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Discussion on Accessorizing a Wintec Pro Endurance
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Member:
terrilyn
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 26, 2007 - 9:05 am:
I just bought a used Wintec Pro Endurance saddle for my big-withered TB (great condition!), and it appears to fit him pretty well. I have zero experience with this type of saddle and I'm wondering what type of irons/leathers work best for trail riding....Is it best to use the Wintec synthetic leathers? Any recommendations for comfortable stirrups? I tend to get sore knees when riding...Also, any particularly good girth recommendations? I have a square Equipedic pad that I hope will work alright...(great pad, by the way...) I have ridden trails for years in a western saddle and this is quite a departure from my comfort zone...Oh, and I don't know if this matters, but it has the wool flocking as opposed to the CAIR panels.
Thanks for any guidance you can give...
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Member:
hwood
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 26, 2007 - 9:30 am:
Hey, Terri,
Sounds like the older style Wintecs that I use.
I love the Webbers. They are so quick and easy. Also, I use the weighted, dressage-type irons, but I bet a wider, comfortable, aluminum trail-riders' stirrup would work fine. My irons have pads made by someone named "ROBIN G." They are closed-cell foam sewn inside of cordura nylon, and they wrap around the bottom of the stirrup and secure underneath with velcro. I found that after years of riding in irons, the balls of my feet were experiencing too much pain when I was in the saddle for more than 30 minutes. The pads really help.
I haven't found anything quite as comfortable as the Wintec dressage/sport style saddles for me, and I believe my horses really appreciate the lightness and flexibility of the trees. The trees do stretch after mounting, so always tighten the girth immediately from the saddle once you get on. Also, be sure you pull the saddle pad/blanket up into the gullet before mounting so it doesn't squish down on the withers (something you probably already do, but just thought I'd mention because as the tree is so flexible, it often repositions the pad downward after mounting).
I believe I saw a new kind of pad by Cavallo's . . . it is great for horses that dip behind the withers as it is built up, not in the front as so many pads are, but in the middle . . . to fill in the low area of the back and set the saddle more level. If you find that the Wintec is putting too much pressure behind Jules's withers, you might find that the new type of "filler" pad will help.
Post pics if you have them, Terri. Would love to see Jules in a saddle and with you mounted. Glad you are going to have a horse to ride this year.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 26, 2007 - 12:28 pm:
I love my Wintec all purpose for trails. It's so light weight, the horses love it. It's an older one so no Cair panels. I use the Wintec neoprene girth. I was doubtful about it at first, but have never had a problem with it.
I've recently discoverd a new saddle pad that I can't recommend highly enough. It's only about 3/8" thick and is honeycombed. The wither area is made so it fits up into the gullet and doesn't put any pressure on the withers. With the homeycomb material, the pad seems to self adjust to any pressure and leaves very even sweat marks and no rough hairs even after a lot of work or a long ride.
I use the "webbers" also, but have been thinking about switching to leather as it seems to me the Webbers leave more bulk at the buckle area.
I'm sure you'll enjoy your Wintec. I wasn't sure about it when I first bought mine as I'd never used a synthetic saddle before; but I love it now...especially love the easy care and light weight.
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Member:
terrilyn
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 26, 2007 - 5:31 pm:
Thank you ladies....two of the most knowledgeable on this site... 
OK, I'll order the Webbers...and Sara, what type of pad are you talking about? The Equipedic was very spendy...it's made from the same material as the tempurpedic mattresses, compressing where it needs to. Very nice pad, and feels to me as if it would be very comfortable. I'll remember to pull it into the gullet area. Will also look for stirrups with some padding...thank you Holly. Look for an email from me offline tomorrow, Holly...got your wonderfully thoughtful card. Thank you... I truly don't know how you find time to think about others, and I hope you are getting through each day with grace and serenity...as best you can.
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Member:
erika
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Posted on Friday, Apr 27, 2007 - 11:28 am:
Another vote for the webbers. I'm surprised, Sarah, that you find them bulkier than leathers. I find very much the opposite.
Like Holly I had trouble with the tree changing the girth. Just be sure to check and tighten if necessary after you mount.
I loved riding in my Wintec. It never really seemed to fit any of my horses tremendously well, though. So now it is just an extra saddle for guests or loaner. I do seem to be collecting saddles, though--guess I should get rid of a few. I have five saddles, three horses, and one of me!!!
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Friday, Apr 27, 2007 - 11:31 am:
Terri, the pad is a Supracor Cool Grip pad. It comes in English and Western styles. It's also very pricey. However, I've never had my horses move so freely as when wearing this pad. It keeps the back cooler than my other pads, and lets air flow down the middle of the spine as it doesn't mush down like the foam pads I've used. I love it. But, like I said, it was a lot of money. At least I thought it was until I started seriously shopping for a new pad. Yikes! You can barely find a simple wool pad anymore; everything is specialized in some way and way expensive! (You can tell I don't buy pads very often.)
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Member:
shanson
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Posted on Friday, Apr 27, 2007 - 1:21 pm:
You're lucky to come across a wool-flocked Wintec, which I prefer because it can be stuffed/restuffed. Seems like they mostly come in CAIR these days.
I use regular leathers with my Wintec Pro and they work fine. No issues against the synthetic material of the saddle. I'll be curious to hear which stirrups you choose.
Supracors are nice, but very pricy. If budget is a consideration, my horses do fine with a good-quality double-thickness fleece pad...think mine's a Miller, cost about $45, and has held up to hard use for 4 years or more. And, you can throw it in the washer too.
Have fun! I bought my Wintec Pro 3 or 4 years ago and have used the heck out of it on both my horses. The standard Wintecs fit a lot of medium to narrow horses really well.
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Member:
annes
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Posted on Friday, Apr 27, 2007 - 3:43 pm:
I have an all purpose Wintec as well and really like it plus it fits all my horses from TB to TWH. However, I have one question. Do all the Wintec saddles have the built up knee? It is hard to get used to that. I use a bareback pad a lot so am used to the close contact. I also love the webbers.
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Member:
erika
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Posted on Friday, Apr 27, 2007 - 3:50 pm:
I did a search on the pad Sarah mentioned. It gets rave reviews from EVERYBODY!
It is pricey, but the lowest I found ($155) was here:
https://www.thedistancedepot.com/product_p/fth-ccg.htm
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Friday, Apr 27, 2007 - 4:40 pm:
It seems to me I've seen Wintecs that had removeable knee pads, but I'm not positive; it might have been another brand. My Wintec is an all purpose and the pads aren't very prominent, imo.
Erika, of course after I went out and bought one, you found the pads cheaper! Impulse shopper that I am, I didn't look on line, but saw it at Mary's Tack and Feed in Del Mar, CA, needed a pad for my new saddle, and bought it. I do love it, though.
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Member:
terrilyn
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Posted on Monday, Apr 30, 2007 - 12:48 pm:
My Equipedic pad was $200---but maybe it's worth looking at the Supracor as well. The Equipedic is a western-style pad.
Question--as I work towards re-learning how to ride English, I'd eventually like to show pleasure and equitation. Is an all-purpose Wintec acceptable in the showring for flat classes? I bought the endurance saddle for comfort and relaxing on trail rides, but will need a different one for hunt-seat. These are just small local shows...do people use them for that?
I'm going to go ahead and order webbers...still haven't decided on the stirrups...
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Monday, Apr 30, 2007 - 1:58 pm:
Supracor comes in English as well as Western versions.
I have to take back my comments about Webbers. Guess I bought my "leathers" before Wintec made the webbers. What I use are just the synthetic "leathers" that Wintec was selling at the time. They are bulky and don't soften as do regular leathers. Now I'll have to go out and get some of the Webbers as they do look a lot more comfortable.
As to showing, in small shows an all purpose saddle is fine. If you read the rules, any english saddle but a cut back is o.k.in the flat classes. I've ridden in both my dressage saddle and the all purpose in local shows and no one's said a word about it and I've placed first or second with both.
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Member:
terrilyn
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 19, 2007 - 10:13 am:
Wanted to update the tack question...I ended up with wide-track aluminum stirrups and Wintec webers. The stirrups are very light and also very comfortable because of the width in the foot area. I rode in the saddle for an hour on Sunday and found it very comfortable, though it sits up kind of high on Jules.
I also bought a nice close contact saddle which does not work with the large square pad (obviously) but it would work really well with the Supracor. Anyone in the market for a reduced price Equipedic?
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