When is horsehide broken-in?

[Milu]

When do you consider a new horsehide jacket broken in?

My idea is that it's broken in when I can easily put it on, take it off and wear it comfortably.

My experience of horsehide is limited to two jackets with a third on the way. The first was worn fairly often for a couple of years but stayed quite stiff. I got fed up eventually and threw it in the bottom of the wardrobe and eventually more stuff went on top. Two years later it surfaced - soft, pliable and comfortable. The other, an aero FQHH, I've had for about 18 months. It's been worn in all conditions, rain, snow, operating a snow blower and it's only now starting to feel a little broken in. I'm starting to think I'll be replacing the knits and lining before it's broken in!

 

[H.Johnson]

I am not sure what you are expecting from the jacket. Why buy a heavy horsehide jacket and expect it not to be stiff? Isn't that why you bought it?

I humbly suggest that you read the comments in the thread immediately below this one and just wear and enjoy your jackets.

 

[eClairvaux]

When do you consider a new horsehide jacket broken in?

My idea is that it's broken in when I can easily put it on, take it off and wear it comfortably.

My experience of horsehide is limited to two jackets with a third on the way. The first was worn fairly often for a couple of years but stayed quite stiff. I got fed up eventually and threw it in the bottom of the wardrobe and eventually more stuff went on top. Two years later it surfaced - soft, pliable and comfortable. The other, an aero FQHH, I've had for about 18 months. It's been worn in all conditions, rain, snow, operating a snow blower and it's only now starting to feel a little broken in. I'm starting to think I'll be replacing the knits and lining before it's broken in!

I still find my Aero FQHH after four months of wear suprisingly soft in most places and very comfortable.

Apart from getting it wet in bad weather, I think what has been softening it too, is that it's kept in a very warm place in the house.

However, I start getting the feeling that many people here buy FQHH from Aero because that seems like the classic option, but that they would have been much better off, if they chose the mid weight, or even the goat skin that JanSolo has recommended so much.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Well I've purchased several new heavy HH jackets to enjoy the "after effects" of breaking one in. Not all HH is alike. Some has a more bulletproof painted on finish that seems impervious to ever gaining much charactor no matter what you do. Other types are stiff when new...but soften..grain up...and marble with "wear"..and can be helped along by spraying with water and worn wet to mold,shape and relax the hide.
I have a new heavy FQHH "Bootlegger" on order. As soon as I receive it..it will be heavily "misted" with tap water and worn untill slowly dry(several times). Along with normal wear this technique has worked for me to gain that "lived in" comfort of a well broken-in leather houseslipper or baseball glove. I consider it broken in when it achieves that comfort level.
HD

 

[Tommer45]

I've noticed over the years that when I'm wearing a new jacket that is stiff and not broken in, every time I slip it on to go out I'll think to myself how it still feels stiff.. a few more months of wear should do it, etc. And then one day I realize that I've been wearing the jacket without even a thought about it being uncomfortable and/or stiff and that's usually when I realize that the jacket has "broken" and has become softer and easily worn without so much as a thought popping into my head about it. It's usually that moment when I consider the jacket broken in.

Tommer

 

[Milu]

I am not sure what you are expecting from the jacket. Why buy a heavy horsehide jacket and expect it not to be stiff? Isn't that why you bought it?

I humbly suggest that you read the comments in the thread immediately below this one and just wear and enjoy your jackets.

My post is not a complaint about stiffness or my expectations. it is a question on when others consider a jacket broken in. Exactly which thread below this one should I be studying, their order in the forum may have changed since you posted.

 

[PADDY]

Agree with Hoosier...

The key point is 'comfort level.' When the jacket is comfortable for 'you' then it's broken in (whatever the leather hide type).