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Saddle Fitting - affordable options?

Hi all. I have some questions about saddle fitting. All of us would love a full custom saddle for us and our horse. However, I do not have the budget for that. Or really, the budget for much. But my guy is now a senior and while, to my limited knowledge, my saddle checks the boxes for not hurting and fitting well enough, I’d like to have a professional take a look.

The problem is, my saddle is about as expensive as I could really go for buying. It’s a Wintec AP saddle that I got for $200 dollars at a tack sale. I think that it is not causing any pain as my guy is only a little stiff warming up like most seniors and doesn’t have any problem with pain reactions when we are working or afterward. I checked his soreness and such like mad after I bought the saddle. We’ve been riding in it for a while so I think we are good. What I’m wondering is, do saddle fitters also help suggest pads and such to assist in a better fit for a not perfect saddle? It’s in the budget to pay for a saddle fitting and some new pads if necessary, but probably not a full new saddle.

Like I said, I’ve never had a saddle fit before so any insight into what goes on more than “they check to see if the saddle fits your horse” would be awesome.

I don’t think you can restuff a wintec so your options are limited to pads and shims. I have an independent saddle fitter who will do back tracings and assess a fit for about $100 and then make recommendations, which could range from find a new saddle to get this one restuffed to try a particular shimmed pad. You want a good competent independent fitter who isn’t a sales rep and is happy to work with all budget of saddles.

Yes. My saddle fitter will evaluate a saddle and help you understand what padding options will help balance your saddle (if that’s an option).

My fitter actually doesn’t charge for the fitting – only the work if needed – but I always pay him anyway because I value his expertise.

Most Wintecs have a CAIR panels, which cannot be adjusted. However, some models also have small pockets to which wool flocking can be added. I’m not sure if yours would be one of them.

I have known people that have removed the CAIR system and replaced with wool. Just the other day on ebay I saw a Wintec dressage saddle without CAIR and with wool. I am tempted as a back up saddle just to have around for a few hundred Euro.

If you really like the Wintec, you could inquire.

I would personally invest as little as possible on modifying a Wintec to fit your horse, especially in terms of converting panels to wool, as that is pretty pricey, unless you are difficult to fit as a rider and and you’re in love with it. It will not make the saddle worth more, and you will never see that money back on a re-sale. Also, I would not spend the money on buying an expensive pad in order to make a $200 saddle fit, as some of the recommendations you’re going to get could be in the area of $200 or more, unless you are going to be using this type of pad on a few horses.

Basically, if it were me, and I could not make the saddle fit by changing out a gullet or an inexpensive shimming solution, I would ask the fitter for used brands that would be able to fit your horse in the $400 to $500 range, and try to find one of those instead, as these types of used saddles will retain their value and can be re-sold at a later time for pretty much what you paid. As long as both you and your horse are relatively straight forward fits, then it should be relatively easy to find something that works without having to spend a fortune.

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Yeah, I’m pretty sure my Wintec is the non-adjustable type. When I was looking at purchasing a saddle, I saw on their website that they did have some flocked ones but I believe this is the higher end of their line. Mine is the lower end, I’m pretty sure.

Spud&Saf, I’m not in love with it at all, past the fact that it fits me and my horse well enough to ride in. I was afraid of your type of answer because that was what my gut was telling me would most likely need to happen. Having a non-horsey DH and just having moved limits my ability to spend on my horse. That being said, I’ll probably do some finance calculations when I get my full computer setup back and running so I can look at my spreadsheets.

Does anyone have any good recommendations for independent fitters in San Diego? I haven’t gotten a chance to ask local tack stores for names, though I will be asking them as well.

I would then see if the saddler has an inventory of used saddles that may fit the bill for you. If not, perhaps they could give you a recommendation on what makes/models would work best for the shape of your horse and yourself. Then you can peruse eBay or other websites to try to bargain hunt.

I know there is an online service of this, The Saddle Geek perhaps?

Just because it is an inexpensive saddle doesn’t mean it doesn’t fit your horse. I rode at a barn where all the lesson saddles were wintecs and fit the horses well. Some needed back pads and some didn’t. I don’t necessarily think you’ll need to get a new saddle but definitely have a saddle fitter out. There are plenty of back pads at reasonable prices that can help the saddle fit if need be. And if you do need a new saddle cross that bridge when it happens. You can always keep riding in a bareback pad for a while if needed…I’ve been there

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I know this may not be a popular answer, but if your current saddle isn’t causing discomfort, why not just wait and save your money and have a fitter out when/if you want to upgrade later on?

Inclined, I don’t honestly have a problem with the current saddle. I don’t see any discomfort but I was thinking it would be a good idea to get a professional to verify that it isn’t. I know that as horses get older, their withers tend to stand out a bit more. It will be harder and harder for my boy to work well as he gets older anyway and I figured that checking all my points would be a good thing to do to help him and spoil him a bit more. Honestly, if a saddle fitter tells me that my saddle is fine, but not perfect, I probably wouldn’t get anything else. The horse always tells and I’ve had my guy for long enough that I know his reactions pretty well. It was more a man-wouldn’t-it-be-awesome kinda thought that popped up so I thought I’d do some research on what’s available.

Are you using any sort of a protection pad on your boy now? If not, take some pics of the saddle on him, front, side, and rear, and side pics of his sweat patterns after riding and go to marys tack and show them and ask them for a good basic protection half pad to use over your regular pad. they make decent half pads for under 100 bucks.

This was my thought, too. I actually have a Wintec 2000 with the CAIR panels (it’s an AP saddle) that I love for trail riding; I don’t have to worry about getting it dirty or scratched, moldy, etc. Rode an endurance horse on the trails in it all last summer. Some people don’t like the Wintecs, but I haven’t had any problem with them. It’s not my favorite saddle, but it works great in some situations.

I’m of a very similar opinion. I rode in a Wintec dressage saddle for years, because I didn’t want to spend a fortune on what was a secondary saddle for me. It was wool flocked, and fit the horse quite nicely. For the money, I’d take a Wintec over any of the lower-end leather options, and even a lot of the used saddles at that price point.

If you have the money to have a fitter out, have one out to check out the saddle and make padding recommendations if you need it. There are plenty of nice half pads out there for under $100 that might work for you and not break the bank; Roma makes a pretty decent sheepskin half pad, for instance, or you could consider something like a Thinline Ultra if you just want to add a bit of shock absorption without altering fit.

I use a baby pad and a fitted saddle pad. I bought a centaur airstream corona pad in September because the pad we were using kept slipping underneath the back of the saddle. I’ll have to do the picture thing. Is Mary’s the tack store to go to in this area?

I understand - I’m apt to spoil the older ones myself. I was just thinking it might be more budget friendly to wait on the fitting, and do as some others have recommended and get him a good half pad if you want to pamper him a bit. My gelding is evidently like yours, as he lets me know clearly if he’s not happy with a saddle, and the saddle he prefers at present is not an expensive one. He does like his Thinline contour pad, though. :wink: