What’s this on my saddle?

[Polkadotties]

Got an Albion saddle had it just over a year and I’ve noticed this on the saddle flaps. Is it grease or something wrong with the leather?
If it’s just grease what’s the best way to remove it?

Its grease and build up from cleaning/boots etc. Hot water and elbow grease. I must admit I scrape the worst off mine carefully with a knife but you may not want to do that!!

Thank you! I came to horse ownership late so haven’t gone through the pony club tack cleaning and inspections

Ha there is no way mine would stand up under the scrutiny of an inspection!

Yes grease 😁. Same as on my tack, my boots and around the door of my stable where my horse rubs his backside

Don’t scrape it off! Tack sponge, saddle soap and buff it dry with a soft cloth. You need to strip your saddle down on a regular basis and clean it with saddle soap to keep it clean and the leather supple. DD’s are kept in paddedsaddle bags! They cost a lot but due to regular maintenance 14 years later are still in excellent condition.

I did say to use a sponge...I use a butter knife on really bad stuff on the hunting saddles sometimes as nothing gets boot polish off particularly well BUT I know what I am doing, and I wouldn't recommend it to other people. Trust me, I spend more time cleaning tack than I spend cleaning my house and have done for a very long time! The joys of the job.

Sorry a numpty question. Someone told me that saddle soap doesn’t actually clean, is that right?

Yes that's right, the water gets the dirt off and the soap conditions the leather.

If you want to remove grease without scratching the leather, the old-fashioned way to do it is to get some (hopefully fairly clean) horse hair and move that over it in circles. Keeping mane hair after you've pulled it is good. That loosens the grease and then good hot water will shift it.

I say "pulled" I prefer to cut with thinning scissors or razor it, but that's a whole other discussion.

I wash my greasy tack with a cloth wrung out after soaking in hot water and a few drops of detergent. Then condition like mad.

I used to use a non scratch pot scoured, one of the plastic net-like ones, works a treat and no scratching. Then plenty of elbow grease and saddle soap.