Wintec gullets?

[Sarah1710]

Am I right in thinking that the widest gullet you can put in a Wintec VSD is the white XW gullet?

[Pink's lady]

Yes and no. The Wintec WIDE gullets (the purple one's) fit into a normal wintec saddle (right shape with holes in the right place) but then the balance is just rubbish (it's crap anyways with a white one in but even worse with a purple). The only time I could ever see it working is with a very broad but dipped back horse (else the saddle is just far too curved)

[Karie]

for really wide horses Wintec makes a wide series (saddle is made wide).

[Sarah1710]

Think this is the most recent pic I have of Flyer
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g308/S_L_B/Hosses2007/P5240018.jpg

As you can see from the pic he is rather, erm, rounded at the moment:o, his Wintec is now far too narrow. I can't work him enough to burn the weight off just now (vet's instructions - dodgy stifle), but once he is back in full work (who knows when) then hopefully we will be able to fit back into the XW. Is it worth buying the wider gullets to use temporarily or is that not a good idea?

[Pink's lady]

To be honest - I don't think you're ever going to get a wintec 500/2000 to fit. The panels will be too cambred (have a look at WillieLove's thread on 'does this saddle fit' and the tree too curved (more so when you make it wider).

If you like the wintecs, I would sell you're 500 and get a wintec WIDE Cob instead. They're still not prefect but the tree is less curved and the panels flatter and wider. They can take a red (wide gullet) too so would be fine for when he looses weight)

[Sarah1710]

His current saddle is a VSD, not a 500/2000, plus I can't sell it as I have him on full loan. The saddle belongs to his owner not me, which is why I was hoping it would be a simple case of buying a wider gullet to put inside the same saddle.

[Pink's lady]

The VSD is a 500 with longer flaps. Same stupid curved tree and tilted panels.

In which case you're best bet would be to get a wider gullet (the WIDE gullets are sold with the saddle only so you would have to look on ebay where people sometimes sell them indiviually) or have a white one bent outwards in a bench vice.

You will also need to get a front raiser to fix the balance. Get the width right (try the gullet directly onto his back) and the front will sit too low. A front raiser (£10-£15 off ebay) will sort that.

It's not ideal but the best you can do in the circumstances.

[Sarah1710]

Thanks PL, very helpful:). Already have a Wintec front riser pad (came with the pony;)), will see what I can find in the way of wider gullets.