Wintec Saddles ..

[tonitot]

I'm thinking of getting my girl a GP Wintec saddle with a changeable gullet. My plan is to buy a relatively cheap one off eBay as I roughly know what size I'm after and then get a saddler out to make sure it fits, if not I'll just sell it on. I can't spend a fortune on a saddle for her and as she is only 4 it makes sense to get a changable one.

My questions are, are they comfortable to ride in? I've ridden in a Wintec Isabelle Werth dressage saddle and found that comfortable but are the GP saddles just as comfy? Also, how well do they generally fit horses? Are they easy to fit to horses or are there any problems commonly found with fitting them? Any advice will be gratefully recieved

PS - Please don't shoot me down for getting a saddle before checking it fits I wont ride her in it until it's fitted by a proffesional saddler

 

[Meandtheboys]

Personnally I have 3 - all with cair and adjustable gullets ( 2 GP / 1 Close contact )...........just brilliant for riding babies in, never had a problem.

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

I did, what you are planning got the saddle, got the saddle fitter etc worked out fine. The saddle is comfy, not particularly happy with the way it influences my position i.e seems to push legs forward - or I could just be blaming the tools! But for a youngster changing shape they are fine.

 

[ex racer rider]

I have a wintec gp and yes its comfortable, I have one because of my tb mare changing shape as she progressed and generally no problems as such but make sure not to cross thread the screws/bolts when changing the gullet

 

[1Lucie]

My loan horse had a gp wintec cair and it was very comfortable for me and soo easy to clean. So comfortable i decided i would like one for my boy.

I phoned up numerous master saddlers, allof whom refused to fit one! Everytime i asked why and they all told me the same. That they are bad for horses back and fit very few horses properly! So i decided against it.

 

[tonitot]

Brillaint Was very scared to post this incase I got stampeded for buying a saddle without checking it fitted first

Pushing the leg forward would bother me actually as my leg seems to go back and tips me forward so the saddle could actually help me!

Will have to get someone who knows how to change gullets to show me what to do as I know nothing about cross threading bolts etc! Hopefully saddle fitter will help me with that one

 

[Magnetic Sparrow]

I love Wintecs, but not all horses are Wintec-shaped!

 

[tonitot]

Is a 15.2hh 4yo TB who is about narrow/medium Wintec shaped?

 

[Magnetic Sparrow]

Dunno, mate, I've got a cob and a hunter type!

Seriously it seems to be front/back balance that doesn't work for some horses. Try it and see, the saddler will advise, and if you have to sell the saddle again then you are no worse off.

 

[tonitot]

Ah I see, well we'll just see how it goes Payday on Monday so will set about buying one then

 

[SophieLouBee]

Terrible. Unless your horse is sway backed. Poor fit on most horses, puts you in an awful position. There is a reason why saddlers will not fit them, because they don't fit! I got one for my youngster, it didn't fit in any way shape or form, he was simple med fit too.

Get an adjustable Thorowgood instead.

 

[Teeni]

I was about to suggest getting a Thorowgood instead.

 

[Phoebe+Sophie]

I second getting a Thorowgood. My mare is a very challenging fit no withers, sway backed, slim shoulders, wonky, wide barrel which narrows to a point and extremely croup high = 12.3hh and a half at the wither, 13.2hh at the rump. And with a prolite pad a pony club(adjustable)thorowgood fits! I love them!

 

[galaxy]

Wintec saddles have been totally redesigned in the last year or so. One of my clients just bought a new 16" pony saddle and I am INCREDIBLY impressed with it. It is not at all banana shaped, the panels are wider than they used to be and softer too. Doesn't move or bounce at all, even when being lunged without a ride. A first in my experience for synthetic saddles. It is also designed really well for a pony, with 4 straps and nicely straight cut. Fit little jockeys as well as larger ones.

So impressed. Massive thumbs up for wintec!!

(as a ps, I HATE thorowgoods. I've seen a fair few with clients, and I think they are so badly designed for riders. Give no support and can put people in a horrible position)

 

[tonitot]

Hmm, I had a Thorowgood Maxam for her before and absolutley hated it, its wasn't very comfy at all! Are there other types of Thorowgoods that ARE comfortable?

I've just seen a Norton saddle on eBay .. I've never heard of these before but they look quite nice, what are they like?

 

[Loulabelle007]

I had one and found it absolutely awful.

I have a roly poly cob and it slipped terribly. Cue exit stage right on several occasions

It was horrible on my bony bum as well, not comfortable at all.

I did ride with a thorowgood and thought it was much more comfortable....

 

[tonitot]

I had one and found it absolutely awful.

I have a roly poly cob and it slipped terribly. Cue exit stage right on several occasions

It was horrible on my bony bum as well, not comfortable at all.

I did ride with a thorowgood and thought it was much more comfortable....

Ooops I have the bony bum issue too! Gah, I hate all this saddle business, would be much easier if I could just buy my race exercise saddle that I use at work and often nick to ride Ethel in. Not much good at shows though as its bright yellow .. people would stare

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Is a 15.2hh 4yo TB who is about narrow/medium Wintec shaped?

My sister's tb has got a Wintec VSD 500 when he first came to us he was in a black, narrow, now he has changed shape and is in a blue plate, meduim. make sure to get the saddle fitter to take it apart to make sure it hasn't got anything, like pads in the wrong places, hidden in it. when we got or tb his bates from our saddle fitter it had a screwed pad in one of the shoulder pockets that cause pressure points and it was also too long.....he is 16'2 and the saddle was 17 1/2 inch but he has a very small rib cage and needed a 17inch, so be carefull.


xxxx

p.s i love wintec

 

[hcm88]

I personally find them really uncomfortable, but that may just be my preference. Very easy to clean and perfect for growing horses but not something I'm happy to be riding in for long periods of time every day!

 

[Stacey6897]

I started Mike in a Wintec, but it's old and has started more than one baby horse, was beginning to look old, so when he was all grown up I saved up for a nice fancy leather saddle, I was looking forward to the buttery soft leather and saddlesoap, but when the saddler came out the only one that he didn't buck in was the Wintec (sigh) but for once my beastie is saving me money

 

[Barleyboo]

A master saddler recommended a Wintec for my boy as he said the rate he was growing I'd be replacing a leather one in six months (and I only had a small budget). I was a bit dubious but I've been very pleased with how comfortable it is and four years later have found no need to replace it as was my original intention. Mind you, it's gone up by 4 width fittings and is now on widest so he'd better not grow any more! We did have a slight problem this summer with it slipping as he is now a very barrel-like cob but we had an extra girth strap put on which solved it completely.

 

[sbloom]

I don't fit synthetic saddles but from whet I've seen, and heard from fellow fitters, Thorowgood make much more sense in therms of fitting the horse, no idea about the rider. As someone said, a changeable gullet does not mean that the range will fit every horse, or that a given saddle can always be adjusted to fit a given horse. Do read this before making your decision, this is why I've not come across a Wintec yet that fits by my definitition:

http://saddlefitter.blogspot.com/2011/09/changeable-gullets-details.html

 

[AngieandBen]

From another angle;

I love my Wintec, I have arthritis and I find it not only a lot lighter than others, Its easy for me to keep clean, I've had it for ten years now and I still find it very comfy It gets checked every year and the only thing I've had to do is change the gullet once as pony has lost weight Said pony has never bucked, span, bolted so all is well with me!

 

[tonitot]

Thanks everyone I think I might get one, if it fits then happy days, if not I'll sell it and look into a different make I'm not keen on a Thorowgood as my last one was awful but if it's what I end up having to get then I will

 

[Paddy Irish]

Thanks everyone I think I might get one, if it fits then happy days, if not I'll sell it and look into a different make I'm not keen on a Thorowgood as my last one was awful but if it's what I end up having to get then I will

Just a footnote to OP , I've just ordered a wintec , had a saddler out to fit and check size , a medium fits PI like a glove so I've ordered a brand new one as i'm not sure about 2nd hand and wether it would have moulded into the shape of another horse? Anyway go with your gut , a saddle doesn't have to be forever and i'm sure at some point i'll probably go back to a leather one ( got mine for sale and i'll miss it cos it was beautifully comfy for me but doesn't fit ned perfectly any more ) but needs as must , i need to be able to carry it out to the field ( quite a long way ) so i'm taking the plunge!

 

[tonitot]

Just a footnote to OP , I've just ordered a wintec , had a saddler out to fit and check size , a medium fits PI like a glove so I've ordered a brand new one as i'm not sure about 2nd hand and wether it would have moulded into the shape of another horse? Anyway go with your gut , a saddle doesn't have to be forever and i'm sure at some point i'll probably go back to a leather one ( got mine for sale and i'll miss it cos it was beautifully comfy for me but doesn't fit ned perfectly any more ) but needs as must , i need to be able to carry it out to the field ( quite a long way ) so i'm taking the plunge!

Thanks It will definately not be a forever saddle, she's only 4 so still has some growing to do and once she stops growing I will buy her a brand spanking new leather saddle This one will just be to last us another 2-3 years until I've saved up enough money for a really nice one. Also Ethel is quite sensitive and I think a light saddle would be best for her

 

[Clava]

I'm thinking of getting a Wintec Wide for my haffy, anyone have any experience of those?