Opinion On Wintec Saddles?

[Polopony20]

Hi Guys
So I’m starting to get more into trail riding and am currently riding my mare Paprika (Horse Tax pic below) in a borrowed older Wintec (one of the old colorful ones, an Isabella I think). I love how light it is, and its comfy, but I’ve grown up around the idea that Wintecs are bad for the horse and the rider or that they’re “fake out” saddles only good for kids.

I was looking at getting the Wintec endurance saddle but am not sure if it’s any good.

What’s your experience with them? What other saddle do you recommend? (For now, since I’m window shopping, disregard price)

Heres your horse tax

[Scribbler]

If a Wintec is genuinely the best fit available for you and the horse in your budget, then it’s a smart choice. But otherwise I would keep looking. I know there are people for whom it was the best choice and they defend them strongly. I just wouldn’t settle on it being your best choice until you’ve shopped around a bit.

[Texarkana]

Never used their endurance saddle, but I adore my 2 Wintecs: a Pro AP and a Pro Dressage.

They have held up wonderfully to regular use and my horse has never gone better. I have never received a deragatory comment about them from a judge or fellow rider. I have received lots of compliments from friends and trainers who get on my horse and go, “wow, your saddle rides really nicely and is comfy!” My one friend’s boyfriend, who is a longtime racetracker, goes, “that must be the most expensive saddle I’ve ever seen!” He had never heard of them and was basing that off comfort and the quality he perceived.

Yes, they are good. No, they are not “fake out” saddles. No, they are not just for kids and beginners. It’s unfortunate that these biases still exist. Like any saddle, it needs to fit you and your horse for it to be a good purchase. But a lot of people rule them out immediately because of biases. Honestly, I was one of those people originally until I finally became so exasperated with saddle fit that I gave them another chance.

[StormyDay]

The first saddle I got was a Wintec. It squeaked and felt like plastic. I sold it not even a year and a half later to upgrade to a leather saddle.

Some years later I was training a clients horse and the saddle was a Wintec. It was one of the most comfortable saddles I’d ever sat in. The balance was excellent and it was covered in fake suede so it didn’t have that plasticy look.

So if it fits you and the horse go for it.

PS: if you like the way it rides but really want leather, Bates are made by Wintec and are basically the same saddle but leather instead of plastic/suede.

[Polopony20]

Ah that explains why my chunky horse’s Bates is so comfy! Newer Wintec made saddles as so comfortable (if they fit you right, of course)

[trubandloki]

I think there is nothing wrong with a Wintec saddle if it fits your horse and you.

[OnAMission]

I got a wintec endurance on a bit of whim never expecting it to do more than short rides. It’s beyond comfortable for me and the horse I got it for; it has a hard life and looks good and feels good. I wish I could say I liked their western styles as much (in my narrow experience) but that doesn’t seem to be in the running here, which IMO is good.

[Willesdon]

Wintec have been making synthetic saddles since 1986 so they’ve got a long history behind them. Light weight, easy care, very adjustable and hard wearing.

[candyappy]

Nothing wrong with them in my experience. My horse(s) did well in the one I had ( adjustable gullet AP) but I didn’t like the position it put me in.

[Blueeyedroan]

I have had a multitude of very high end French and English made saddles (CWD, Antares, County).
The one saddle I will never sell is my Wintec Pro Jump.
I have put that wintec (and multiple others) through absolute hell. I break horses so they have been bucked off , slammed into arena walls , rolled on…. You name it. Not only has one ever had a broken tree (been through that with 2 County’s and an Antares), it’s still a quality balanced saddle to sit in.

I would recommend a wintec any day. For the price you won’t find that quality anywhere else in a similar budget.

• do NOT approve of their westerns-

[FjordBCRF]

Ive been riding in a Wintec Wide AP that has been working pretty well! Its been great with the adjustability for my horse who is both young, growing, and wide, and I find it comfortable. It is easy to clean and I don’t have to worry if I get caught in rain.

Prior to my own, I rode in a Wintec dressage saddle for the better part of a decade. It was also comfortable and held up great to wear and tear over the years.

[4horses]

I use a western wintec. Mine is 20 years old. It has only had the belvin buckles replaced on the stirrups and has survived many adventures. Still looks really nice. It got covered in mold and I scrubbed it and it looks like new.

I don’t use their English ones just because they don’t fit my horses. They do fit round types really well- my friend used them on her Welsh pony and her Percheron cross. Another friend uses them on her Andalusians. They are great saddles if they fit.

[Obsidian_Fire]

@4horses

They are great saddles if they fit.

Yup. Just like any other saddle, the FIT is most important. I have one, sitting around, a Pro Dressage model. I liked it just fine, used it as a ‘get by’ saddle for a developing horse until I could afford better. In the past have owned the Isabell model, did everything I wanted to in it, including trail rides and pasture gallops.

[FatCatFarm]

Borrow one if you can and spend the day in it. I have had both the endurance model and the Aussie style stock with the knee polies and higher cantle. Both had generous seats. The endurance was good, flattish, on a dependable horse it worked quite well. I had it as a younger person and never noticed any discomfort while using it. A few years back, riding younger horses, I wanted a more secure seat so bought a new Wintec Pro Stock saddle with English rigging and a gel seat. Really enjoyed it initially but then on longer rides, I noticed pressure points beneath my seat bones. Even adding a gel seat cover or a fleece cover did not mitigate the pain on longer rides of 3 hrs or more. Just excruciating. Wound up selling it and buying a Tucker Equitation Endurance saddle. Liked it so much, I bought a second for when friends come and ride with me. Love them.

A friend of mine also bought a Wintec Pro Stock and is still very happy with hers, so go figure, but she is a very fair weather rider though she and I have done long rides together and said hers does not bother her. I am not skinny and she is heavier so maybe its and issue of cushioning.