Caring for your Sensation Ride™ Saddle

Our saddles are made primarily using oiled or dry chrome tanned leather. This tannage of leather is very durable and requires conditioning only when it starts to look dry. It is recommended to keep the leather free from dirt buildup or excessively moist environment.  

• The underside material of your Sensation is a 100% wool felt/fabric which cleans up well using a vacuum. If it gets wet, do not use heat to dry it out, unless you want it to shrink. 
• The leather on the seat and body of the saddle can be cleaned with regular leather cleaner or saddle soap, followed by a rinse and a quality conditioner applied lightly. Be sure to rinse off any soap completely. We recommend Leather Amore by Bee Natural. Do not use any oil on your Sensation saddle or the billet straps. It is ideal to clean and condition your saddle weekly if you are using it heavily. Otherwise, condition when the leather appears dry or lightens in colour. Take the opportunity to check your saddle over for signs of wear or any stitching coming loose that may need repairing. Better to catch a problem early and have it repaired than to wait for it to get worse.
• Threads and webbing that show fuzz from wear and tear may be easily cleaned up using a lighter (carefully).
• Store your Sensation on a shaped saddle rack or stand – in a room temperature environment. This will ensure that your Sensation remains useful for many years to come.

 

Yearly Check Up

Particularly after your first year of use, there are some components on the saddle that you will want to check.

Cantle : If your cantle is starting to feel less supportive, you can restuff the cantle through the opening in the front of the cantle by adding more stuffing. Make sure that you use equal amounts on either side. If you are a local customer, or if you would like this service but would prefer not to do it yourself, we are happy to restuff  for you free of charge. Out-of-towners will be responsible for shipping, however.

Panels: Open up the underside of your saddle by separating the two sides at the gullet – feel the felt or foam panels. If they are feeling like they don’t have a lot of “give” or rebound to them, it may be time to replace them. Typically panels need replacing every 3-5 years. We can ship you replacement panels, they are available here. You can replace them in the comfort of your own home by simply opening the gullet, removing the old ones, and inserting the new ones in. 

There are helpful videos on this here

Riders who use their saddles heavily may require bi yearly replacement. Those who use the saddle for more average or casual use will have to replace less often. 

Stirrup Leathers: The Multi-point attachment stirrup leathers that come with your saddle should be inspected for hole wear regularly - as with any saddle. New leathers may be purchased from us if needed. 

Billet Straps: Monitor the wear of your billet straps, just as with any other saddle. Condition the billet straps lightly and frequently. If you see signs of excessive wear, ensure you have them replaced by your local saddler or Nickers Saddlery before it becomes dangerous. Removable rigging, which is our current standard makes swapping worn billets an easy task!

Our saddles have a very solid reputation for durability, if you maintain your saddle, you will get many years of comfortable, safe use!