Whats the best way to look after a bridle?

[LittleRooketRider]

I have bought a bridle (quite a nice one) to have for best. I was always told as a child to oil my bridle to protect but after results with oil with a few other leather items I'm not too keen to use it on new bridle. So...what would you use to keep a new (or not) bridle looking nice and supple and waterproof etc.????

thanks in advance

 

[Ranyhyn]

I soap it once a fortnight/month depending on how dirty/used it is. I use Effax leather balsam, never oil, on mine. It leaves it feeling like butter (provided the leather was good quality in the first place ofc!) and smelling gorgeous.

Between rides I always wipe my bridle down.

 

[LittleRooketRider]

Ok. i clean my current bidle quite regularly but it never looks 'nice' (only immediately after cleaning/conditioning). I think I will try and find some Effax leather balsam it sounds good ... but is there anything I should do to bridle before first use?

 

[Ranyhyn]

Treat it with Effax maybe? Don't actually know if there is anything you actually SHOULD do!
I got mine from local tack shop - it makes tack cleaning an almost erotic experience!

 

[Tnavas]

I lightly oil the underside and then use Belvoir Glycerine again only on the underside, and then use a clear boot polish on the outside - the one in the tin is better than the bottle ones - seems to have more wax. My bridles look beautiful are soft but not floppy and keep their lovely lustre.

 

[Cowpony]

I use Renapur. It's great for keeping your bridle waterproof and it doesn't get sticky, but the downside is it doesn't give a good shine. And I always take my bridle apart to clean it - you can't get it properly clean unless you do.