For folks on a budget, these two wintecs are very affordable. Do they put you in a correct (or acceptable) position? (not a chairseat, right?) Anyone have experience with how they fit (flat, curvy, etc). I don’t have a problem with the air-filled panels of wintecs in general, but I don’t have any experience with these two. And I believe the 250 is flocked.
Thanks!
I like wintecs but not these. Stick to the pro jump or the 2000 for hj, and the isabella or pro for dressage. Set yourself up an eBay alert with your specifications and you can do the same on fb and within a couple months you’ll snag it for likely sub-500.
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What @ladyj79 said! I rode in a Wintec 500 for a bit, and it was meh… I ended up getting a Wintec Isabella and love it!
I rode in a Wintec Pro for years until I upgraded to an Albion (I wanted to compare flocked panels to the Wintec air panels), and it actually did a great job fitting a few different horses. The gullet system was pretty easy to figure out and use, and it was useful to have while my current steed built up muscle and went from Medium-Wide to Extra Wide over the course of a couple of years. Easy to clean and take care of, billets held up wonderfully, and it looked “Like New” when I finally ended up selling it to a barn mate. It did okay for my position, but after I upgraded I realized I had been riding in a seat that was about an inch too short (need a 17.5 to account for my freakishly long legs instead of the 16.5 I was riding in), so position difficulties I had in that saddle probably had to do with the fit rather than the saddle itself. Definitely recommend it as a budget saddle.
I agree with Ladyj as well. The Pro and Isabell models are great saddles. I have a nice Isabell that I use for my young/new horses where I know their toplines will be changing a lot and it therefore doesn’t make sense to go for a spendy custom saddle. It is super comfy, lets me sit very correctly and has so far fit everything I’ve put it on.
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I have a wintec dressage pro and scored it for 300 dollars including shipping FROM eBay. I knew I liked it and had ridden in someone else’s for almost a year. I was prepared to buy a little more saddle but saw the deal on eBay and jumped. I do think the stirrup bars are a little too far forward for myself but other than that it’s pretty nice. Even my instructor says it fits me well. I wouldn’t say it’s GREAT for low wither horses like my paint, but it fits nicely enough to have her happy too. Gullet.system is great for changing body types when you start serious work, or if you have a lot of younger horses around. If you can find the pro for a decent price I would recommend it.
I’ve gone full circle from the very original Wintec through $$ saddles for many years and back to Wintec. Pro fits me, Isabell does not. Would not ride in the 250 or 500 models. The suede-like fabric is much closer to nice leather* in feel than the cheaper models.
If it fits you, and can be adjusted to fit the horse (will not work on anything remotely sway backed), ride well, train well and you’ll see lovely results. After seeing my current horse go from stick pony to dressage horse, my horse’s massage therapist is finally convinced that the smear campaigns against synthetic trees and air panels are nonsense. You don’t need to pay $$$ for a saddle and have a fitter out every 6 months if you keep an eye on fit, changes in your horse, and are patient when re-fitting with gullets and shims. They are not for everyone, but they are wonderful if they fit and you put a little time into making adjustments when necessary.
*my all time favourite leather is Stübben’s water buffalo - when well kept it’s just tacky enough to prevent the rider from feeling they need to grip the saddle. The Pro and Isabell fabrics have a similar feel with much less maintenance 
I do not like the 250 or the 500. The Pro and the Isabell are nice saddles. IMHO, everyone loves riding in one and hates riding in the other. I prefer the Pro myself - I assume it has something to do with how I’m built.
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FYI - the Pro & Isabell have the same fabric but very different fits for the rider. You will definitely want to sit in both to see what works for you.
It’s been several years since I had one, so the models may have changed. If I recall correctly, the Isabell has a narrower twist and the stirrup bars are set further back. The Pro was a much better fit for me and I know others who have had the opposite experience.
I agree with the above posters to go for either the Pro or the Isabell over the 250/500 models. Also make sure the tree shape will work for your horse. Changing the gullet size won’t adjust the tree shape.
ETA - I think works best on a “normal” shaped back with a decent wither. It fit my old QH fabulously in MW, but didn’t work well on my Arab with wide shoulders and no withers. I’ve never owned a horse with “shark” withers, but have heard it’s not a great fit for them either.
Yeah I was going to ask, whats the practical difference between the pro and the isabell?
^^ I believe the fit for the horse is similar/the same and the two different styles give people options that may not fit well in one or the other.
If you are on a budget, another option is Thorowgood. I just scored a used one w/shipping and 4 gullets for $350.
I had an Isabell, and LOVED that saddle. But it did not fit my land shark. I am on he hunt for a mid-range saddle, but the Thorowgood fits him beautifully for now.
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