Wintec dressage saddle with contourblocs. Has straighter panels from front to back and has changeable gullet system. Stirrup bars put you in a more correct position vs. chair seat. Great saddle…can find pretty cheap used on Ebay or around $750 new.
You really can’t go wrong with a Passier if it fits you and the horse. Leather saddles last for decades, especially the older ones.
A synthetic could work for you too. The synthetics do wear out much faster than leather, and will be tougher for resale if that’s an issue. Wear issues with a leather saddle can generally be repaired. A leather saddle with wool panels will be easier, actually, to have adjusted to fit and refit your horse - the adjustable trees only change width, which turns out to be a lot less useful than one would expect.
Buy the saddle that is right for you today and gives you the best ride. Good luck!
I rode up the levels in the old-style synthetic Wintec Isabel (old tree, no cair panels) and I loved that saddle. I felt so close to the horse’s back, minimal knee roll, etc. I had several GP-level clinicians ride my horse in it and none disliked it. I paid an Albion and a County saddle fitter to assess the fit and they said “huh, it’s actually not bad at all for your horse”.
This is my exact experience with my Wintec Isabell. Besides the “moving up the levels” part, I’m not doing that terribly quickly, I mostly take Dressage lessons to help my jumping.
I spent lots of money getting a fully custom jumping saddle for my horse and his picky, picky back. Worth the money, definitely, for my primary discipline. I went through a lot of used/e-bay saddles and nothing worked very well. I kind of got lucky with the Wintec fitting him, although the fitters I’ve used have said they tend to be kind to a lot of horses’ backs. I also use the Isabell on trails and when I’ve ridden LD rides (and all the associated conditioning.)
I saw an ad come up for a duplicate to my Isabell, and I picked it up for $450. Since they’ve changed the design, and mine is used pretty hard, I wanted a back up!
Wintec
all my medals were in a wintec!!
I love my Wintecs. I have an older Isabel, pre-thigh blocks, and an older Pro, also pre-thigh blocks. I have had Countys, but the easy care and adaptability of the Wintec keeps me coming back. I once sold an Isabel to a friend, who’s trainer then told her it was wrong for her. That trainer then purchased the Wintec from her, which I found interesting. My friend, after riding in a County is back in an Isabel now. I had a Thoroughgood, but it squeaked loudly. I’m not sure if that is a brand problem or unique to that saddle.
I have a Wintec that I have used for years. Love that you can switch the gullets, etc., but having just purchased a second hand leather saddle I would say that the horses seem to like it better. I’m guessing it has just a little more give which makes for a little better fit.
I’ve had both a Wintec, and a Passier. I originally bought a Wintec, because I was getting in to Eventing, and wanted to have a proper dressage saddle, and that seemed a good starting point. The (flocked) Wintec actually fit my TB well, but the more I learned, the more I came to realize that it was a poor fit for me personally. One saddle in between, that was better, but still not The One, and we’ve now got a slightly older Passier GG, and it was magic from the minute I first rode in it. I cannot say that the horse is necessarily happier in it versus the Wintec, because it’s been so long and her training has progressed so much since we last rode in that, but the Passier is a much better fit for ME, so I am able to ride better, and be more effective, so she goes better due to that if nothing else.
So I guess my point is that you really need to it to fit both of you well. Whichever of those saddles works best for BOTH you and the horse is the best choice. Given how I know both fit me, my choice would be a Passier, but if you know a Wintec works for you, it’s a fine choice.
Some of you folks with plenty of Wintec experience, give me the benefit of your thoughts on this: I’ve been borrowing a Wintec that’s about 5 years old, I think it’s an Isabell but doesn’t look like the current one. Fits me and my horse great. They will sell it but it’s got some cosmetic wear, and I could get a new Wintec Pro for what they’re asking. Or go cheaper even and get a new 500. I’d have the gullet kit and could get flocked panels so could adjust the fit if it was really different.
Here’s my question: is there a big difference in the tree or panels between the Isabell and the other dressage Wintecs? How about rider position? Dover won’t let you do a test ride in the wintecs, and I’m not totally confident that when I asked customer service this question, they didn’t just tell me they were very similar because that what I wanted to hear. 
Opinions, anyone?
I have both synthetic saddles and leather ones . . . . and I’ve owned very expensive brands and more middle of the road saddles. The ones that fit me and my horse the best were not necessarily the most expensive!
If you do not have a saddle fitter close by it makes getting a saddle with an adjustable gullet system and CAIR paneling more attractive. You should probably try a saddle with CAIR before you buy as some horses/riders don’t like it. I have a Wintec pro jump with CAIR and none of the horses I’ve used it on have objected. I have not ridden in a Wintec dressage saddle, but although my pro jump was $300 used, I find it very nicely balanced.
Kieffers made with their synthetic “glow” tree can be adjusted using an Infrared system. I happen to like Kieffers a lot and like the fact that they can be tweaked infinitely as opposed to the 2-3 adjustments that can be made on a conventional tree. Plus, I find them to be undervalued in the US market so they can often be bought for a steal. Prestige saddles have the same tree/IR adjustment. Be careful with older saddles as some of them might not have the adjustable tree.
As long as a Passier fits your horse and you like how they ride, you can find the older ones for short $$. However, if you buy a much older saddle the flocking may be quite compressed and it might be worth having it stripped and reflocked which would add to the cost.
Some of the best bargains I’ve found have been on Craig’s list, but one of the consignment shops that I like (great selection, very reasonable pricing including shipping costs) is the Middleburgh Tack Exchange.
I love the Wintec Isabell and the Wintec Pro. I like their light weight, the ease of cleaning them, and their comfort (and I am not built for dressage saddles and still find them comfortable!). What I do not like is the third billet/overgirth/whatever it’s called, because it is a nuisance to fasten, but I have one friend who cut hers off.
I am always shocked by the high prices I see for used leather dressage saddles online. I also don’t like their weight. But since I have more experience with Wintec dressage saddles than leather ones, I can’t really say much about the latter. Pelham Saddlery has some used Passiers for around $700.
mortebella, I was going to say the Isabell doesn’t look anything like the Pro, but I’ve just seen the current ones on Dover’s website and they look almost exactly alike to me. Weird. The older ones I have ridden in don’t look at all like each other.
I have a friend who had a 500 AP saddle; unlike the Pro and Isabell it looked like a cheap plastic saddle. I am not being a snob; I used to ride in the 250 and liked it fine!
mortebella, I was going to say the Isabell doesn’t look anything like the Pro, but I’ve just seen the current ones on Dover’s website and they look almost exactly alike to me. Weird. The older ones I have ridden in don’t look at all like each other.
So do you think the Pro and the Isabell are very similar (say a medium gullet in each) in the way they fit the horse? It sounds like you didn’t feel a lot of difference between them in your position/comfort/effectiveness. This is exactly the kind of comparisons I need! Thank you! 
The current Pro and Isabell on Dover’s website look a lot like each other to me.
When I rode in the older models, I found them very different to each other, as the Isabell had a much higher cantle/deeper seat, and more restrictive flaps. The Pro had a flatter seat. I am a rotund short person with short legs and big thighs, not at all the “ideal” build for modern deep-seated, straight-flap dressage saddles, yet I did feel comfortable and secure in the older Isabell. A friend who is also short (but tiny) bought an Isabell several years ago and loved it. I assume she is still riding in it. She is tiny, but found that the 17-inch or 17 1/2 seat fit her (she had thought a 16 or 16 1/2 because she is so small but the deep seat/high cantle made the larger size better for her).
I have not tried either of the current models.
I’m a big fan of Wintec.
I’ve owned several over the last couple decades, even before they went to the changeable gullet.
The changeable gullet is a huge plus, as it allows for the horse to gain & lose weight & muscle mass.
I didn’t like the CAIR panels, I thought they were too bouncy. I preferred the flocked.
No break in time, cleaning is a breeze, they wear well & last a long time.
You may be able to find and older leather saddle in your budget. But they will not have the changeable gullet & can be stiff & hard in the seat. Ouch…
All have their advantages and disadvantages, and the comfort level will depend entirely on your anatomy.
As a fitter, I am a HUGE fan of the Thorowgoods. A lot of bang for your buck, and they fit many different conformations very well. The only drawback can be that they are made to order, and can take a while to get.
Another factor (for me, anyhow)… Teknas are made in China. Wintecs are made in Vietnam. Thorowgoods are made on a bench in England.
Synthetic or leather, the saddle has to fit both you and your horse. Thorowgood is wonderful if it works because of the versatility and the T8 is part leather and part synthetic. It also has different fit models. Wintec now has some new options for fit and adjusting as well.
Older saddles can be great but older saddles can have very angular or not panels and narrow gullet channels and rock hard flocking. In any case, I prefer wool flocked because of its ability to be adjusted or redone.
My used Wintec dressage sold super fast. Loved the lightness. I am in the broken body club & this is important to me. My dressage instructor had a saddle that was ridiculously heavy. Wintecs are wonderful! Only thing I didn’t like is that it squeaked sometimes, esp. when posting. You get used to it, though.
Uses for Wintec Dressage Saddles
My Wintec Dressage saddle suits all of my riding needs. I have an older model, that I’ve used for showing, schooling, trail riding, distance riding, jumping, (Yup, even jumping with long stirrups), Hunter Paces, you name it, we rode in it. I had a 16.2 hand, high withered Appendix Paint, that nothing else fit him. I took out over twenty saddles from different saddleries on loan, that were all leather, and of excellent quality. I purchased the Wintec on a whim, for 215.00 dollars, after having sat in it at a tack shop. I just loved the feel of it right then and there! Raced home, put it on my boy, and viola, it fit!!! So, yes, Wintec Dressage saddles can be used for more than just Dressage!!
How do I delete the “Greenie” title under my user name?
Hi all! This is driving me crazy!! I am new to this thread, and I have a Greenie appearing under my user name. Anyone know how I can delete this? Sorry, its not a horse related topic, but, I have spent the last half hour, trying to find the answer. Thanks.
[QUOTE=Pretty Heart;8575047]
Hi all! This is driving me crazy!! I am new to this thread, and I have a Greenie appearing under my user name. Anyone know how I can delete this? Sorry, its not a horse related topic, but, I have spent the last half hour, trying to find the answer. Thanks.[/QUOTE]
Post a lot
CoTH has “levels” it assigns to us depending on our posting history.
This is an old thread. I wonder what the OP decided to purchase.
