Frequently asked questions

Question

How should I care for my leather work?

Answer

Leather Care

•Leather is a natural product and should be stored in a dry place away from direct sunlight and extremes of temperature. This should help to prevent loss of colour and hardening of the leather.

•It is not uncommon for leather to stretch slightly with use and if extreme force is applied e.g. a horse standing on its reins, it will snap. (This can help to prevent or lessen possible injuries to horse or rider).

•Horse and pony shapes vary and sizes are guidelines for bridles and headcollars, they do not guarantee a perfect fit. Be sure the item is a sensible and comfortable fit to your horse or pony before treating them with any leather care products.

•It is advisable to treat new leather-work with a leather food or conditioning product (Frogpool recommends Jeffries Leathercare). In doing so you will help to make the leather supple and help to protect from water damage and general wear and tear.

•We do not recommend the use of oil products as this will expand and possibly weaken the fibres in the leather.

•Leather-work should be cleaned regularly with a damp sponge and warm water. Large build ups of grease should be removed before soap or conditioning products are applied. Conditioning should be done on a regular basis depending on the condition of the leather; over-use can have a detrimental effect.

•It is advisable to check stitching, buckles and billets on a regular basis, as well as checking the leather for cracks. This can help to ensure horse and rider safety.

Take Care

Many horse owners fail to recognise the damage that over-oiling leather can do. This common mistake results in a radical change in the fibrous structure of the leather, weakening and distorting it. Because most leather problems are not easily solved, Jeffries and their specialist equestrian curriers research the causes and analyse them minutely.

However obvious it may seem, the key to long-term care and maintenance is to feed the leather with the same ingredients as those used to prepare the hides before making them for riding equipment.

Specialist equestrian curriers treat the leather, a natural material, exclusively with natural products, free from man-made or synthetic additives. They use natural oils and fats to impregnate the hides to ensure the natural fibres in the leather are consistently meshed together without separating.

By working closely with Sedgwick who supply many of the best hides, Jeffries has developed a leather dressing which contains the same ingredients used in the original preparation of the leather

Jeffries` advice on the care and maintenance of leather riding equipment is very simple. Wipe tack clean with a damp sponge or cloth and allow to dry naturally away from a heat source, if there is any excess water on the leather. Apply Jeffries` Leathercare sparingly and evenly to both the grain (top) and the flesh (back) of the leather. When touch-dry simply buff with a dry cloth.