Wintec Saddles?

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Yazmin11

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What are your opinions on Wintec saddles? The pros and cons please :) Are they good for tb types and if not what saddles have you preferred over wintec? :)
 
I have used dressage and GP, both with and without Cair. I think they are cheap and cheerful. They do a job.

I prefer a traditional leather saddle, with calf skin as a saddle material, but it is not a fair comparison as the cost is so much higher!
 
love them and thorogoods too. they are light weight too compared to traditional saddles and if they get wet out hacking it doesnt matter. Dont need to clean them unless they somehow get full of mud.
 
They're good for thoroughbred type horses provided they are the usual thoroughbred shape ie curved back, not wide and a bit angular. If you happen to have a flat-backed, straight-backed or wide TB then get a thorowgood instead as wintec trees are too curvy on them.
 
I have been told by saddle fitter and physio not to use them as they are very narrow around hbthe spine. Also the above comments about them not fitting a flat back. If you put one on my horse in the correct width gullet it tips forwards as the tree is the wrong shape for her back.
Ps edited to add my horse is about 95% TB !
 
I was dead against a wintec (my place of work has a set of synthetic tack and leather for every horse) however... My growing youngster lead me down this road and I have to say it's the only thing that hasn't caused a problem, however I regularly change gullets due to weight gain or loss, and I have now bought an adjustable bates. However I will say I think they do not suit every shape and thorogood also make some brilliant alternatives. But it's always down to the horse your dealing with, I have known some awful wintec stories resulting in scars, but provided you have the knowledge or get things fitted with knowledge, things are fine. However, I bought mine second hand for a fair price on the intention of selling when I could afford/found something that I could afford, but I am
Firmly keeping it as a winter/rain saddle and my bates for nicer things. I have a NF x appy though so it depends on shape :)
 
They are fab, have them on my big shouldered tb, my elephant of a horse with a flat back and two others.

The only thing I would say is if you are getting Cair then get a wintec trained Cair saddle fitter out as they can be adjusted a lot more than people know
 
Like sitting on a plank , caused me terrible back pain and horse also didn't go well as shoulder was impeded, we are treeless and happy now, would never buy another wintec.
 
Wintec's (and Thorowgoods/other synthetic saddles) are a bit of a Marmite situation, you love em or you hate em.

My boy was on working livery, and had a Wintec, and developed a very sore back indeed. He is a very honest horse and started biting and snapping whenever this saddle was placed on his back.

I tried a Wintec on another horse, and it was a Wintec Wide saddle which is supposed to be for really wide cobs like mine. I was never happy in it. It rolled around like a ship at sea and was never stable, especially in fast work, an particularly in turning corners where it was frankly dangerous. I only used it as a short-term stop gap and hated riding in it as felt so insecure.

I tried a Thorowgood T4 on the same horse; as had heard that if a Wintec wouldn't fit then a Thorowgood just might do, but was so dammned uncomfortable in it after half an hour's riding that I had to get off :(

Synthetic saddles were an innovative idea, but designers need to work on the whole idea of removable gullets as they are the very worst thing for horses if they are a poor fit - and it is very difficult to achieve this. Also, the gullet size isn't the only reason these saddle's don't fit, it is the pommel to cantle curve that is so often the problem and this surely could be addressed.

The best thing to do with a Wintec IMO is to build a bonfire and chuck it on it. My physio says that she has seen way too many horses' backs totally ruined by Wintecs poorly fitted.
 
I used a Wintec GP when I backed my youngsters but as they had a 'curvy' back they fitted well enough. I like them on the youngsters as they are very light compared to a leather saddle. I like the Isabel Werth dressage and one of my horses who is working advanced is still in it.
 
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