Can a saddle really be so unhelpful?

Casey76

Casey76

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I'm at my wits end.

I ended up buying a Wintec Wide for my youngster as it was the only saddle I could find that would fit him in the area. It was fitted for him, and currently has the 2nd to widest gullet in it. However I just find it horrendous to ride in. I end up with severe back ache after riding for only 20-30 mins; I find myself completely unbalanced all of the time, and just feel that I'm sitting on my horse and not with him.

This is ruining my confidence with him, as I feel so insecure all of the time :(

I'm not entirely sure what i should do next...
 
Yes it can be. Not sure what to suggest as it's obviously not easy for you to 'just' call in a saddle fitter. But wintecs also cause me lots of pain. When you get a saddle that's right for both of you, you'll know the difference.
 
Yes defiantly, I had a bates saddle on my tb which I loved hacking in but used to fall off pretty much every week.... Changed the saddle as it started rubbing my horse and I stopped falling off! Turned out it was pushing me forwards tho whole time, that combined with my naturally flopped forwards seat and sharp little tb meant I didn't have a chance! Try a few, and find one you feel secure in :)
 
Unfortunately it isn't as easy as just "trying a few" a standard gullet measurement here is 32, and Blitz needs a 38 - which is how I ended up with a Wintec Wide in the first place :/ Nothing else "off the shelf" will fit, and I don't really want to pay for M2M (or 3000€) for a saddle as he's only been ridden for 2 months at the moment, and will no doubt change shape quickly.
 
You could look at the FlexEE saddles - these come with a standard range of gullets but they can also take the Wintec Wide ones for very wide horses or they can be used without the gullet completely. There is a group on Facebook and everybody is really helpful with their advice :)
 
Have to say, if I were in your position (which would make me feel a bit despondent and isolated!) I'd look into wow saddles because you can fit and adjust them yourself if you are confident. Accept that this may not be practical but the team at wow HQ are helpful and good at thinking outside the box IME.

Would blow the budget if you had to buy new rather than second hand but it would probably deal with all the shape changing quite well. I sold one of my wows to Germany so assume they have a presence elsewhere in Europe. Worth a think?
 
I used to have various T4s/T6s for my flat backed cob. They fitted well and were ok. Then I got a complete bargain GFS haflinger XCH. It has an adjustable gullet, although seems very forgiving in fit, despite him muscling up, it still fits, with the addition of some flock, which it might have needed anyway as it was brand new and bedding in. I LOVE it! Its so comfortable and makes me feel so stable. Might be worth looking on ebay for a second hand one? If you get lucky you might find one for the £400 mark second hand, and if for some reason it doesn't fit, it will hold its value to sell on :)
 
I had one for 3 months and it broke my horse lol i could never sit in it properly either. They are not for the larger equine.
 
Yes!

I bought a Wintec for my horse who came back from loan, he has a teenage sharer and the tack room at the yard isn't as secure as I'd like so it made sense to get something cheap and cheerful. It fits him a treat too.

However I rode him in it yesterday and its bloomin' awful! I tried to jump a little fence but it just felt like it got in the way. Thankfully my other horses jump saddle fits him so I'll use that for now.

In your situation I'd look at a Flexee or Phoenix treeless, or similar.
 
The "wrong" saddle can make riding correctly and securely virtually impossible. Unfortunately i am yet to find a dsg saddle that does what I want from a riders perspective whilst also fitting my horse, so I have gone for something that works for him in the hopes I will eventually get to grips with it. The net result is the dsg saddle stays on the rack and we do all three phases at events in a sj saddle! Good luck with your search, its hard enough here with saddlers and fitters on tap so I can only imagine how difficult it is for you
 
Buying a saddle from the UK is fine; however ensuring it fits correctly would be another issue. Also there is still the issue of it being comfortable for me to ride in :/
 
Casey76 said:
Buying a saddle from the UK is fine; however ensuring it fits correctly would be another issue. Also there is still the issue of it being comfortable for me to ride in :/
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Getting it to fit the horse isn't an issue - however I do understand that you need to try a saddle to make sure it fits you as well.

I haven't had a saddle fitter out in years and years, I send off a template and the saddler alters it to fit the horse.
 
What a pain! I see your point, would a Kent and masters be an option? I was shown one the other day and it looked super comfy and you could put the same gullet width in that you have at the moment?
 
Is it because the twist is too wide? If so, you could try a HM hipsaver (have never used one but they are supposed to make the twist narrower).
Padd will send someone out to fit saddles and they stock a few different brands, or have you tried the different brand representatives may be?
(if you bought the Wintec at Padd you might be able to bring it back and exchange for something else or get a voucher).
 
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webble said:
Agreed they are horrible things

A flexee might be a good option for you or maybe a barefoot?
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It's a bit over dramatic to say to throw it away really. Isabell Werth has apparently competed to olympic level with a Wintec saddle, the same can't be said for those treeless saddles.

The saddle has to fit both the horse and the rider however, and as I understand it the width of the twist can be very important when a petite rider is riding a wide horse.
 
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I've not seen the Wintec Wide fit anything properly, usually fitted too wide they are seldom fitted in balance and this is probably your issue. Try rebalancing it with a wedge of gamgee etc, will feel better for you but probably even worse for the horse.
 
Casey76 said:
Buying a saddle from the UK is fine; however ensuring it fits correctly would be another issue. Also there is still the issue of it being comfortable for me to ride in :/
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I can imagine it's pretty stressful not having the support in another country. Have you thought about treeless at all? I have a solution native saddle for my very wide cob and it really is excellent. I have a fitter who can come out, but also it's very easy for me to adjust myself and sometimes i just call or email the fitter/solution saddles office to ask for advice and its always been pretty easy to resolve on the phone. Now that i've had it a little while i'm pretty confident about making all the changes as and when my horse changes (the never ending battle of his yo-yo dieting). I'm sure they'd be able to help you in the same way. They're super comfortable for the rider too, and you can make sure of this by trying different knee blocks etc.
 
Absoutely agree about the width of the twist being important. I' another who wouldn't really entertain a Wintec,, except as a very interim measure.
I have 3 x wide horses, all with flat backs 7 big shouders, I can buy an X wide Ideal or Jeffries and know it will fit them. For my particularly short coupled horse I have a Wow.
Could you get a template done & try for an Ideal, if you were able to get one 2nd hand they hold their value, so you could sell on if no good.
 
Saddles can make a huge amount of difference.

My back is the best it has ever been and has improved dramatically since changing from a Bates to an Equipe.

No diss to the Bates I'm just very petite and have a dodgy back. Fig improved straight away with the saddle change too.
 
I have to say that I'd be thinking treeless as well. If something like a barefoot would suit then you should be OK.
 
Why don't you phone saddles direct and ask them? I think you can send them a template (for a fee probably) and they will suggest what to try.

The bottom line is you are unlikely to get anything cheap and cheerful in your situation. However if you buy something decent you will be able to resell without losing too much, maybe trade it back into saddles direct or another company of their ilk. Yes it will cost more than the wintec but if it's that bad it's not worth having anyway.

Either that or what about one of those Ghost saddles in the short term. I rather fancy one of them as a spare/beach saddle. If your horse is only in light work, it might be the thing to use just now.
 
I haven't read all the comments so this may have already been suggested but maybe try a seat cover like the gel ones? no point trying bates as they are exactly the same.
 
hi second the hip saver, it is a pad that goes on top of the saddle and this gives you a smaller twist which will be easier to sit on, it can work well
 
equi said:
Its a Wintec...throw it in the bin :)
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At the risk offending the Wintec devotees, I agree entirely.

I had a Wintec Wide on my cob; I'd had two opinions who said it fitted OK, but frankly it was the most uncomfortable, and unstable, saddle I've ever ridden in. It had a nasty habit of rolling from side to side at a whim, and put me so wide that it caused me intense pain in my lower back and hips area.

In desperation I took some measurements (using an old cardboard box!) of my boy's back; and bought a nice little Lovatt & Ricketts GP at a horsey car-boot for fifty quid, the saddle fitter came out and pronounced that yes it fitted, with a few tweaks, re-flock etc.

I also ride treeless. Personally I find that Tree Free saddles (Viking Saddlery)'s saddles are the best I've ever tried: I ride in both their Exmoor saddle and I've just bought one of their new GP "Tor" prototypes". Bliss!! These saddles have a narrower twist than normal treeless saddles, feel super to ride in even on longer rides, and there is more than adequate protection and support for both horse and rider. You can trial one for fifty quid for a week :) Perhaps this would solve your problem OP??
 
My horse is very wide with huge shoulders. I had an xxw Barnsley saddle that fitted her but not me, it was flat on top, and I just perched on it and as I have short leg I also got hip pain as the twist was so wide.
My saddler thought about the problem and bought a Kent and Masters Pony Jump saddle to try. It takes the widest bars (silver) as designed for round ponies, has a narrow twist designed for kids but as it is fairly forward cut the 16.5 seat is ample for an adult bottom. Being a smaller saddle the forward cut flaps don't interfere with her shoulders.
It is very secure and from day one I sat in it non just on it.
It probably wouldn't suit anyone with long legs/thigh bones.
 
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