Saddles are one of the most important pieces of tack for horse and rider. Ensuring your saddle is maintained properly through correct leather care is vital to ensure your saddle’s performance. Prevention is the best cure for leather, and regular care will dramatically increase the life of your saddle. Remember to protect your leather before exposure to sun, rain and sweat.
It is important to regularly assess your saddle to determine the level of leather care required. To do this, look for signs the leather in your saddle is starting to become dry—has the color started to fade, is the leather feeling stiffer and boardy, is the surface grain intact? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, your saddle needs some love!
We have included some handy links below to find the latest information in leather care from ”The Official Saddle of the USEA,” Bates Saddles!
Make sure you get the most out of your leather saddle with this handy guide to leather care.
If you have recently purchased a new saddle and are wondering how to prepare your saddle’s leather for your first ride, click here or watch the video below for a step-by-step guide to giving your new saddle its pre-ride treatment.
You can also find an informative guide to assessing the condition of your saddle and if it is ready for use here.
Follow these tips from the saddle specialists at Bates Saddles, “the Official Saddle of the United States Eventing Association.”
About the United States Eventing Association
The USEA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization committed to providing eventing enthusiasts with a competitive level suited to their individual skills. By assisting and educating competitors, event organizers, and officials; maintaining responsible safety standards; and registering qualified competitions and clinics, the USEA offers a strong and continuous training opportunity for an ever-expanding field of world-class competitors. Just as importantly, the USEA provides a means for all riders, regardless of age or ability, to experience the thrill of eventing. To learn more, visit www.useventing.com.
Registration for the 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention is now open! Join the USEA in St. Louis, Missouri, this Dec. 7-10 for a weekend of mingling with fellow enthusiastic eventers to partake in discussions about the future of the sport. This year’s event will include a keynote address by Dr. Temple Grandin, a world-renowned scientist and author, a celebration of champions at the Annual Awards Dinner, and more! The city of St. Louis also has so many opportunities to sight-see and explore.
The second and final day of competition at the 2023 USEF/USEA Developing Horse Eventing National Championships was all about precision as the 6-year-old CCI2*-S Championship competitors tackled both jumping phases and the 7-year-old CCI3*-S Championship pairs conquered Mogie Bearden-Muller’s cross-country track at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina.
Equine Network is thrilled to have the support of the United States Eventing Association (USEA) for the third annual Horse Week event brought to you by Boehringer Ingelheim.
It was a busy day at Stable View Oktoberfest in Aiken, South Carolina as all FEI divisions and a few national divisions kicked off their competition weekend, including the 2023 USEF/USEA Developing Horse Eventing National Championships. Both the 6-year-olds and 7-year-olds got their chance to shine down the centerline at the start of the day, with the 7-year-olds also giving their best effort across Michael Vallaincourt’s show jumping track later this afternoon.