opting for synthetic saddles (reluctantly) which one?

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EquestrianFairy

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my saddler has let me down so i'm having to opt to buy a second hand synthetic for the moment. I'm a leather girl myself but as its not an option and synthetics can be adjusted to suit plus they are on the cheaper budget for the moment- which one? I've been looking at the wintec 2000? Recommendations for all please
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I think the thorogoods are good, highly rated by my saddler. They're english made etc rather than the wintecs made in india.

There new range (T6 possibly?) looks just like leather (or at least it does in the ad's) but not sure how much you'd find second hand.

Not heard a lot of bad about the wintecs either though!
 
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what size and shape of horse is it for and what kind of stuff do you want to do in it??

[/ QUOTE ] its for a low withered, flat backed 15hh riding horse who is bum high and 6yo, wanted for hacking/hunting/jumping. Ideally just looking for it to 'do' until april of next year or thereabouts.
 
I'm happy with my Wintec 2000 with CAIR for a short backed, fairly low withered cob, though T isn't all that wide - he's on the medium/wide gullet at the mo after a summer of grass. It's fine, no probs with it and no complaints, it's maybe a smidgen too forward on the shoulder but doesn't effect him and I would struggle to find anything short enough on his back/not too forward on the shoulder that wasn't a dressage saddle. Have hunted, jumped, done dressage and ridden almost daily in it for 2 years.
 
I reluctantly went synthetic earlier on this year, I got a second hand wintec 500 for £70 on ebay. I'm quite fond of it now actually, I did plan to sell it when I had saved up enough to buy another leather saddle or when my jumping saddle finally sells! Now though i think i'll keep it as a wet day saddle. I was shocked about which gullet my mare needed with the 500 though I though she would be a med/wide(as was her leather saddle) or maybe a wide, but because of her flat withers she is in a x-wide, it's due a fit check about now, I'm wary with it in regards to fit so will have it checked regularly.
Hope that is of some help!
 
Just bought a Wintec Wide that amazingly, fits both my neds. Previously have used the Wintec VSD which was also good and have a redundant, hardly used wide Thorowgood T4 (I think) sitting in my tack room that I'd almost give away to make some space lol. Synthetics are really well built these days and their lightness is a real bonus for veteran neds.
 
Hi there,

I have am a leather person soo much , I have an older English leather saddle that i love , For jumping and shows etc , But I bought a Kincade Redi ride synthetic saddle , from Rideaway catalogue or online .I got one last year ,after paying £255 for a thorogood and disliking it immediately !! returned it then bought my kincade with caution just because it seemed a good deal at less that half the price , they are £120 approx, 16, 17 18 inches and medium and wide fittings . and it is fabulous !! all my friends who have ridden my horse with it has went and bought one themselves!!

So comfy , for me and the horse, shapes to fit any horse really , has adjustable , moveable velcro Knee pads that can be altered for good knee positions etc !! I use the synthetic for everyday riding , as its so good and i just give it a wipe over to clean .

They are quite a good looking saddle too , If you didnt like it , providing you kept it clean , u could prob return it within the week or so .

Happy saddle hunting!
 
If the horse is wide and flat, stay clear of the wintec 500/2000 (same tree and panels, different material) as they are TB saddles and really don't fit well on cobby types (despite plenty of incompetant saddlers fitting them
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). Tree's far too curved and panels too cambred. The gullet width is changable but that's it - the rest can't be altered and very often doesn't fit. Shame, as they're comfy to ride in (and ten a penny on ebay) !

I'd either got for a throwgood cob saddle (cheap and well designed and usually fit well) or a wintec Wide Cob saddle. The new thorowgoods are adjustable but more expensive. The wintec wides are about the same price new, but more readily avalible secondhand. The workmanship on the kincade and other similar saddles (Shires etc) is just appaling - squint panels, crap flocking, twisted trees etc are all pretty standard.

Stay clear of Cair - great if the saddle is a perfect fit, awful if it's not quite right (doesn't bed down, unlike flocking - it springs backing into it's 'non-fitting' shape everytime you stand in your stirrups)). Flocked wintecs are cheaper anyways
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Why not see if you can get ahold of the Wintec Cob saddle and a throwogood saddle to try them (maybe have a saddle fitter out, but take what they say with a pinch of salt!), then they know what size you're looking for second hand.
 
Sorry, I said 2000, meant 500 but was looking at your original post so wrote the wrong one, duh!
When do you need the saddle by? I don't suppose there's any way you can get me on Sunday and take me to your yard? That way you can try mine out if you like.
 
are you a member of manage my horse site? they are giving a saddle away today from al that nter the competiton . it s barnsby saddle and fitting and you choose it from the whole range series7 . they always have these competionns all the time and you win it the same day worht a go if you're a member!
 
Have ridden my mare (friesian x tb) in a wintec 2000 for 6 years now, the cair sysyem and gullet system are really user friendly. My horse had a bad back and i looked at leather and synthetics brands to find the right one. I would highly reccomend them. We had a Wintec 500 for our cob, a but wider in the shoulders, and again no trouble with this. And a wintec austrailian stock saddle for use with both the above and a shire, all saddles were comfy and good fits for the hors and the rider! Plus easy to clean and light. Would highly reccomend them.
 
thorowgood adjustable cob saddle has been fantastic on my 147cm flat back Haflinger and would thoroughly recommend it. 4th girth strap set back is great for stopping saddle slipping on the roly poly. can even get on from ground with no slippage :-)))))
 
Well thre is no denying that you get your moneys worth from them, I've had many and they have had some hammer, never fallen to bits neither, they get knocked off stable doors and thrown in my car boot (well maybe not thrown...but get the gist) and they dont really get marked.

I think both Thorowgood and Wintec do a nice selection, really depends on finding which one out of the two best fitting ones fits best.

Thorowgood ones tend to have a little more of banana shape tree, I find the wintec are a little flatter, either way be it leather or synthetic, I'd recommend you have it fitted, but yes there great saddles for all low level disciplines...apart from showing I suppose.
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