CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS FOR SADDLES & TACK
Oil should only ever be used on a saddle to darken the leather, as it degrades the connections within the leather and can cause stretching or tearing. Importantly, only oils meant to go on leather should be used.
You should be wiping your tack off with a damp sponge or cloth after every ride. Leftover dirt acts as sandpaper on your tack, especially under the riders leg, and will degrade your leather more quickly.
Once a week the saddle or bridle should be cleaned with regular glycerine saddle soap. The tack should be throughly cleaned and soaped. Wipe off all excess soap and wipe dry before using your moisturizer.
A new saddle can often be very dry as the leather may not have been moisturized frequently when it was being stored. With a new saddle or bridle you should use a light amount of moisturizer (not oil) every other day for the first 10 days.
After the initial 10 days the saddle should be soaped and moisturized once a week. This frequency may be more or less depending on the climate where the saddle is stored. In more humid climates the leather needs less moisturizer, while in dryer climates it may need more.
If you come back the next day, or the next time you ride in your saddle, and there is still some unabsorbed moisturizer on your saddle, use slightly less the next time and simply wipe off the excess.