Can you use the Wintec Easy Change Riser System in the old style Wintecs?

[Orchardbeck]

As above really, I'm taking my saddle to be potentially reflocked on Saturday, but wondered if these were worth looking in to. My mare has a bit of a dipped back with being out of work.

The saddle fitter wants to look at it first (a 500 dressage) but says they can really only do a generic reflock rather than bespoke due to it being synthetic - is that right? I think the current flocking is quite hard.

I have only sat the saddle on my mare a couple of times but like every saddle I have tried (and we're heading in to the 20's!) it bridges slightly in the middle. Is it worth adding extra flock in the middle, or using a corrective pad instead?

I've gone for the wintec due to the curvier tree - she could also do with the panels being more upswept but I don't see many changeable gullet saddles that have this panel shape. Would making the flocking softer in this area help with this?

 

[Orchardbeck]

Anyone?

 

[sbloom]

I dont' really fit Wintecs but will answer as best I can - I would imagine that the new system is not able to be retrofitted, best to ask Wintec themselves. Flocking - synthetics can have their flocking tweaked ie bespoke. I do find that because the panels are quite hard it is diffcult to get quite the same effect, and generally turn the work down, but it can be done ISH. If you lighten the flocking at the back it can be hard to maintain stability - you can't have such a nice sharp square shape to match the horse's back so the saddle can rock.

Generally beware of going too curvy - if the saddle lifts at the back in rising trot one option is that it IS too curvy and flocking can only do so much to correct that, and with the above adjusmtnet you'd make it worse, better to go for a smaller seat size though Wintec panels can be long which makes that hard. So many people go for a curvy tree to fit the stationary back, but the moving back needs a flatter tree.

 

[Orchardbeck]

Thanks SBloom, sorry I didn't return to the post til now so didn't know you had replied. That's handy to know, I didn't want to get my hopes up too much. I checked the prices of the Easy change kits in the meantime and they are rather pricy, it will be far easier using a pad of some sort.

I tried the saddle in question on my mare again yesterday and I think the width is ok (on xw!) and the overall saddle seemed a better fit as she has put weight on again, particularly behind the withers. But - it seemed better with a Lemieux Pro Sorb pad underneath to lift it all up - I guess her lack of topline means there is little muscle to fit properly, so the 'wide' part of her back meets the narrower part of the saddle in the wrong place if that makes sense. Is this normal in remedial fitting?

I haven't ridden or lunged her in this saddle (I'm pregnant at the mo and am not riding, plus the ground is too slippy) so I don't know as yet if it lifts at the back in trot. I want a saddle to fit for long reining as that is all we are really able to do at the moment, but it would be great if I could stop worrying about this - the less riding I am doing the more I stress out about it - stupid I know!