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Aug 06, 2023
Caring for the Leather in your Saddle with Bates Saddles
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.
Jul 02, 2024
Educational Activities
USEA Educational Activity Highlight: Sherwood Forest Hunter Pace | Sherwood Oregon | July 13, 2024
What’s a Hunter Pace? The Sherwood Forest Equestrian Center's Hunter Pace is a cross-country-style course around Sherwood Forest over various natural obstacles/terrain. The course ends with a final treat for riders to take in stunning views of Mt. Hood with a loop through the old Far Hill Farms field. The beginning of the course will first start with a warm-up loop around show jumping obstacles in the outdoor ring at Sherwood Forest and then riders will continue directly onto the course. Sign up as a solo rider, pair, or team.
Jul 02, 2024
Profile
No Longer Dreaming: Claire Allen's Goal of Qualifying for USEF Eventing Young Rider Championship is Now Reality
Claire Allen remembers when she was 11 years old, having just made the switch from the hunter/jumper ring to three-day eventing. She told her new eventing trainer that her goal was to one day compete in the United States Equestrian Federation’s Eventing Young Rider Championships.
Jul 01, 2024
Competitions
Alliston’s Busy Weekend, Braitling’s Reuniting with Five-Star Mount, & Kalkman’s Advanced Victory Highlight Twin Rivers Summer H.T.
As he was finishing tacking up his horse in preparation to navigate the cross-country course at the 2024 Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials, James Alliston expressed concern about navigating the 101 Freeway. That’s because as soon as he crossed the finish line aboard Intermediate level winner Addyson (Ampere x Nickerbocker) at 10:38 a.m. on Saturday—his fifth cross-country round of the morning with three at Preliminary and two at Intermediate—the West Coast-based five-star rider had to drive 185 miles on the 101 Freeway from Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California, to San Francisco International Airport to catch a 4:35 p.m. flight to Frankfurt, Germany.
Jul 01, 2024
Education
USEA Podcast #364: All Your Grooming Questions Answered
There is so much more to proper grooming than keeping your horse picture-perfect for the horse inspection. Good grooming practices are critical to proper horse management, no matter if you are planning for your next FEI appearance or your Starter level debut. To help you maximize your knowledge of grooming practices, we opened up the opportunity for USEA members to submit any questions they might have on our Instagram and Facebook stories. In this week's episode, Host Nicole Brown sits down with three of the highest-regarded grooms in this industry, Max Corcoran, Emma Ford, and Stephanie Simpson, and asks them all of your questions and more to help you perfect the art of grooming.
