Schockemohle Bridle Care Guide

Schockemohle Bridles are incredibly high quality and are designed to withstand years of daily use.

However - to make sure they last as long as you need them to, and stay in great condition, we've got some recommendations 💜

 

The Essentials

These are must-do to keep your bridle in tip-top condition.

Keep it Clean!

This one might be pretty flippin' obvious - but regular cleaning will make your bridle last longer. The bare minimum we'd suggest would be once every 3-4 weeks, if you use your bridle 4-5 times per week.
Cleaning your bridle too often isn't really a thing - we'd just recommend that you don't wet it too often, and make sure you're cleaning it in the right way

Keep it Dry!

Ok, we get it, if you live in a European country or at least in the Northern Hemisphere, this one might not be super easy. But what we mean really here is - don't dunk it in water if you can avoid it and definitely never ever leave it soaking in water for any length of time. It'll dry out the leather and it'll probably crack when it dries 😰

If you do get your bridle wet, allow it to dry naturally (yep, don't be going putting it near the fire please!) and then liberally apply a moisturizing balm it as soon as you can afterwards.

Wipe It Off!

If it gets sweaty from your horse or dirty, you don't always have to dig out the saddle soap. Use a damp (super rung out/almost dry) cloth and wipe any dirt off.
Ideally don't allow sweat to dry on it and don't allow dirt to sit on it for too long, it can damage the leather.

Don't Use Rough Cloths/Scrubbers On It!

Just use soft cloths and sponges on your bridles. Never use brushes or scrubbing pads...especially on patent and shiny bits. These need super careful light strokes from a smooth cloth (that's preferably clean and hasn't been on the barn floor!)

 

Storage

It's very likely you'll store your bridle in a tackroom or somewhere similar. We'd highly recommend that you store it somewhere that's dry, free from damp and mold.

If you're storing your bridle for a long time, give it a really good clean, ensure it's super dry and then store it inside a soft bridle bag.

When you're hanging up your bridle, use a proper bridle hook and not just over a standard coat-peg that is narrow. This can mis-shape the headpiece of the bridle.

 

Something Broken?

You have a couple of options if a part of your bridle ends up broken or damaged. You can either take it to a great saddler and have it repaired, or we also sell spare Schockemohle bridle parts too - so you can pick up a replacement.

 

And Finally...Reins

Reins don't take as much care as the full bridle - but it's recommended that they're cleaned a little more often if you can. Wiping down the length of them with a damp cloth if they get sweaty or dirty is a great move to ensure they stay in great condition.

The ends of the reins, where they meet the bit, can become stiff and crack. If possible, it's a great idea to undo them from the bit around once per month and thoroughly clean this area, applying leather balm to ensure it stays supple.