Harness, Bridle, or Latigo? A Leather Maker Explains the Difference

Harness, bridle and latigo are the three leathers I work with most in my shop in Eminence, Indiana. All three start as cowhide, and all of mine come from United States hides. What makes them different is how they are tanned and what goes into them afterward. Honestly, this is hard to explain without a piece of each in your hand, because so much of it comes down to feel. But I'll do my best to tell you what each one is, how it feels, and where I use it.

The short answer

• Harness leather is the heaviest feeling of the three. It has super dense fibers and may have a little less shine. My single-ply split reins are harness leather.
• Bridle leather is a spin-off of harness leather. It has the same dense fibers, with more waxes on top for a really nice final shine. My headstalls and my Classic and Heritage belts are bridle leather.
• Latigo is softer and suppler, but it still keeps some weight and body to it. My latigo cinch straps are latigo leather, and so are a few of my reins.

All three are cared for the same way, which I'll get to at the end.

Vegetable tanned vs chrome tanned

Tanning is what turns a raw hide, which would otherwise rot, into leather that lasts. There are two main ways to do it.

Vegetable tanning is the old, slow way. The hides soak in vats of tannins that come from tree bark. It takes weeks, and the tannins work their way deep into the fibers. What comes out is dense, firm leather that holds its shape, takes oil evenly and looks better with age.

Chrome tanning is the modern, fast way, using chromium salts. It makes a softer, stretchier leather and it is cheaper to produce. Most of the leather in the world is chrome tanned. I do use chrome tan leather in a couple of places: the lace on my laced barrel reins and the round cup on my water bottle holder.

Harness and bridle leather both come out of vegetable tanning. Latigo is tanned a different way, and all three change again after tanning, in what goes into them.

What is harness leather?

Harness leather gets stuffed with heated tallows, oils and waxes that are driven deep into the fibers. That was the point of it from the start: it was made for working harness on driven horses, gear that lived outside in the rain, sweat and sun and couldn't be allowed to dry out and crack.

In your hand, harness leather feels the heaviest of the three. The fibers are super dense, and it may have a little less shine than bridle leather. It shows more of the natural grain of the hide.

That density is why my single-ply split reins are harness leather. A good rein needs weight and body to carry your cue from your hands to your horse's mouth, and harness leather has that. I cover the rest of what goes into a good rein in how to choose western reins. My over and under whips are harness leather too (more on those in my over and under whip buying guide), and so are my horse hobbles, my leather off billet and the base of my saddle water bottle holder.

What is bridle leather?

Bridle leather is a spin-off of harness leather. It has the same dense fibers, but it gets more waxes on top, and that gives it a really nice final shine. It is the dressed-up member of the family, the smooth, slightly glossy leather you see on good headstalls and belts. The back side is usually finished cleaner too.

My headstalls and my Classic and Heritage belts are bridle leather. The tannery tans it to my spec, and it is almost a cross between bridle and harness. The way I finish it is what makes it technically classified as bridle leather. A couple of my belts are built differently: my Elite Series belts are two layers of Hermann Oak saddle skirting, and my Hideout belts have a suede face on a full grain strap.

You can see the belts in the belts collection and the headstalls in the headstalls collection. If you want to know why two layers of leather hold up better than one, I wrote about it in why two layers of leather beat one.

What is latigo leather?

Latigo is the one people get mixed up about. It is combination tanned, chrome tanned first and then re-tanned with vegetable tannins, and then it gets a heavy load of oil. The classic latigo is that deep burgundy red you see on cinch straps, though it comes in other colors too. Most of mine is dark oil; the core of my laced barrel reins is burgundy latigo.

In your hand, latigo is softer and suppler than the other two, but it still keeps some weight and body to it. All that oil makes it handle sweat and moisture well, and it handles being wrapped, pulled and tied every day.

Here is where I use it:

• Latigos. My latigo cinch strap is 6 feet of 12 oz latigo.
• Off billets, cinches and hobbles. My half breed off billet, the liner of my stitched off billet, the linings of my rear cinches and my dark oil stirrup hobbles are latigo.
• Some of my reins. My doubled and stitched split reins, laced barrel reins (latigo core), one-piece adjustable reins and rein extensions are latigo. My single-ply split reins are harness leather.
• The backs of some custom headstalls. Every now and then I'll use latigo on the back of a custom headstall.

I prefer a leather latigo over nylon. Good leather has a little stretch, so the rib cage can expand as the horse breathes. I wrote more about that in when to replace your latigo.

Harness vs bridle vs latigo at a glance

What about skirting leather and rawhide?

You'll hear these two names around tack too. Skirting leather is a heavy, firm vegetable tanned leather used for things like saddle skirts and fenders. My light oil stirrup hobbles are cut from oak skirting leather because it holds its shape. I explain what they do in what are stirrup hobbles. Rawhide isn't tanned at all. It is a cleaned, dehaired hide that dries hard and softens when wet, and it is used for braided work like bosals.

How can you tell which leather your tack is made of?

Feel is the best way. Harness leather feels heavy and dense. Bridle leather feels dense too, but smooth, with more shine on top. Latigo feels softer and more oily in your hand, and it is almost always the strap tying your cinch. If you're not sure what you have, contact me with any questions.

One thing I wish everyone knew: leather built from the very best sources and raw materials, with the best craftsmanship you can put into it, should last forever. It costs a little more up front, but it's cheaper in the long run. If the leather is thin, dry and doesn't have any body to it, it doesn't matter what it's called.

How do I care for harness, bridle and latigo leather?

All three get cared for the same way. Here is what I do:

• Brush off the dirt, debris and sand with a dry, hard-bristle brush.
• Clean it thoroughly with a liquid saddle soap.
• Let it dry completely.
• Put on a thin coat of a good conditioner like Skidmore's.
• Let that sit for a day, then wipe it down with saddle soap one more time to take off any tacky feel.

Don't douse it in oil. Plain oil alone doesn't properly condition leather, and too much leaves it feeling wet and nasty. My products already come with a lot of oil and conditioner in them, so you can probably skip the oil and just clean with saddle soap and use a good conditioner. The Premium Leather Care Kit has what I use, and the full routine is in how to clean and condition leather.

If you ever want me to do it for you, I'll clean and condition anything I sell for free, for life. Get it to me and I'll ship it back at my cost.

My lifetime warranty

Everything I make has a lifetime warranty. It covers anything that breaks or fails in normal use. Parts that wear with use, like latigos and off billets, aren't covered once they've worn out. If it can be repaired, I'll repair it. If it can't, I'll replace it, at no charge. If you have any questions, contact me. The details are on the warranty and leather care page.

If you want to see where these leathers sit among all the grades, from full grain on down, my types of leather post covers that.

Frequently asked questions

Is harness leather or bridle leather better?

Neither one is better. They do different jobs. Harness leather feels heavier and has super dense fibers, which is why my single-ply split reins are harness leather. Bridle leather is a spin-off of harness with more waxes on top for a nice shine, which is why my headstalls and my Classic and Heritage belts are bridle leather.

What is the difference between harness and latigo leather?

Harness leather is vegetable tanned and stuffed with tallows, oils and waxes, and it feels the heaviest. Latigo is combination tanned and loaded with oil, so it is softer and suppler while still keeping some weight and body. I use latigo for latigos and for a few of my reins.

Are your reins harness leather or latigo?

My single-ply split reins are harness leather. My doubled and stitched split reins, laced barrel reins, one-piece adjustable reins and rein extensions are latigo.

What leather are your headstalls and belts made from?

My headstalls and my Classic and Heritage belts are bridle leather. The tannery tans it to my spec as almost a cross between bridle and harness, and the way I finish it makes it technically bridle leather. My Elite Series belts are two layers of Hermann Oak saddle skirting, and my Hideout belts have a suede face on a full grain strap.

Do harness, bridle and latigo need different care?

No. I care for all three the same way: brush, clean with liquid saddle soap, let it dry completely, put on a thin coat of conditioner like Skidmore's, let it sit a day, then wipe it down with saddle soap again.

Where does your leather come from?

I buy leather from several tanneries, and all of it comes from United States hides.