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Dear Barbara:
       I am replying to the group as well, as you implied you wanted it, and
because the question is important for a lot of horses.  In your case the
answer is possibly yes, but the best way to get an understanding of the
problem is take back contours of your horse and compare them to the
underside of the saddle.

The procedure:  You need scissors, manila file folders and either a flexible
rule (artist's or dressmaker's) or a metal coat hanger, the horse and the
saddle.  You are looking for a lengthwise contour of the saddle area of the
back about 4-5" off the centerline of the horse.  (This makes comparing to
the saddle much easier than taking the contour along the midline.)  Take
your contour with the flexible rule, and then transfer it to an opened file
folder with a pen and cut it out.  It is important to mark the back of the
shoulder blade, which is the front of the saddle.  Next compare the convex
template that you made to the back of the horse, trimming where they do not
match.  Once you have a fit of cardboard to horse, transfer the contour to
another file folder, cut it out & examine the fit to the saddle.  Put the
front of the file folder in contact with the front of the saddle underside,
if you have a divergence at the back of the saddle, similar to the picture
#4 in http://home.earthlink.net/~qhll/Backs.htm , then the saddle flattening
would be helpful.


Having said all that, I very strongly suspect that you would in the long run
be very much happier in the Wintec Wide saddle.  (A picture of the saddle is
on http://www.frogpool.com/prodcat-36.html, but only the CAIR version is
sold in the US.)  In that saddle, the gullet plate is not only wider, i.e.
has a more obtuse angle, but the panels (the parts with the wool or CAIR
flocking) are further apart.  Some horses are 'wide' needing a wide angle,
while others are 'wide' because the left to right distance between where the
panels sit is greater.  This is really, really important, because if your
horse is the  second type, no change in the width of the gullet plate is
going to make your saddle stable on your horse.  The second problem with
widening the gullet plate as you did, is it increases the rocker of the
saddle, creating just the problem you describe.  (This is a fact of the
3-dimensional geometry of a saddle, for which I have no easy explanation.)
The Wide saddle has a flatter tree, less rocker, than the standard all
purpose.

The PLAN:  find a retailer in you area that will let you try a Wintec Wide
all purpose saddle, also make a back template of your horse lengthwise &
crosswise.     Let me know how you make out!

Quentin



-----Original Message-----
From: berlitz [mailto:berlitz@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 10:14 AM
To: qhll@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Wintec conversion


Quentin,
I went to your webpage referred to on the Ridecamp post of Oct. 30. I would
love to post this query to the group, but cannot figure out how to use the
ridecamp site. I get the digest.

Anyway, I have a mutton withered, barrel backed quarter horse. I have the
Wintec endurance pro and found the widest metal thing (forgot name of part)
that spreads the front apart was too narrow. I had one next wider custom
made. Still white spots and pressure points below/behind withers. Found out
by putting my hand under the saddle while on the horse that the part that
pressed on that location was where the stirrups hook on. (stirrup bars????)
Anyway, I need to get that part wider, not just the front.

Is this what your conversion does?

Thanks. Barbara in Pacific Grove.



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