How to Clean the Silver on a Show Saddle

While most English riders prefer tack with an understated elegance, many Western riders opt for saddles with a more ornate look. Fancy tooled show saddles festooned with silver are a common sight in Western classes, but in order to get the desired impact competitors need to make sure all that silver is properly cleaned and polished. Cleaning the silver on your show saddle is not difficult, but you do need to have the proper supplies.

Things You'll Need

  • Non-stick masking tape
  • Cardboard
  • Chrome or silver polish
  • Clean cloth
  • Toothbrush
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Instructions

    • 1

      Tape a few pieces of cardboard to the leather surrounding the silver pieces. This will protect the leather while you polish the silver. Use a non-stick brand of masking tape that will not leave marks on the leather.

    • 2

      Purchase a tube of chrome polish at your local auto parts store if the silver on your saddle is silver plate or German silver. If the silver is sterling silver use a quality silver polish. Most show saddles use silver plate or German silver and not sterling.

    • 3

      Wipe the silver with a clean cloth to remove any surface dirt. If the surface is dirty you could rub the dirt into the silver when you polish it.

    • 4

      Squeeze enough chrome or silver polish onto the cloth to cover one of the corners. Rub the polish into the silver vigorously to give it a good shine. Wipe away any excess polish with a soft, dry cloth. An old t-shirt works very well for cleaning silver.

    • 5

      Place a bit of chrome or silver polish on an old toothbrush and use it to clean any hard to reach areas. Some saddles have small pieces of silver around the cantle and along the stirrup leathers. A toothbrush works very well for polishing those silver pieces.