Genuine sheepskin products, such as saddle pads/numnahs, noseband covers and girth covers, are investments in your horse’s comfort. Good care of these items can dramatically prolong their functional lifespan and maintain the luxurious, natural benefits genuine sheepskin products provide your horse.
After each use, separate your sheepskin saddle pad/numnah from your saddle or your cover from the girth and noseband. Shake out the item and brush it to remove excess dirt and fluff up the moist and compressed fleece fibers. A stiff dandy brush is popularly used for this task and good results restoring loft to the sheepskin fibers can also be achieved by using a fine-tined pet grooming brush.
Always hang sheepskin articles out of direct sunlight and away from artificial heat sources to dry. Numnahs, saddle pads and covers can be dried on your covered saddle, moist/fleece side up.
Wash your genuine sheepskin items only when necessary and only with a gentle cleanser that is intended for this purpose, such as Lambskin Wash. It is preferable to hand wash the articles in cold water and hang them to dry in a shaded, well-ventilated area. Heat sources such as sunlight or radiators will dry out and stiffen the leather backing which will cause cracking and shrinkage of the product.
Summary of Do’s and Don’ts:
• Do wash genuine sheepskin products in cold water.
• Do use a stiff brush to keep the item clean and fluffy between washings.
• Do allow the item to dry naturally – out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources.
• Don’t wash genuine sheepskin products with conventional laundry detergents.
• Don’t put a genuine sheepskin item in your tumble dryer.
• Don’t store a damp sheepskin saddle pad under your saddle between rides.
