Wintec Close Contact Saddle...

[aldato_daz]

Hey all...

im looking to buy a new saddle. i have a stubben GP one at the mo but its quite knackered. il probably only get maybe £170 for it. because it was the only really good saddle i have im keen to get another very good saddle however as im still a skint student theres no hope in hell of me ever being able to buy a brand new stubben saddle!!!

i dont think i wont a second hand saddle again...a new one would be nice. so because i cant spend that much and after dreaming about a new stubben or maybe a new bates i have come across the Wintec Close Contact saddle. on equestrian clearence its selling at £273, which is good but what i want to know is am i down grading a hell of a lot or is this saddle good?? im no huge competitor however i like having nice tack and i will be doing a few shows with my 5yo soon.

has anyone on here used the wintec close contact saddle?? if so what do you think of it? is there any other cheap saddles out there that are good quality and comfortable??

thanks for your help!!

Carrie x

 

[vivhewe]

I have a Wintec 2000 and it looks good and is really comfortable. When it's on it doesn't look synthetic or, god forbid, cheap! I've done turnout with it as well as equitation, SJ, and it's used every day and I love it! I havent buggered it yet either which is a bonus!

I'd really recommend the 2000 and I'm sure the close contact one isn't much different so it should be good!

 

[JoBo]

Don't have the close contact (however I'm working on it), but do have both the Wintec GP and the Wintec Dressage saddles for Otto. Love them both, however I would have it fitted as they don't suit every type e.g my cob.

I have heard good things about the Close Contact though!

 

[Saber]

[ QUOTE ]
however I would have it fitted as they don't suit every type e.g my cob.


[/ QUOTE ]
I would second that... I have the wintec close contact and the dressage saddle, I do love them but are having to sell them both. They just don't fit my tb, she's not exactly a skinny thing, lol. Even the white gullet is to narrow for her. I thought they might fit my new horse, but again they are just too narrow, the new mare is a cleveland bay. I don't know if this is very common or people just fit saddles too narrow these days? But it does say 'fits all horses' so I don't know? I would recomend them for quality, they don't look synthetic once they're on either. And I don't feel guilty riding in the rain in the wintecs, I've now bought a thorowgood cob saddle, fits my mare better, and I have to admit that with the soft seat it is comfier for me.
I think it comes down to choice. I've owned two close contact wintecs, one was for my welsh sec D who I competed with. They are really good, it just comes down to fit. So if you can either trial one or get a fitter, it will be worth it.

Good luck with your saddle search.
Oh and you asked wether it was a downgrade from a good leather close contact. Nope I wouldn't say so. I've recently sold my Albion K2 jumping saddle, which again doesn't fit the tb. I bought it new and wouldn't say I noticed much of a difference between it and the wintec.

Anyway... good luck.

Rain

 

[KatB]

They feel no different to the Bates close contact (the leather version) Nice saddle for the money, and seem to fit things well.

 

[flyingfeet]

I have owned both Wintec and Bates Close Contact

I preferred the Bates, as didn't like the occasional static you get from the wintec, also the wintec seat was just slightly harder.

However the wintec was fab for my youngster and saw him through from a x-wide to medium gullet. Interestingly the wintec also fit my horse slightly better than the Bates (they should be identical).

I have now moved on to WOWs, which are causing me more problems than the wintec / bates ever did!

 

[Blizzard]

Ive had a bates and a wintec for my mare and both slipped terribly, Ive heard this is very common with these saddles on Natives though.

 

[johnsongreyhorse]

I have a Wintec GP and Wintec Dressage and very happy with both, hope that helps

 

[Emily99]

tried a horse in a Wintec Pro i think it was or a wintec CC.. loved it, they had the big round knee blocks on it and it held my leg really nicely!!

 

[wvfoxylady]

Hiya I had a dalesx.Was riding him in a fieldhouse pro-event it was worth about £300.00 and I fancied a change.Got into jumping so rang my saddler and asked her to fit a close contact saddle, told her I had my fieldhouse and an additional £600 to spend to get a decent saddle for jumping. So out she came and tried a couple on then fitted him with a wintec close contact with the cair panels in.I loved it and so did my horse.I was really surprised as Ive always gone for leather saddles in the past.Cost me nothing as she swopped my fieldhouse for it. x