Squeaky Saddle - what would you do to stop the squeak.....

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Michelle73

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I purchased a Bates Caprilly GP in April and I have cleaned it thoroughly on numerous occasions. However, I confess that it hasn't been oiled for a couple of weeks now and it does need doing, just struggling to find the time. Anyway it has started to squeak and groan. Is this because it needs cleaning or is there a fault with it??????????? It may seem a silly question but what would you do???? Should I phone the saddler who sold it to me????????? I can't believe I'm asking this question???!!!
 
Was the saddle new when you bought it? I recently bought a second hand Ideal saddle and that squeaked a bit but have now had it a few months and its fine - infact I had forgotten about until I read your post. My saddle is soaped very regularly and oiled occassionally but it may just need wearing in a bit.
 
It was brand new! Hopefully I'll find time to oil or cochaline it this week and that will solve it. I'm very hot on caring for leather, my last saddle is 18 years old and still going strong and most people think its only about 5 years old!!! I really hope the squeak goes, its only developped in the last week or so! It driving the horse and I nuts!
 
turn it upside down and shake in some talcum powder, make sure it goes all the way in and that should do the trick! don't do it just before a show though!! mind you, it will smell nice..!
 
Thank you. Saddler agreed with me that Cochaline and Neetsfoot Compound were best. I'm old fashioned, its worked on my leather for the last 20 years. Saddler was most impressed by the suppleness and condition of all my tack! Although I know not to oil the top otherwise the dye comes out of it. Will Cochaline then see if squeak stops and contact saddler.
 
Never heard of this one. The Bates saddle has the interchangable gullett with CAIR, so would the talc interfer with the CAIR???????? Where exactly do you put the talc - is it inside, like where the flocking would go on the old fashioned saddles?
 
under no circumstances should neatsfoot oil ever be used on a new saddle!! the only use of neatsfoot is to soften dry hard leather. it actually over softens new leather and the leather then stretches. It shoud also never be used on stirrup leathers, girth straps or reins as it will soften the fibres within the leather and the leather will stretch and then snap. it basically knocks the life out of the leather. Cochaline is Ok but I find it is too sticky for general use although I will smother leather in it before storing it as it maintains the softness. The best way to care for leather is to use the old blocks of saddle soap - too many additives in the spray, and then a really good leather feed such as stubben Haminol. I use Hoopers saddle food but they have been bought out by Abbey now and that saddle food is no longer made although I luckily bought out their last remaining production so have saddle feed available for years to come!

In many cases the squeak is dry leather on dry leather. feeding your saddle will take away this dryness, supple leather rarely squeaks.


I had one customer who over oiled a new saddle and the leather became slimy, she then used white spirit to try and get rid of the slimyness. Then covered it in Cochaline to see if that helped. She then brought it in to me to see what I could do. Basically nothing, suggested she gave it a really good clean with hot water with a mild soap in it, then let it dry out and repeat a few times, then get a decent saddle food and feed it. It did improve to an extent but the saddle was never nice to sit in afterwards as it still felt slimy
 
Check for mice?
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Thanks for the heads up. But like I said, been using this method for the last 20 years and my mother told me last night that the family have been using the method back to the 1700's (don't know if she was winding me up or not!!!). Why stop now! I certainly can't see how these spray on tack cleaning bits can do the job properly. There's no short cuts to looking after tack IMO. You can't beat very hot slightly soaped water and a cloth, followed by most of the time Coachaline using fingers not cloths. With the odd session of oil in between - again I usually use my hands. And when going to shows I use a glycerine saddle soap for shine. I've come to the conclusion that the saddle just needs a fresh session of Coachaline, sadly not had time to do it for the last 2 or maybe 3 weeks (it had been done every day for the first 5 days then every 3 or 4th day.) Actually, thinking about it, maybe thats 4 weeks as I've been working two jobs, dog shows, family visiting etc etc perhaps my life needs to slow down so that I can clean my tack!!!
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Thanks for your thoughts peeps. Will contact the saddler anyway just to make sure everything is OK.
 
it's something we use on western saddles, and was recommended by a couple of western saddle makers - normally the squeaking and creaking is the dried leather rubbing together right up where you can't get to, right in the crevices, and the talc kind of lubricates everything.
 
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