[Horseychick94]

Okay, so here is the deal. I am selling my 3 english saddles (2 have sold so far) and I REALLLLY want a wintec. I am looking at small shows, training my horse, some jumping (probably nothing over 3 or 4 feet), and riding other horses. I have heard some bad and good things about the Cair panels and am very confused about whether I should get a saddle with it or without it. I need an 18" seat with the gullet system and it needs to be BROWN. I want one of the New generation wintec all purposes and think I will get this one.
Wintec | All Purpose
If I get enough $$$ I want this one
Wintec | All Purpose

Will the straighter wintec tree fit my horse ?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000685371655#!/photo.php?pid=354417&id=1637795866

To CAIR or not to CAIR?

Will an 18" be large enough for me? (the saddle in the pic is a 17")
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000685371655#!/photo.php?pid=603471&id=1637795866

 

[luvs2ride1979]

Your Facebook links aren't working for me. Can you load your photos here?

Some horses do well with the CAIR panels, some do not. The nice thing about the wool flocked panels is you can have them adjusted by a saddle fitter should you need to. Personally, I prefer wool flocked panels.

 

[Horseychick94]

here are the pics

 

[luvs2ride1979]

You look about my size and I require a 19" English saddle. I could not comfortably fit in to an 18" AP saddle. I would try one on your horse and ride in it and see if you're comfortable. You should have at least 3 fingers of space between the back of your bum and the top/back edge of the cantle. You also want about 2-3 fingers of space between the front edge of the pommel and the front of your pelvic bone.

I wish they made Wintecs in a 19", at least the AP model, but alas, they do not. Bates newer APs come in a 19" and you can find them used on occassion. Stubben, Crosby, and Courbettes also come in 19". The Courbette Optima even comes in a 20", by special order .

 

[Horseychick94]

I was comfy in that saddle tho. I might just go with an 18

 

[StormyBlues]

Firstyly, if you want to jump YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SADDLE THAT FITS YOU! I learned this the hard way. My wintec AP does NOT fit me, I require a 17.5", and was riding in a 17, and that saddle throws me WAYYY off blanace. Secondly, I would go for an actual jumping saddle, NOT an AP. They disable you from properly getting your leg up underneath your body enough to do more than 2'6" stuff. I'm an eventer, and so I have to have a very secure, strong seat, and my wintec doesn't allow me to do that. I would firstly talk to a saddle fitter, they can help fit both you and your horse, and help you find the right saddle. Also, the cair ins't that bad, but I would perfer wool flocking, so it can be ajusted. And the wintec material is hard to deal with also. AND the saddles really arn't that comfy either.

 

[Horseychick94]

I am only doing recreational jumping and very very small shows (mostly western) so will an AP be ok?

 

[StormyBlues]

here are pics of me jumping 2'7" in my wintec, see how my theigh can't get the proper position because the saddle doesn't fit?

 

[StormyBlues]

Again, proper fit is key to doing anything with jumping

 

[Mercedes]

There are two Wintec AP's...the 500 and the 2000. Completely different saddles...night and day....apples and oranges.

The 500 has a deeper seat and a wider twist. The 2000 is the opposite...flatter seat with a much narrower twist.

The saddle in my avatar is the Wintec 500...as you can see, a rider is more than capable of sitting correctly in the saddle. When I want to do flatwork, I lengthen the stirrups, when I want to jump I shorten them. I however, can not sit in a Wintec 2000 to save my life. The saddle absolutely does not fit my body build. I don't recall now, if that saddle is a 17" or a 17.5".

I do agree that to 'specialize' and go to a higher level, you need a dressage saddle for dressage, a jumping saddle for jumping and so on, but if the Wintec 500 or 2000 fits both you and your horse, it is a very good value and will get you started.

 

[StormyBlues]

The 500 is what I have, and it's absolute hell to ride in, espesially for jumping. I wouldn't buy another one to save my life. I feel very strongly about this, as you can probably tell lol

 

[Mercedes]

The 500 is what I have, and it's absolute hell to ride in, espesially for jumping. I wouldn't buy another one to save my life. I feel very strongly about this, as you can probably tell lol

LOL! Well no, of course you wouldn't. It doesn't fit you. That's entirely understandable.

We agree, the saddle has to fit horse AND rider, otherwise it doesn't matter if it's a Stuebben. :wink:

 

[StormyBlues]

very true

 

[Horseychick94]

These are the New Generation Wintecs. I read somewhere that the seat sizes measure larger than specified. if i went with a flatter seat, I could have an 18" ,right? Dont the flatter ones allow you to go smaller in the seat because they give you more room? That saddle in the pic is a 17". I have a deeper 17" than that one and it feels and looks a lot smaller than the flatter seated one

 

[Mercedes]

These are the New Generation Wintecs. I read somewhere that the seat sizes measure larger than specified. if i went with a flatter seat, I could have an 18" ,right? Dont the flatter ones allow you to go smaller in the seat because they give you more room? That saddle in the pic is a 17". I have a deeper 17" than that one and it feels and looks a lot smaller than the flatter seated one

Don't get too hung up on seat size...it will vary from model to model and make to make. There are other areas of the saddle that have to fit you as well...the twist, the billet length, the placement and thickness of the blocks...

The saddle has to fit your horse as well as you, and sometimes finding one that does both can be difficult task. Wintec would never be my first choice for a saddle, but hey, it fit my horse and it fit me, so that's the final factor.

Many years ago I fell in love with a Klimke dressage saddle, fit me perfectly, but it didn't come close to fitting the horse. I finally found a saddle that fit the horse, a Passier, and I absolutely hated it...it felt like I was swimming in a saddle made of concrete. I ended up having to go custom in that instance.

Take your time, and purchase wisely with your horse and yourself in mind, as well as your riding goals.

 

[StormyBlues]

Yeah, I wouldn't get hung up on what kind of saddle it is. I might have to end up getting a custom Black Country saddle if this Stubben doesn't work out well. I'd worry more on if it fits than if it's a certian brand.

 

[kitten_Val]

These are the New Generation Wintecs. I read somewhere that the seat sizes measure larger than specified. if i went with a flatter seat, I could have an 18" ,right? Dont the flatter ones allow you to go smaller in the seat because they give you more room? That saddle in the pic is a 17". I have a deeper 17" than that one and it feels and looks a lot smaller than the flatter seated one

Not always. My really deep A/P Collegiate is 17", flat CC Pessoa - 17.5. They are different brands of course, but I just meant size can differ.

Just wondering can you borrow it from someone just to try? Or just go to the tack store and try there?

 

[Horseychick94]

I only want a wintec because they are synthetic, I LOVE them, and I can change the gullets. I will be shopping around A LOT before I choose one

 

[Mercedes]

I only want a wintec because they are synthetic, I LOVE them, and I can change the gullets. I will be shopping around A LOT before I choose one

Changeable gullets is an over-rated thing. I've changed the gullet on my saddle once in 5 years and I only ever use the saddle on that one horse. It doesn't fit anything else I own, nor would it even if I swapped out gullets.

The synthetic factor is often times a positive, for sure...although, I don't like the grippy synthetic stuff.

 

[Horseychick94]

I ride different horses of different types.