Originally Posted by
rootboy
If it were mine, I'd feed it first. If it has sat for 30 years and the leather has lost all of its natural oils, it could split at the rivets the first time you ride it. Or, maybe not. I would put a liberal coating of Proofide or similar wax-based treatment on it, top and bottom, warm it in with a hair dryer, and repeat. Wipe off the excess once it's dry, and ride it.
Two remarks to this. Proofidw is good, but don't overdo. How to tell how much to use? Well, if you're using so much that heat is required, that's too much.
The temperature you get from a hair dryer is going to damage, or at least age, the leather. I think it's okay to leave a saddle out in the sun, which will help the proofide get absorbed, but many people consider even that excess heat.
Whatever you do, bear in mind that you cannot undo it.
One thing I sometimes suggest, which is definitely extreme, is to dunk the thing in a bucket of water, Larry it soak up some water, and then takes it out and let it sit for several hours. The water will dry, but some of it will get absorbed by the fibers, temporarily softening them. After several hours, when the leather seems dry but still cool to the touch, go for a short ride this will stretch the parts of the leather that most need stretching, and the effect will be permanent. Now let the saddle dry completely (which will take a few days I dry conditions, longer in Florida) and evaluate it. You can repeat this process all you want, but you can't undo its effects.