Suede saddle?

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EBHouse

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Tried a new saddle today. Fits horse, fits rider. Only question is, it is completely suede. This is good as my sister who is very wee and tends to swim in most saddles "sticks" to the suede and feels much more secure as a result. BUT we have never had a saddle that has anything more than suede knee rolls/seat before.

Has anyone got any experience with these? Or have any photos of what a used one may end up looking like? May be being daft but I'm a little worried about how it will wear and also how to look after it! Will it ruin it to ride in the rain with it for example?

Also if anyone has any tips on how to care for it that would greatly appreciated!
 
Daughter has one for her Shetland. I've never cleaned it. It's been rained on infinitely, dragged through hedges both forward and back and it looks ok. High wear bits do go a bit shiny. Expect you might be able to give it a little brush to improve that if you wished!
 
I seem to recall someone I used to know back in the 70s had a suede saddle. After a while the parts that got the most contact started to go smooth so it looked quite patchy. If I remember correctly she tended to avoid using it in the wet as not only would it have marked it but it used to get quite slippery. Of course this was 40 odd years ago and I should imagine that the processes used for preparing the suede have probably improved hugely.
 
Despite your best attempts to keep it clean,suede on saddles will get dirty. Suede should never be washed, but only spot cleaned.
Optimal suede care begins with a suede eraser -- or use a kneadable eraser that's found in art stores -- and a suede brush or clean toothbrush.


Spot Cleaning
Allow any wet stain to dry and then gently rub with the suede or art eraser to remove it.
Don't rub too hard or you could permanently wear away the nap, or raised texture, of the fabric.
Once the stain, mud or dirt are erased, take the suede brush or clean toothbrush and brush gently so the nap blends with the rest of the saddle.
Oily stains may be treated with an absorbent powder, such as cornstarch or baby powder. After sprinkling the damaged area, let it sit for several hours.
Use the brush to wipe away any excess powder and to restore the nap.

Water Marks
Plain water can cause suede to darken and develop permanent water marks if not treated properly.
If the suede has gotten wet, dab the damp area firmly with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
For items that are soaked, give them a chance to dry completely for about 24 hours. A suede eraser, or even a slightly damp kitchen sponge, will help you
feather the edges of water marks so that you can then refresh the nap with a suede brush or toothbrush. Do not attempt to hasten drying by using a hairdryer;
heat destroys suede's natural lustre.
Oz
 
I love suede and part suede saddles

To get an idea of how they look when the suede is worn have a look at secondhand ones on eBay, Fylde Hayden saddles in particular get a lovely old worn armchair look when old!

You really have two choices with a suede saddle - either use a saddle cover religiously ( the Fylde ones are good, not slippery like some fleece ones) OR suck it up and let the saddle go through everything that can be thrown at it and accept it will get marked and worn
 
I have one I got it new six years ago for a horse who at that time mainly did flat work it's the same as all my jump saddles so I got suede one to tell it apart .
As often happens with horses ,they chose their own job and this horse decided to be a hunter .
It's very comfy and has done four full seasons hunting it is looking a bit worn and shiny and places however it's really had hard work .
When it comes home from hunting we dry it in a warm tack room then brush it with a suede brush we have also sponged it down with a well wrung out sponge without disaster .
I am surprised how well it's stood up to work .
 
I used a suede saddle for years and absolutely loved it. I was so upset when it didn't fit any of our horses any more ( still have it, just in case).
I used it in all weathers and it still looks remarkably good.
 
Thanks everyone, really helpful replies. It is a patriot and they seem to be like hens teeth, especially in the size and colour we were after, so I think we will go for it! I think we will be taking it home from the yard at night and really trying our best to look after it as it is just lovely.
 
I would LOVE an all suede saddle.

Both mine are part suede - took me ages to find my second saddle as i was desperate for at least part suede.

Never had an issue, easy to keep clean and brush up nicely after getting wet :)
 
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