it was stone walls and no ventilation in it at all

No not really.
My bridles are ok, it’s just the saddles that are affected and I think once they’ve gone mouldy it’s very difficult to stop it coming back.
I’ve had them at home over winter but it’s a PITA bringing them back and forth now

 

[sbloom]

If there are spores already in the leather a cover won't help, if it's never ever had any mould it might help a bit.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I take my tack home everyday, it just gets mouldy in the tack room (tried covers, cotton sheet etc) and I really don’t want my nice tack being ruined. It’s a pain.. but worth it.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

One of my saddles always went mouldy whether at home or in the tack room until I started using Renapur leather cream. Brilliant stuff as it does boots, rubber wellingtons, handbags and even my 35 old leather chairs come up looking like new.

 

[kathantoinette]

I have one that goes mouldy and one that doesn’t, both kept in exactly the same conditions.
The only thing I’ve found is to bring the saddle in the house during those months when it seems to get mouldy.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

So my saddle stays in a little tackroom near my stable but its just a little wooden building so gets relatively damp when the weather is like this!! I'm finding that my saddle is getting mouldy... is there anything I can do to avoid having to take it home?

I can't leave a heater in there and already give it a wipe over most days. Thanks

I have started buying saddle bags from shires to stop this happening to mine.

 

[mini_b]

I have one that goes mouldy and one that doesn’t, both kept in exactly the same conditions.
The only thing I’ve found is to bring the saddle in the house during those months when it seems to get mouldy.

I too have this issue
It’s because as mentioned above, once it’s been mouldy it’s very difficult to prevent it happening again!! I need an effective cleaner to get rid of the spores.

I bring some of mine home over the winter but now the eventing started I need them all in one place as it’s too much back and forth.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

We are fortunate that our tack room has a heater in it., only a low powered thing, a bit like a greenhouse heater. It uses very little power but keeps the air dry & takes the chill out of the room. With this we have had no issues keeping our saddles & bridles mould free.