The Tack Room
Full Circle: Reconnecting With The Pacific Northnorthwest Through Healthy Leather
When my former business partner and close friend Linda Lamprecht asked Jen and I if we would make a special batch of Healthy Leather for USEA’s Area VII Adult Rider camp’s gift baskets, our answer was a resounding “YES PLEASE”. Being able to add our product to gift baskets alongside so many fantastic companies was an opportunity not to be missed.
USEA Area VII Adult Riders Thank Donors With Wonderful Banner
When Linda told me about Camp and followed up with her vision for 3 tack cleaning parties spread over the 2024 eventing season, I knew I wanted Healthy Leather to be a part of the fun. My own ties to the area have had me eager to find a way to introduce Healthy Leather to the Pacific Northwest and this seemed a perfect opportunity.
Tack And Tacos
In May, the first party debuted as Tack and Tacos, with Linda’s husband Eric taking position behind the grill. Having attended a few Lamprecht parties, I’m sure the food was delicious as the company, A plethora of people were able to try Healthy Leather, and prepare for the weekend while socializing.
Healthy Leather And The Pacific Northwest?
I met Linda in 2002 and our separate visions of a business partnership quickly aligned. With a shared background in Pony Club, we created a program that focused on horsemanship and stable management skills as much as it focused on developing skilled riders. For years Linda and I worked together as Full Circle Farms LLC. While we did boarding and training, our school horse program was our real baby. At our busiest we hosted as many as a dozen lesson horses and 3 assistant instructors. The salad years, as they say.
I absolutely loved teaching and training in Oregon. For a decade I called Oregon home, and in that time I must have taught hundreds of kids and adults on lesson horses. The equestrian community in the PNW holds a special place in my heart for it’s distinctive comradery and fellowship between horse lovers of all disciplines and breeds.
Coming Full Circle. Again.
The long and the short of it is that I can’t wait for Healthy Leather to be available to the horse community that supported Linda and I and our vision of Full Circle Farms. It’s perfect for the PNW climate. Healthy Leather is premium leather care that perfectly balances cleaning and conditioning into one simple step, which saves a lot of time on those rainy, muddy days.
What’s Next for HL In Area VII
Now you know about our connection. And you’re probably eager to know when the next tack cleaning party will be. Linda just let me know that Bridles and Bratwurst will be happening on August 2, the Friday night before the Young Rider Benefit H.T. at Caber Farm happening August 3-4. Rumors of a dress code indcluding lederhosen have been greatly over exaggerated. They are 100% voluntary.
If you’ve tried Healthy Leather, let us know how you like it. We love pictures and reviews. As always, if you have any questions about Healthy Leather, Jen and I are always one email or DM away. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more upcoming events, leather care tips, and before and after pictures. Also, our meme game is strong.
The Mountains Are Out,
Jilly
Lily McLeod is Turning Barrels and Turning Heads
Ask Lily McLeod a few questions about horses and this year’s training and competition goals, and you’ll realize that for only 16 years old, Lily’s answers demonstrate wisdom and horse sense beyond her years.
Lily McLeod and Sonnys Volley aka “Bullet”
“I first started taking lessons towards barrel racing in 2019,” Lily said. “My first season competing [2022] was just a fun year, to see if I liked a competative atmosphere.” And like it she did.
In 2023 Lily’s family purchased a 13 yr old sorrel named Sonnys Volley, who goes by “Bullet” around the barn. “Bullet is really good at staying relaxed. Some barrel horses you see competing are blown up and very excited, but Bullet keeps his excitement levels contained and waits for his time to go.”, Lily said when asked about her gelding’s best qualities. “It keeps me, him and the people around us safe.” she added.
Sonnys Volley/”Bullet”
“My favorite thing…is seeing my hard work pay off. At home, I put a lot of time into slow work, so walking and trotting various drills and patterns to keep everything fresh and working.” said Lily about her home training strategy. That strategy is really paying off.
“When I go to a competition, I can put all that muscle memory to the test and see where I need to tweak things, and what’s working well.” she said. “My main training goal for the summer is to improve smoothness around the barrel and pole patterns. For me, I need to work on confidence and really pushing Bullet around the barrel. I mean, I need to be kicking more and being more vocal to really get him moving his feet.”
It’s definitely not all work for Lily and Bullet. “When I’m not competing, my favorite thing to do with Bullet is fun work. I set up different things like trot poles in different patterns to keep it interesting and we work on ground manners.”
Lily McLeod and Bullet share a quiet moment on a beautiful night.
Lily and Bullet train with Chantalle Fortin at 705 Equine, and in 2023, they placed 3rd in 3D Youth Barrels within Ontario’s District 3 of NBHA of Canada.
That placement qualified them for the NBHA Canada Nationals where Lily and Bullet ultimately won the Youth 4D Barrel Racing Championship, and were invited to compete at the 2024 NBHA World’s Show in Georgia.
Lily was pleased with her first outing of the 2024 season, NBHA Canada’s Spring Thaw May 3-5. “It wasn’t our best performace, but lot’s of good points, and things to learn from” she confided.
Lily McCleod and Sonnys Volley competing in barrel racing in Ontario Canada.
We’ll catch up more with Lily McCleod as we get closer to their next competiton on June 1st and 2nd, and how things are developing in their world.
Saddle Up with Healthy Leather
Saddle Up Western Saddle and Tack Shop in Gilcrest, Colorado to be Exact
Saddle Up Western Saddle And Tack Shop
Connecting with Coloradans from every discipline and every corner of the state has been a leading objective for Healthy Leather since the first jar was made over 40 years ago.
This state and it’s horse people are what have inspired and helped us grow and that’s one of many reasons we are thrilled to announce that Saddle Up Western Saddle And Tack Store now carries Healthy Leather Premium Leather Conditioner.
Saddle Up is a mecca of all things Western Riding. Their offerings range from an incredible selection of new and used western saddles of all types and brands, to clothing, horse care products, even stable supplies.
We’ve got some fun collabortive things in the works, so be sure to follow both Healthy Leather and Saddle Up for more information. As always, we’d love to hear from you. Don’t hesitate to leave a comment or question.
Interested in carrying Healthy Leather in your US based store? See our contact page for information.
A Winter Weather Handbook For Storing Your Leather Tack
There’s no denying that winter is fully upon us. For some, that means “hanging up” your tack for at least part (if not all) of the season. For others it means putting away the show tack and using different winter gear. And there are others who pack up and hit the road with horses and tack in tow for better weather and competition.
If you’re in either of the first two catagories, you’re probably going to need to store some leather this winter. There’s definitely a right and a wrong way to do it, so let’s get into the right way and talk about any topics of concern.
Disassemble Your Tack And Perform A Safety Check
It’s important to check your leather over for any signs of wear or damage. The best way to do that is to take it apart before you clean and condition it. Disassemble your bridle and remove your stirrups from your saddle. Place all leather items in a well lit, warm area where you can see well and are comfortable enough to take your time.
Disassembled leather bridle and leather stirrup leathers layed out on a mat ready for a safety check and a good cleaning.
Pay close attention to areas where metal and leather meet, and note any cracking, tearing or stretching. Any leather showing these signs needs to be repaired or tossed out; it’s no longer safe to use.
Also look closely at stitching and check to make sure it is intact and in good condition, especially on stirrup leathers, girths, billet straps and reins. Most loose or broken stitching can be easily repaired by a trusted leatherworker.
Once you’ve identitifed the pieces needing repair, set them aside and throw out any pieces that are unfixable and unsafe.
Now It’s Time For A Good Cleaning And Conditioning
Your tack should be well cleaned and conditioned before storage. Of course we recommend Healthy Leather Premium Leather Care as a one-step option. On the other hand, we know horse people. And we know everyone has their own way of doing things. Whatever your process is, we’re not here to “Yuck Your Yum”. If you have a proven and loved cleaning and conditioning routine, by all means…do it!
One of the biggest dangers to leather in winter storage is mold and mildew. Both feed on organic material like sweat, manure, dirt and excess oil deposits. Make sure you use a soft bristled brush where needed to really clean away any stubborn crusty dirt, sweat and sticky “jockeys”. They are magnets for mold.
After cleaning, it’s time to condition. But before doing so you need to consider your climate.
What’s My Climate?
If you’re lucky enough to have a climate controlled environment available for tack storage or live in the perfect area, that’s GREAT. The recommended temperature for storing leather is between 50-70 degrees F and humidity at 50-55%. Mold is apt to grow over 60% humidity.
While storing leather in non-climate controlled conditions isn’t ideal, it’s the reality for many of us, and there are plenty of steps you can take to protect your leather.
Depending on your humidity level, it’s relatively easy and afforable to set up a humidifier (for dry climates) or a de-humidifier (for humid climates) in your tack room or storage space. Affordable hydrothrermographs are available online and are accurate enough let you know if your tack storage space falls within the acceptable range. No need to spend hundreds of dollars on the fancy sort.
If you live in a humid climate, do not over condition your tack. Make sure all product is absorbed and wipe away any excess conditioner and oils. One option for controling the moisuture level if you are storing your tack in a tack trunk or locker is to include a handful of desiccant packs. Do not let them come in contact with your leather, and check occasionally to make sure they do not over dry your leather.
If you live in a dry climate, condition your tack well until it no longer absorbs additional conditioner or oil. Wipe away excess.
Cover It Or Wrap It And Pack It Up
Dust is full of dander and other organic materials that not only attract mold/mildew, but also work to break down the stitching on your leather tack. Your tack needs to be protected, but also able to BREATH. Bridle bags and saddle bags are perfect for storage, but pillow cases and sheets work in a pinch if needed. Even paper is a decent option for protecting leather against dust and scratches.
Once your leather is cleaned, conditioned and covered/wrapped, it’s ready to either be placed on a saddle rack (if it’s a saddle) or in your tack trunk, locker or other weatherproof container (if it’s a bridle). We recommend storing your bridle disassembled and laid out flat. Make sure airflow is able to move freely around your tack and leather is not stacked on top of leather.
Don’t Forget To Check It
If you’re storing in non-climate controlled conditions, you’re definitely going to want to check in on your leather goods from time to time. Once a month is plenty. You’ll be able to stop any damage in it’s tracks by using your eyes, nose and fingers to check in on the condition of your leather.
In humid climates, you’re checking for any mold/mildew growth and should re-clean if necessary. If you smell any moldy odor, assume it’s there.
In drier climates, check the suppleness and luster of your tack. If it feels or looks dry or stiff, re-condition your leather until it no longer absorbs your product.
Use your best judgement, and your tack will come out of storage ready for Spring.
Have any winter leather storage tips, tricks or advice to add? Let us know in the comments!
Healthy Leather's Etsy Shop Now Open: Because Your Wallet Should Be Supple, Even When We’re Taking Money Out of It.
The real headline should be that “ Two Middle Aged Unsavvy Tech Users Take Weeks
To Set Up A Two Product Etsy Store”. But it didn’t have the same zing. Truth be told,
an AI bot helped me come up with that title. I’ve been using one a little to help spark a
light down an idea tunnel when I’m spinning my wheels on content. In doing so, my bot
has already learned from me that I often like things with a heavy side of sarcasm.
That was a really long way of telling you that Jen and I finished Healthy Leather’s Etsy
Shop and hit the live button. If you’ve got an account, we’d be tickled if you’d give us
a like or a follow. If you’ve used Healthy Leather, let those reviews fly!
I have zero familiarity with the mechanics of Etsy but to me it looks similar to some
other platforms I’ve used. How bad could we screw something up? Here’s a little Reel
we made to celebrate our grand opening!
Ooops. Wrong video. Here’s the link to the insta-reel. And remember, WE’RE
BETTER AT LEATHER CARE!
Check your girth,
Jilly
Road Salt Rescue
Road salt stains on your favorite leather boots or shoes. It’s the WORST. It’s right up
there with frozen uncoiled garden hoses and horses that crap in their water buckets. The
WORST.
On the bright side, the clean up is pretty painless comparatively, especially the water
bucket thing. (Snowman I’m looking at you).
Salt Stain Remedy
Put 1/2 cup of warm water and 1/2 cup of vinegar into a bowl. Using a DAMP lint free
cloth, gently blot the stains, Make sure cloth is not too wet.
Gently and lightly “rinse” leather with another cloth damp with water ONLY. Repeat
process until stain has lifted. Allow leather to dry
Using a dry sponge, lightly apply Healthy Leather in small amounts until leather has
absorbed what it requires.
It’s that simple. You may need to repeat cleaning portion a few times, but remember to
be gentle and remind yourself that all great leather has “character”.
I hope everyone is staying warm and dry out there!
Have any of your own tips or tricks for salt and road goo stained leather? Leave it in the
comments, we’d love to know.
~Jilly
Pause for RESULTS
Are you hanging in there? Are you maintaining your tenuous grasp on the clown circus
that is your life?
I know my official pre-holiday events are wrapped up, and I think Jen’s might be as
well. We’ve got our last minute local customers and vendors covered and there’s a little
bit of breathing room to catch up on emails. Like this one from Richard M.
Jen met Richard at the IDC last week, and he’s thrilled with the results of his very first
use of Healthy Leather. We thought we’d share his email and photos with you. It never
gets old seeing your results! Keep ‘em coming!
Photo credit Richard M, sharing his results after his recent Healthy Leather purchase.
Want to share your results? Email me! jillm@healthyleather.com
Holidaze…are we there yet?
Honestly? We’ve got so many great ideas and so many irons in the fire it’s hard
to keep them all straight.
Right now Jen and Angela are prepping for the upcoming Holiday Market with
the IDC (International Design Collection) on December 8th in Denver. We’re
really excited to dip our toe in these relatively new waters for HL!
IDC Showroom
We’ve also been fleshing out some ideas in regards to a Pony Club discount.
Both Jen and I grew up in Pony Club, and can’t speak highly enough about the
organization. I haven’t been doing much with my lifetime membership in quite
a while. Let’s change that.
We’ve got a couple more Holiday Markets coming up before we turn our focus
back to winter horse show circuits, winter leather care/tips and maybe even
capping with some hunt friends here and there.
Thanks to Instagram, (grumble grumble), keep an eye out for a few LIVE events
with me (Jill) and join in to see all the ways I’ve used Healthy Leather over the
past 30+ years and offer you my best tips and tricks. If you’ve ever had a
question about our product, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments, on social
media, or even send us an email.
And make sure you’re taking care of yourself, okay? Happy Holidaze!
Jen Knox meets one of Santa’s elves at Zuma’s Rescue Ranch Christmas Market 2022
Austin Texas We Love You
I was recently reading an article of the top reasons to visit Austin Texas. For
some reason, it only had 9
reasons.
Hang on to your hats while I add a 10th reason.
WE ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN AUSTIN TEXAS AT DOVER SADDLERY!!
Click the link to be taken to their website directly.
We are so thrilled to have some shelf space in Texas! Frankly, Austin’s
vivacious, eclectic and bustling vibe is
just our style. I envisage we’ll have to come down and visit.
Austin Texas Dover Saddlery Store Front
We’ve been unbelievably fortunate to have created a wide reaching network of
horse folks in our time, and we
can’t thank enough for facilitating opportunities for expansion. Our volume
AND our reach are expanding and that’s really exciting.
Don’t forget to smell the inside of Dover,
Jilly
VoyageDenver Magazine Shoutout
Our article went live a few days ago. Thanks for the chance, VoyageDenver ! I
feel so hip and trendy.
Click RIGHT HERE to read it!
Jen and I had a really good time working this one out. It led to the kind of deep
conversations we’d have when we first started seeing Healthy Leather was
going somewhere. They usually happened while we were “cooking” together.
To see in black and white how far we’ve really come with this product, with the
business, and with ourselves.
A screen shot of VoyageDenver’s article featuring Healthy Leather. The article is titles “Reflecting on the things that made a difference”.
Recovering from the weekend…
Photo credit Angela Otten
While I need to recover from a busy and rainy weekend, Jen was finally able to find
some restoration and soul care. This spot seems to be made specifically by Mother
Nature as a place to rest, reflect and renew. I can feel that warm sun from here. She is
one of the busiest people I know, and I’m thrilled to see she had a chance to re-center.
I had a busy and fun weekend at the Midland Antique Festival with my sister in town.
Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate and it was rainy and chilly all weekend. We
had a handful of sales and while that’s great, attendance was way way down. The
organizers were wonderful and I feel badly is wasn’t what they had planned on
happening either.
We used some down time to network with some other businesses and came away with
some wholesale type opportunities and I’m realizing that’s pretty much the whole point
of the vendor tent anyway. It’s not necessarily a lot of single sales that are going to
make the difference for us. The vending tent often ends up being a really great weekend
long advertisement. We come away with something positive no matter how the sales go
at the tent.
We always come away with some new friends and a few fans and this weekend was no
different. I’m really interested to hear how it worked on his dry and stiff leather
convertible top.
It’s turning into something really fun to do. Luckily my significant other thought so too.
I’m currently scoping out fun places we can vend in the next few months through the
holidays. I know Jen is too.
The stores that carry Healthy Leather are continuing to sell out, so we’ll keep cranking
them out.
My clothes my be wet but my heart is full,
Jill
Ever go to an Antique Show and ask “What’s New?”
Healthy Leather is about to. Holy cow we got ourselves into a big one with the
Michigan Antique festival ! It’s going to be exciting seeing so many new faces. I’ve
been thinking a lot about what other markets Healthy Leather aligns with well, and short
of horse tack, I can’t think of a better environment to show off what HL is capable of.
I even talked my sister into coming to visit and help man the table and doing demos with
me. Makes me miss Jen a lot. But Vicki is equally is bubbly and easy to pull a prank
on so they measure almost equally in entertainment value.
I thought I’d try something new with these distressed wooden boxes and include
applicators of different sizes and styles. The cute box is a perfect place to store it all
compactly in your tack trunk, your cleaning product cupboard, workshop or closet.
From it’s infancy Healthy Leather has been a much sought after gift for people with
leather in their lives. I thought I’d walk us back a little to our roots to celebrate this
festival. Let us know how you like them.
Roll Credits,
Jill
Busier than a…
Seriously. In the weeds on everything from Healthy Leather stuff to personal
stuff. It’s all exciting changes and opportunities but dang we’re busy. For both
Jen and I, September is buried in To-Do’s, events and must-haves. Both literally
and figuratively. With school back in session I have regained that much needed
chunk of time in my office without too much interruption. Ergo, I’m finally able
to start catching up.
Specifically, Jen and I have a follow up interview with Voyage Denver. Voyage
magazine is essentially a platform meant create buzz about local artists,
entrepreneurs and creatives. We had a great time doing our first article for thei
r Rising Stars feature where we talked a bit about how we started, what our
challenges have been and our early success. This time we’ll be answering a
question for their Shout Out feature, checking in on previously featured
people/businesses/artists etc.
And with that deadline looming, it’s natural to expect I’d have a poorly timed
case of writer’s block. While it isn’t a case of having nothing to say, the
opposite can be just as problematic. Constructing the narrative to try to sum up
the past couple years is proving a bit challenging.
Here is the first conversation we had with VoyageDenver. It’s a genuinely
interesting and fun publication. Can’t wait to let you all know when our Shout
Out with them goes live. Rising Stars
Let us know if you need anything. We are usually available to answer any
questions or troubleshoot any leather problem with you.
Chin up,
Jill
Why You Need To Take Care Of Your Tack
We know cleaning tack isn’t the favorite activity of the average Joe. That’s ok. And it’s
not something we want to do for hours on end either. That’s sort of how the idea was
conceived for Healthy Leather. There are important reasons to keep clean and
conditioned tack that have nothing to do with stuffiness or picky. Here are just handful
to help inspire you.
1. SAFETY
Safety should always be at the top of this list. Check the condition and strength of your
stitching. Horse sweat and saliva can break down stitching over time. Especially when
it isn’t at least wiped clean between uses. Pay particular attention to cheek pieces, reins,
girth/cinch, billets and stirrup leathers. If anything looks questionable or is starting to
fray or unstitch, remove it from use immediately. If you’ve been good to your tack, it’s
probably going to be just fine after a re-stitching by a leather/tack professional.
2. FEEL
Different types of leathers vary in feel and cut, but generally even leathers farther down
the quality roster benefit from a consistent tack care program. Stiff and rough not only
feels awful on your body, horses don’t love it either. Some horses have developed rubs,
sores and chaffing. Adding occasional deep conditioning day to your daily routine will
insure your leather stays soft, pliable and strong. Not only will your tack look and feel
better, it will last longer too.
3. SUSTAINABILITY
Leather is expensive. I consider it an investment. It’s important to note that leather tack
in good used condition retains a solid resale value, so caring for it correctly makes a lot
of sense, especially when saddles often cost as much as a used car. Treat it like the
investment it is.
4. TAKE THE TIME TO SAVE THE TIME
By giving your tack a quick wipe down after use, you are saving yourself the time and
headache involved with saving your care for a few days a year. With the use of the right
product, daily cleaning and care can take moments, and dirt and sweat slide right off
with a damp rag or sponge.
We’ll be posting both videos and blogs to walk you through the many ways you can use
Healthy Leather. Because there are a ton. My favorite is as an ALL IN ONE product.
That’s right, I said it. Healthy Leather has been used and loved for almost 35 years.
There’s really not a wrong way, other than the dreaded suede, nubuck and roughout.
Have you used it in a unique or off-label way? Let us know in comments.
Chin up,
Jill
Welcome to the Tack Room
Join us as we try something new and offer a place with more detailed information about Healthy Leather; from different uses and results to the more social side of the equine family, which we all know is strong.
Hello Hello! We’re going try something a little different and offer up a blog style hang
out (fittingly called the Tack Room) where people can ask questions, get tips, and learn
or teach something new about leather care.
Whether you call them “equestrians” or “horse folks”, the label matters not. A good
horseperson has a lot to share.
Jennifer and I both came up through the ladders of Pony Club and both drew so much of
value in the mentoring based education they support. We continue to support that style
of learning and council between fellow horspeople of all disciplines from all walks of
life.
Jill and Jen pose for a HL picture in 2022