[AutumnAttic]

I ride many different horses and am thinking of getting a wintec with the changeable gullet.

What is your view on wintecs in the show ring?

[jumpfordreams]

Well you have to consider that a Wintec might not fit all horses you ride just like any other saddle. I don't have anything against them in the lower level shows like schooling or dressage and have seen many people use them. What kind of showing are you planning on doing with a Wintec?

[AutumnAttic]

state 4h shows and open shows.

And yes, I know it might not fit all horses, but i figure it has a better chance then one that doesnt change at all

[jumpfordreams]

Are you thinking of getting a black one or the brown?

[PaintedPNH]

Originally Posted by jumpfordreams

Are you thinking of getting a black one or the brown?

Thats what i was wondering

[shyxpony]

I also show in 4H and use a Wintec I didn't use it at state but I'm sure it would be acceptable.

[keaneequestrian]

I ride in my brown wintec for shows, but I only do small open and schooling shows

[PaintYourWorld]

I ride in my brown wintec for shows, but I only do small open and schooling shows

That's what I do mostly and I use the same thing

[IIIBarsV]

I ride in a dark (havana) brown Wintec Close contact with CAIR and it fits 95% of my horses excellently, including hard-to-fit ones. It also is the most comfortable saddle in the world and I train in it 24/7, young horses, western horses, and english. It seems to be act almost like a flex, and the horses move fantastically in it. Horses with compromised toplines or who've had uneven muscle tone or poor fitting saddles regain their topline and are much more comfortable in it. It puts me in a good position as well. Not to mention, I love the fact that it's practically indestructible as I ride in the rain sometimes. I would pick it to buck out a horse in the springtime or go trail riding in over a western saddle every time.

I show english in it at local clubs and fairs, but would not hesitate to use it at breed show level. The brown looks like real leather and only the "wintec" name on the stirrup holder would give it away. It is neat and tidy and looks great on horses.

I have ridden in the Wintec All Purpose and don't like it much- it sits you higher off the horse's back and dulls communication. The flocked version tends to sit higher on the horse even with the changeable gullet, so it's not great for horses who are "extra wide" with no withers. It also swings your legs more forward.

If you can't afford a $2000 Bates Caprilli Close Contact or a Collegiate Convertible, go for the Wintec Close Contact. They come in a medium brown colour now, but if you hunt around, you could find a nice havana-brown one. Mine was bought used from Britain (easier to find the dark brown ones over there than in the US/Canada) for $595 Canadian including shipping.

For functionality, looks, and price range, you really cannot beat the Wintec Close Contact. The only horses I have not seen it fit excellently are very wide, mutton-withered horses or ponies under 14hh (however, mine is a 17.5" (I technically should ride in a 16.5" but I like the extra space in the seat and weight bearing area through the bars)... a smaller seat size would fit better on smaller horses or ponies.

But for the average "joe blow" horse, you measure the gullet, change it, and the CAIR takes "care" of the rest. It conforms and supports in a way that treeless and flex-tree saddles can only dream about.

Get one!

[CatandMinot]

Originally Posted by IIIBarsV

I ride in a dark (havana) brown Wintec Close contact with CAIR and it fits 95% of my horses excellently, including hard-to-fit ones. It also is the most comfortable saddle in the world and I train in it 24/7, young horses, western horses, and english. It seems to be act almost like a flex, and the horses move fantastically in it. Horses with compromised toplines or who've had uneven muscle tone or poor fitting saddles regain their topline and are much more comfortable in it. It puts me in a good position as well. Not to mention, I love the fact that it's practically indestructible as I ride in the rain sometimes. I would pick it to buck out a horse in the springtime or go trail riding in over a western saddle every time.

I show english in it at local clubs and fairs, but would not hesitate to use it at breed show level. The brown looks like real leather and only the "wintec" name on the stirrup holder would give it away. It is neat and tidy and looks great on horses.

I have ridden in the Wintec All Purpose and don't like it much- it sits you higher off the horse's back and dulls communication. The flocked version tends to sit higher on the horse even with the changeable gullet, so it's not great for horses who are "extra wide" with no withers. It also swings your legs more forward.

If you can't afford a $2000 Bates Caprilli Close Contact or a Collegiate Convertible, go for the Wintec Close Contact. They come in a medium brown colour now, but if you hunt around, you could find a nice havana-brown one. Mine was bought used from Britain (easier to find the dark brown ones over there than in the US/Canada) for $595 Canadian including shipping.

For functionality, looks, and price range, you really cannot beat the Wintec Close Contact. The only horses I have not seen it fit excellently are very wide, mutton-withered horses or ponies under 14hh (however, mine is a 17.5" (I technically should ride in a 16.5" but I like the extra space in the seat and weight bearing area through the bars)... a smaller seat size would fit better on smaller horses or ponies.

But for the average "joe blow" horse, you measure the gullet, change it, and the CAIR takes "care" of the rest. It conforms and supports in a way that treeless and flex-tree saddles can only dream about.

Get one!

I completely agree. I have the same saddle (the Close Contact). I have had it for at least 6 years, and people still come up and ask me when I bought it since it has held up so well.

I have also yet to find a horse that it didn't fit on (from a skinny welsh pony to my used to be stocky/fat quarter horse), and I haven't ever had the need to take out the medium sized gullet that came with it. The CAIR panels are also great because they evenly distribute the weight on the horses back, therefore relieving pressure points.

I would have no complaints either with showing in a wintec CC. I do local upper-end schooling shows and use my CC in classes ranging from flat eq to hunters. Again, like IIIBarsV said, the only obvious clue that it is synthetic, is the "Wintec" logo on it.

However, I don't know if I would show with the Wintec 2000's or All-Purpose. Those "Equisuade" kind of saddles look like synthetic (especially the black ones--except the dressage ones) and I haven't been too fond of the way they ride.

If you have the money and dedication, they are now making a couple Collegiate saddles with the changeable gullets (note: they do not have the CAIR panels though). Bates, the leather version or Wintec, also has the changeable gullet system and DOES have CAIR. But if you are like me, and do not have ton of money to spend, a nice Wintec would definitely be fine.

Here's my wintec on my chunky QH mare at a very small local show last August: