Choose the style and comfort of the equisuede Wintec Pro Dressage. Ideal to use in regular competition where position and comfort are most desirable. Combining flock or CAIR PANEL... more
A review by catshark88 on Wintec Pro Dressage Saddle May 17th, 2007
Author's product rating:
Quality
Good
Style
Good
Durability
Good
Fit
Good
Value for Money
Good
Advantages:
Design, ease of care
Disadvantages:
None found
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Synthetic saddles were once looked down upon as the very poor relations of their leather cousins, but times are certainly changing.
Once only seen in racing yards, synthetic saddle manufacturers have now moved into every equestrian discipline.
Bates are probably the leading maker and have a pretty high reputation. Whilst their quality is traditional, their design is pretty innovative both in terms of material and ways to enhance rider and horse comfort.
What is it? -------------------- This dressage saddle is made of "equisuede" which mirrors the look and to some extent feel of leather, but is man-made, tough, durable and of course needs no feeding.
The Dressage Pro is a standard dressage saddle with straight panels and longer than standard girths. Whilst designed for dressage, it is also great for schooling, hacking and other disciplines. I have jumped very small fences in a dressage saddle but would not recommend them for larger ones or cross country.
Comfort -------------- This is a comfortable saddle. You feel secure and upright in it and the panels and blocks guide your legs.
The Cair panels are supposed to be more comfortable for the horse as they distribute weight more evenly over the horse's back than traditional saddles. They certainly seem to be happy with them.
Flexibility ---------------- The great benefit of any Wintec is the changeable gullet system which allows you to alter your saddle width according to changes in your horse's shape. This is really useful if you have youngsters or horses that change shape a lot over the year. Old hunt stables used to have a winter and a summer saddle for each horse, so this is a really useful option. The saddle comes with a medium gullet as standard but you can buy other sizes in any saddler.
Care -------- These saddles are so easy to look after! However dirty they get, a wipe over with a wet cloth and they look new again. If they get wet, you do not have to worry about leather staining or spoiling.
Durability ------------- The Pro is a tough looking saddle and seems pretty durable. Equisuede is pretty hard to damage and it survives scratching and rubbing really well. Stitching seems good and Wintec has a good reputation for reliability.
Safety ---------- The great thing about a Wintec is that even when it gets really wet, it does not get slippery and so it is easier for the rider to maintain their position and avoid being unseated. This is a great safety feature, especially for kids or those on young or more "challenging" mounts!
Value -------- At the time of writing, Pros are around £400. Every horse has different requirements for saddle comfort, but if this one fits yours, you have a very good saddle for a pretty good price. If you look at second hand Wintecs, they seem to hold their value pretty well and this one is no exception (at least where I live!).
Choose the style and comfort of the equisuede Wintec Pro Dressage. Ideal to use in regular competition where position and comfort are most desirable. Combining flock or CAIR PANEL SYSTEM with the Easy Change Gullet System which allows riders to change the gullet in their saddle to their horse's changing shape.This saddle comes Fitted with a medium gullet as standard
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