Synthetic Saddles...

You Wont Forget Me

You Wont Forget Me

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Whats your views/experiances with synthetic sallde???


ive always had leather but im now considering getting my first dressage saddle and found a really nice, synthetic one thats within my budget so just want to know what you think of them

thanks
 
As long as it is a well known make as you would be horrified to find out what is in the flocking of some of the cheap makes :eek:

I love my wintec dr saddle

In the past I have had very expensive made to measure and am still happy enough with this:D

Also have the kent and masters jump saddle again love it
 
I always used to hate synthetic saddle but since using the wintec isabell I absolutely LOVE it and also the thorowgood's I like. Don't like the Wintec GP though.
 
With synthetic saddles, make sure you find a good, well known brand (if you're unsure there's a lot of reviews on different saddles on the internet) and I would go for an inter-changeable gullet personally.
 
I have just bought a Thorowgood griffen dressage saddle and I'm very impressed with it. Very comfortable and light weight, fits my horse well.

Also have a Thorowgood jump saddle, GP and the kent and masters version of the T4 PC saddle. They have all been fab saddles. :)
 
What do they put in the flocking? When I had a synthetic the saddler said it was chopped up recycled fabric and showed me some of it. The saddle was fine and actually more comfortable than the leather one I have now!
 
Personal preference and what suits you at the time i suppose.

The only things i do hate about them is that the girth straps can be so rigid!
It's hard to find synthetic stirrup leathers (obviously not essential), currently i have dark brown leathers on my griffin.

Sometimes i miss the polishing of it (don't ask me why!), but oher times eg in the rain i'm glad it's not leather. For shows it's one less thing to worry about, but they do look less smart for sure when showing!

Also don't get why people say they need a cheap saddle, and buy a "bad" brand saddle- why wouldn't you just get a better branded 2nd hand synthetic for same price?
Adjustable knee rolls on my thorowgood are a bonus too.
 
I must add, when we first bought our welsh cob she came with a synthetic saddle that we all took one look at thought 'oh dear'. Once upon a time it must have been red fabric with black leather. It was now a pinky faded colour, had rips and some of the foam exposed. But it was the comfiest saddle I've ever had the pleasure of sitting on :D And it had obviously been well used for many years. Don't know if the leathers had been replaced etc but it was still in excellent working order.
 
animal said:
Also don't get why people say they need a cheap saddle, and buy a "bad" brand saddle- why wouldn't you just get a better branded 2nd hand synthetic for same price?
Adjustable knee rolls on my thorowgood are a bonus too.
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Ahh dont worry its not a cheap and nasty un-named saddle off the internet, it is a genuine saddle maker and isnt really cheap just cheaper than new leather ones, just never experiance synthetics and really can afford a leather right now and refuse to but a saddle second hand from personal experiances.
 
I have a Wintec Pro dressage saddle and I love it - more importantly, so does M. It fits him well, has an interchangeable gullet if we need it and is light and flexible.

We hack, school and jump in it. When he's not off work :mad: (Long story :()
 
My horse made the decision for me, I wanted a nice shiny soft leather saddle and I'd been saving up, but when the saddler came he went best in the Wintec, personally, I don't like the way the stirrup bars are designed, but the horse likes it, it's comfy enough and I didn't mind a bit when it went in the sea!
 
Thanks for posting I'd like to know this too :)
Might have to get the bleddy welsh thing a new saddle and thought i'd go for synthetic saddle as it'll be much lighter than her current leather saddle that may not fit anymore..
Personally would like a 'leather look' thorowgood saddle, are they any good ? :)
 
while i love the look and feel of leather, I have bought Wintec saddles for my kids, as I could not justify paying double the cost for leather. ( We have 7 Wintec saddles).

I did have a leather dressage saddle which was an Aintree, my first saddle I bought myself when I started working, unfortunately, after I had paid for it to be reflocked and girth straps replaced, (many years later), another saddler pointed out to me that it had a twist in the tree and that it was causing a problem for my horse.

I like the Wintecs because they are light, easy to clean, the adjustable gullet, and I think if you get assistance fitting them, then they are comfortable for horse. I have had no issues re horse being uncomfortable in them.

I do think they are value for money BUT if I had unlimited funds, or if we were hacking people, I would go for leather saddles (still with adjustable gullet though).
 
Sorry YWFM, my comment wasn't aimed at you- just people who would rather buy a £100 leather saddle, just because it's leather- thinking it will be at all good for their horse's backs!
 
I have not been a fan of synthetic saddles. However, got a wintec for our pony, and its heen fab and being able to adjust the tree as she has changed shape has been brill. Althou have had to buy new gullet, thats cheaper than another saddle. As for cleaning, quick wipe over and its done! I did have the girth straps changed to leather thou as they seemed to split quickly. I have also recently purchased a saddle co working hunter saddle for my high withered older lad. It is part leather and part synthetic,am really impressed with it and his behavior and movement has improved no end since he's been in it. Again,it has an adjustable tree so if he changes shape thro age or work,the saddle can be altered, but this does have to be done by your saddler,unlike the wintec which you can do yourself.
 
Love mine :D I've got the GFS gensis APX, it's comfy light, adjustable, the Boy seems to like it too :D I paid extra and went for synthetic suede as I don't like the look of some of the synthetic leather ones, wasn't disappointed and I love the fact it's easy to clean, the only bit sI do clean are the stirrup leathers and girth as they are leather not synthetic :)

I've also ridden in Wintecs and been very comfy even if the saddle was a bit big for me :)
 
I have a dressage wintec and am very happy with it, got it second hand in great cond. I use this all the time though and have also been looking at the optimus. I am going to get the optimus puissance gp synthetic for £249. They dont have stock until end of september tho :-@ I have read good things about it! Havnt seen the dressage saddle yet but id imagine it would look nice as the gp ones look nice!
 
china said:
I have a dressage wintec and am very happy with it, got it second hand in great cond. I use this all the time though and have also been looking at the optimus. I am going to get the optimus puissance gp synthetic for £249. They dont have stock until end of september tho :-@ I have read good things about it! Havnt seen the dressage saddle yet but id imagine it would look nice as the gp ones look nice!
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Ooh let me know what you think of it??
 
I'm glad I found this thread, I was going to start one asking about the wintec 500 GP, anyone have one, my barnsby got pinched and I can't afford to replace it, I only hack/beach rides etc, my horse is 32

I fancy the brown 500, my saddler is looking for a leather one for me, he's supposed to have found me one, but if that doesn't fit I'm seriously considering the wintec, I've never been a lover of synthetic saddles, but they look so nice now its hard sometimes from a distance to tell the difference. I dont' wan the suede seat though, and not sure between the cair or flock ?
 
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