Wintec 500 Dressage... what do you think?

[de_Stille_een]

Hey everybody--
Have any of you tried the Wintec 500 series Dressage saddle? It's their cheapest dressage saddle, made from their equileather, comes with the cair panels and easy change gullet system. I think it runs for around $500. What do you guys think? I used to ride in an Isabell (also from Wintec), which I loved-- for their price, I think the wintecs are well made and of decent quality. Has anyone ridden it? I'd appreciate any ideas you guys might have... thanks :o)
--Stille

[Pink's lady]

Lovely to ride in (roomier seat than the Isabell Werth saddles) and give you a lovely position, look nice and dead easy to care for. But like the whole 500 range they DON'T fit all horses - they have a very curved tree and the balance is pants if you're horse is much wider than a medium. They have a different design to the Isabells so even if that fits, the 500 might not.

[BecknSkye]

I've got one. I tried the Cair version which resulted in rodeo-style antics and much unhappiness, but the flocked version, properly fitted, works very well for my horse(I use a medium-wide gullet plate). It's not as 'locked in' as an Isabell, which is what I like because it makes it lots more comfortable for me to ride in all day. It doesn't hold you automatically positioned correctly, so some people find they can't ride in them.

[LMS]

Pink's Lady knows alot about the wintecs.

I've ridden either in the Pro or the 500 (it's suede all over) with regular flock and it's quite nice. I personally don't like suede though.

I have the all purpose 500 with regular flock & like it. Mind you I've yet to try it on my horse (I need the wide gullet), and 2 other people have tried it on their horse & they really liked it.

Sorry if I'm not much help.

[Tots N Dots]

I had one and it was really comfortable, I had to use a riser pad with it though to level it, horse was very very high withered, sold it not long ago to put the money towards a treeless but I would certainly have one again if it fitted my current horse.

[equestrian3241]

I have that saddle and I absolutely adore it. I got it about a year ago and it is just as comfy as the first day I got it. They hold up really well and I find that they are a really good choice of saddle because since they have the interchangable gullets, you can fit it to almost any horse so you won't have to buy a new saddle for every horse you ride! :)

[DITZ]

yes i;d recommend it too.

[Pink's lady]

because since they have the interchangable gullets, you can fit it to almost any horse

That is definitly not true! I'd say that my Wintec 500 doesn't fit a higher percentange than those it does. If they fit - fab, you can adjust for the horse over the seasons. But there are a LOT of horses that the saddle just isn't a good shape and design for.

[Cochise]

I like my 500 dressage. He goes pretty well in it. I had a sit in the Isabell in the shop, and felt really held in. I have a really bad sway back and get sore if held in a certain position for a long long time. The 500 lets me move a bit more.
But personally, I only bought a dressage saddle because I don't jump Cheeky anymore. My favourite Wintec was my 2000 GP. I miss it so much! Now, if I'm jumping Woody, I jump in a Bates, which is lovely. But we're talking dressage here... ;)
Um, yeah, he goes well in the 500. :)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/cheekystuff/main8.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/cheekystuff/main5.jpg

Sorry just had to post photos of the summer shows, because it's winter here and I felt like it. That's Cheeky and I in the 500 dressage. ;)