Potentially blonde question on Wintecs...

[~*sugarlump*~]

what's so bad about them?:o

i don't think i've ridden a horse in one, well i think perhaps that Jerome might have one.

so why do so many people dislike them?
are they bad fits? poor saddles?

sorry if this is abit blonde:p

SL x

[horsesforever]

If you do a search in Tack and Saddlery, PinksLady has explained in lots of detail a few times why they don't fit many horses well :D

[Joyscarer]

Funny you should raise this as I have just posted about this on another thread :D

For me it is the way that wintecs were sold as being albe to fit anything just by changing a gullet.

They don't fit anything and many forum members have been caught out by saddlers selling them one only to realise it has harmed the horse because it didn't fit the horse.

Have a read of this thread for more detailed information about why wintecs don't fit so many horses.

It's the Pink's Lady posts that have the detailed info in them and diagrammes to make it clear :)


http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133648

[Kazzie]

I dont't think there's anything 'bad' about them as such - it's just that they don't fit every horse.

[Dinsarsio]

i have a wintec for hacking and a leather one for showing.Everyone who i have spoken too reckon the wintec is the better one out of synthetics.Good for groowing horses too

[Joyscarer]

i have a wintec for hacking and a leather one for showing.Everyone who i have spoken too reckon the wintec is the better one out of synthetics.Good for groowing horses too

Must be a regional thing then because it's the Thorowgoods that rule down here. :D

[chev]

I have a Wintec. It fits some but not all of mine.

[CurlyWurlyRach]

in themselves, they're not all that well designed but not awful. The problem is that wintec say they will fit most horses and in reality, they only fit a minority of narrow horses.

The jumping, isabell dressage and cob wintecs are built differently to the GPs.

[JustJas]

Wintec 2000 fitted Peps my new forest x arab to perfection. It did not suit either Jazz the arab (too narrrow for her at the back- saying that no other saddle fitted her either so she has a made to measure VSD). Wintec 500 did not fit Kiz the cob either too narrow at gullet. Kizzy by fluke fits the Thorowgood endurance xxw with a small fish.

I really liked my 2000 on Peps as it was very comfy and fitted her as she changed shape. I was not impressed by the dressage or cob wide models- too cheap and nasty.

[eventerbabe]

First off, ANY fitter who sells you a wintec and purports them to fit any horse is a liar ;) there is NOTHING wrong with wintecs, my mum adores ours, but like ANY MAKE OF SADDLE they don't fit ALL horses. The gullet system only widens the front, so they won't fit everything and anything. I had hoped to keep our wintec for the youngster but he's so hopelessly wide we've had to buy him an XXW thorowgood. our 500 gp fit bonnie very well, i'd never seen her go so freely. i think this is why it's so important to get a good fitter who will try many different makes of saddle on your horse.

[Trio]

Must be a regional thing then because it's the Thorowgoods that rule down here. :D

no way!! wintecs beat thorowgoods hands down ;) :D
i eventually gave up trying to fit my wintec to archie and have had it redone for Jo as he's very easy to fit for saddles- he's very comfortable in it, its very light and easy to clean so they're not that bad! wouldnt recommend for a high withered lopsided horse though.

[shandy84]

First off, ANY fitter who sells you a wintec and purports them to fit any horse is a liar ;) there is NOTHING wrong with wintecs, my mum adores ours, but like ANY MAKE OF SADDLE they don't fit ALL horses. The gullet system only widens the front, so they won't fit everything and anything. I had hoped to keep our wintec for the youngster but he's so hopelessly wide we've had to buy him an XXW thorowgood. our 500 gp fit bonnie very well, i'd never seen her go so freely. i think this is why it's so important to get a good fitter who will try many different makes of saddle on your horse.

I agree with the above, my saddle fitter fitted one to my mare and damaged her back because of it.

I personally love thorogoods range :D

[Harlequin32]

I tried the wintec and the thorogood with my fantastic saddler and the Thorrogood won hands down- maybe a bit more expensive but worth every penny

[wanabe]

First off, ANY fitter who sells you a wintec and purports them to fit any horse is a liar ;) there is NOTHING wrong with wintecs, my mum adores ours, but like ANY MAKE OF SADDLE they don't fit ALL horses. The gullet system only widens the front, so they won't fit everything and anything. I had hoped to keep our wintec for the youngster but he's so hopelessly wide we've had to buy him an XXW thorowgood. our 500 gp fit bonnie very well, i'd never seen her go so freely. i think this is why it's so important to get a good fitter who will try many different makes of saddle on your horse.

Thanks for explaining that part. I couldn't understand why an adjustable-gullet system wouldn't adapt to every horse. :)

[k8_doran]

see my thread here...stay with it, its long but will answer your questions :D