My wife, who is a horse gal of many decades now,(thank the gods, as that is why I get no grief for my bike disease....lol) swears by baby powder for old dried leather. She says if you're just trying to recondition the leather and make it soft and supple again, use baby powder. Lots of it, and really work it in. I can attest to it, as I have seen some of the old dried leather horse saddle pieces that she has used it on, and it definitely brings the leather back to life......truly amazing what a 'dry powder' can do to leather. I know the nap is already gone on the saddle, as I am the one who gave it to peazweag.......so baby powder should work fine on restoring it so that it's soft and pliable again.