“Did you mean to leave this out here?” asked my husband, as I was pitching hay into the horse’s feeder. I looked up to see him holding what appeared to be a black mud crusted length of coiled rope. “What is it?” I asked. “The new halter.” Sure enough it was the brand new bright purple halter we had bought, and me being the forgetful person I am, I had evidently taken it off a horse and dropped it. Only now it was mud soaked and trompled in manure, sporting a new horrible color and the smell to match it. How do you clean a halter? I was certain it would never look new again.
“Do you suppose I can just toss it in the washing machine?” I asked Cowboy Dad as we drove home with the halter placed gingerly on the floor mat of the Tahoe. He told me it wouldn’t be a good idea because the swishing action of the washer could either damage the halter or the metal buckles could damage the washing machine. “Just toss it in the bath tub and let it soak while we have supper,” he said.
After supper, I took a scrub brush and a bottle of laundry detergent to the bath tub and scrubbed the halter by laying it flat in the tub and scrubbing it as it soaked in running water. The mud just flew, and soon I was looking at the bright purple color again. It cleaned up so nicely, I thought I ought to share this advice for cleaning up muddy tack:
1. Soak the halter in water until the mud loosens.
2. Scrub all surfaces with a scrub brush dipped in liquid laundry detergent.
3. Rinse well until water runs clear.
4. Hang to dry in a ventilated area.
For leather tack such as bridles or saddles, a scrub brush dipped in water is still good for loosening mud or dried sweat. Follow up with a damp cloth to completely clean off any dirt, dust, mildew, or sweat. Then use a leather conditioner such as Lexol on a soft cloth and rub it into the leather. If it still appears wet, use a clean dry cloth to polish the leather. Store your tack in a dry area away from pets or other animals.
Here’s a photo of our new mare wearing her pretty purple halter:
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