The Art of Natural Dressage

Glen:

Some of the Wintecs have CAIR panels (air panels) which I have observed as have many other equine chiros. don't work very well. I much prefer the Wintecs with
either wool flock or flock + foam.

I think the main thing to watch with the underpads is that esp for your horse with high whithers is that they have a high whither contour across to entire topline so they don't pull down & create pressure either in the whither area or just in back of where the stirrup bars would lie.

I suggest to all my clients that they have two (or more if finances allow) saddles treed or treeless or flex panels that fit relatively well & switch off periodically so no pressure areas can develop. If two saddles is an impossibility, then get two different types of foam for in your all in one pocket pad (less chance for pads drifting/slipping than pads layered).

Keep us all posted on your experiences with the Trekker.

Kaaren

I think my Wintec has flock panels. We have tested it by saddling him with no blanket and only the saddle and concussion pad, and then putting hands under with someone on board, so I know it fits well as long as I'm careful to clear his shoulderblade. The blanket I have under it is a simple cotton-over thin-foam pad.

Yes, this new Trekker is my second saddle so I will be able to switch over every now and then, which sounds like a good idea.

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Glen Grobler

Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled. Anon

witch trekker do you have?
a dressage or a dressage endurance?
a bit curious...

i have ridden on a trekker dressage endurance but i could not sit very well, to much a "chair-seat" so i moved behind my horse and that won't ride very well for me.
So what are your findings????

Inge,

I have the new Trekker Master II which is a dressage that allows jumping up to about 0.8m - they don't recommend jumping higher in this saddle. It has knee-rolls that detach, so you only put them on to jump.

I find it an extremely comfortable saddle, and they have got the stirrup alignment almost perfect for me - I have relatively long leg-bones, and usually ALWAYS feel that my damn knees are "riding up" when I sit down in a saddle. It is not happening in this saddle. I can really feel Freckles coming "through" which I can't really feel in the rigid Wintec. Also, the first time I rode him in it, he started offering lateral movement, which he has never done before! So it's a very cool saddle, in my opinion!

The minor problems I'm having are related to Freckle's age and level of development more than to the saddle itself. I could lunge him "in contact" daily for 4 weeks and solve the issues that way, but I don't want to go there! He does NOT like lunging, and I would have to use a chambon or side reins or something to maintain frame because he is only just starting to come down - with almost no "hands" and in a bitless, so if I can't sort this out, I just have to wait for him to grow!

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Glen Grobler



Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled. Anon

Glen:

It's so great you are allowing Freckles to come into his own balance in his own time. I see so many horses
out here in my work that were either started to early or asked too much too soon. Either their minds or their bodies pay for the owners ignorance or impatience.

Kaaren

I have the Wintec with the CAIR air panels, and it was a blessing for fitting Cisco. The panels have just enough give to help fill the bridging that plagued us with other saddles, plus it cushions and spreads out the weight. Cisco moves well in it and he hasn't had a sore back caused by a saddle or riding since I got it.

Cisco has an odd back and it was very difficult to find a saddle that would fit him without undue pressure behind his withers - that would also fit in my budget at the time. The Wintec filled all my needs.

I do think they have their place - certainly does in my tack room any way.