synthetic saddle advice ??????

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kezimac

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hi

my horse is going on loan - i have a fairly expensive dressage saddle - she is now going to be doing hacking, schooling low level dressage so i am planning on getting her a synthetic saddle to go on loan with her. I have looked at them and i like look of wintecs - what do ppl think????

have heard trees are banana shaped? are they - if so may not be what i after

her is pic of her back!!!!!

morephone020.jpg
 
tbh, if it were me, I'd send her with her current saddle if that's what fits her. You're right, Wintecs don't fit everything. Could you ask for a deposit on the saddle if you are really anxious about it? Or say they need to get their own fitted by a trusted saddler?
 
I had a throwowood, bought it new for over £200 sold it a year later for around £30, I had looked after it but is was compleatly rubbish. I have a wintec which I use breaking etc, and although you can change the gullets with some horses they don't fit at all. I bought mine 2nd in really good condition for £70. Beware of ebay for wintecs because people are willing to pay stupid money for them, although they are not bad (better than other brands) I still think they arn't as easy to clean as leather (stuff sticks to sweade ones and the leather grain stuff doesn't wipe v. well). I wanted a Wintec dressage saddle, looked for ages on ebay, ened up getting a english leather dressage saddle for £130 while wintecs where £250+. Mad! I personally think the new ones are really over-priced now as well.
 
well tbh her current saddle is a specialist dressage saddle with huge knee rolls, very set back stirrup bars and fits me well and i love it - but wont suit many people. was looking at a GP wintec wide as have been told they have flatter trees. she is a med wide - wide saddle.
 
hmmm that doesnt sound good.
she has got some withers as you can see - she is a barrie swain/ heather moffett rare st merrynn saddle at mo !! - no one prob heard of them! but it is slightly cut back pommel and wide gullet.
 
I am a Wintec fan and I would suggest talking to any local tack shops that sell s/h saddles. Ours usually have a few Wintec's and Thorowgoods and we have borrowed saddles to try for size before now.

As others have said, Wintec's are not cure all saddles and you would have to make sure that there was enough height at the pommel, as this is only adjustable by reducing the width which could then become too tight on the shoulders. Also the GP saddles are not cut back.

What height is your horse?
 
shes 15.3hh ID x TB she measures as a medium wide - her saddle is 8.75" bet d rings.

Will try local shops see what they have - need to def try before buy so to speak!! may get leather one if easier to fit as swain saddles fit her well and they come up on ebay and being near walsall i can get it altered by barrie.
 
OK, she's a little smaller than I imagined, that's good.

At 8.75" you are into Wintec Wide territory. My spare Wide is 8.75" D to D with the narrowest gullet fitted. Just for comparison, my OH's spare 2000 is 7" D to D with a medium gullet in.
 
NeilM said:
OK, she's a little smaller than I imagined, that's good.

At 8.75" you are into Wintec Wide territory. My spare Wide is 8.75" D to D with the narrowest gullet fitted. Just for comparison, my OH's spare 2000 is 7" D to D with a medium gullet in.
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so width wise the wintec wide would be good but if low on pommel would prob sit too low on withers.
 
someone i know has a shires adjustable synthetic they are going to let me try too? not sure what they like? was also thinking saddle company too
 
I had a Barry Swain HM St Merryns saddle! - seriously nice saddle but not great for jumping in ;)

A wintec 500 won't suit her flat loins - the outside edges of the panels will dig in as she's pretty flat across them.

The wintec Wide would suit her back profile and shape (they're a good fit on not-particularly wide horses but not great on flat natives) but she's too withered and they wouldn't give the support and lift at the front she needs - they don't suit anything with even a slight hollow behind the withers, which she looks like she has.

Incidently distance between the d-rings means jack s*£% when it comes to widths, since every saddle brand and model (and even within the same model) has the Ds in a different place.

Have a look at the thorowgood saddles instead. They are a far better design (and quality) that wintecs and fit far more horses. The older griffins and maxams had flaws but they've finally sorted them out with the newer T4 and T6 models and they are seriously good saddles. They also come with changable gullets. The standard T4/T6 (difference is in the material used) would probably suit her really well. She's no where need wide or flat enough for the cob saddle and she's not withery enough for the TB saddle.

Steer well clear of the Shires - they're ****! Esp the swivel hidged ones. Saddle company are nice saddles but you'd be better with a Thorowgood - same tree (initially the same guy!) but the new thorowgoods are easily adjustable gullets, unlike the SC which need a machine.
 
Kallibear said:
I had a Barry Swain HM St Merryns saddle! - seriously nice saddle but not great for jumping in ;)

A wintec 500 won't suit her flat loins - the outside edges of the panels will dig in as she's pretty flat across them.

The wintec Wide would suit her back profile and shape (they're a good fit on not-particularly wide horses but not great on flat natives) but she's too withered and they wouldn't give the support and lift at the front she needs - they don't suit anything with even a slight hollow behind the withers, which she looks like she has.

Incidently distance between the d-rings means jack s*£% when it comes to widths, since every saddle brand and model (and even within the same model) has the Ds in a different place.

Have a look at the thorowgood saddles instead. They are a far better design (and quality) that wintecs and fit far more horses. The older griffins and maxams had flaws but they've finally sorted them out with the newer T4 and T6 models and they are seriously good saddles. They also come with changable gullets. The standard T4/T6 (difference is in the material used) would probably suit her really well. She's no where need wide or flat enough for the cob saddle and she's not withery enough for the TB saddle.

Steer well clear of the Shires - they're ****! Esp the swivel hidged ones. Saddle company are nice saddles but you'd be better with a Thorowgood - same tree (initially the same guy!) but the new thorowgoods are easily adjustable gullets, unlike the SC which need a machine.
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yes my st merryns has HUGE blocks!!!! love it though.

thats a huge amount so useful info - thanks so much. I will def look at the thorowgoods then. thats fab thanks :)
 
I'd go with a Thorowgood, however just like any saddle, they don't fit all shapes and sizes so you must bare that in mind, but looking from the photo, you horse looks pretty straightforward.

I'd make sure you go for one with an adjustable gullet and fish system, because some don't come with the changable gullets, also remember that the TG saddles can be adjusted/re-flocked just like any other saddle and they do need to pan in and they do need re-flocking every 6 months or sooner, probably more so than your average leather saddle.

Also there are two types of GP, one which is more like a VSD, the other is more forward cut (it has a crease in the knee roll) if your wanting to jump then don't go for the straight cut design, however if your more into your flat work and dressage, then you'll prefer the straight cut type.

Personally, if you can afford a good second hand leather saddle then I think you'd be better off, if you think your horse will change shape (weight/muscle) more often then I'd go for a TG saddle, but they don't suit everyone and don't always do your position much favours neither, but again it depends if it suits/fits your horse well and equally yourself.
 
Another vote for Thorowgoods - I've had about 6 over the years, ranging from jumping to endurance, and have never had a problem with any of them. I started out with a narrow cutback pommel GP for my skinny high-withered TB and at the moment I have an extra-wide endurance saddle that fits my barrel-shaped Arab beautifully.

I broke said Arab in a Maxam which was ideal for that job but not as well made as the TGs.
 
Maxam's ARE thorowgoods ;) They're just the cheapest of the older range.

As Kenzo said, just make sure you get an new T4/T6 one, as the older versions don't have changable gullets (they had to wait till wintecs patent on the changable gullet ran out!). There slightly older models such as griffin don't have them either. They also aren't great for your position, as Kenzo said, but the new T4/T6 seem to have sorted it.

Incidently, if you are a sucker for nice english leather they do a full leather version, branded Kent and Masters.
 
Thanks for that tip about Kent and Masters saddles.I love my Thorowgoods but would like a really smart leather saddle for dressage comps (when funds permit).
 
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