my horse is not super easy to fit saddles for, and I really liked a mono flap saddle that I tried. the saddle itself looks typical enough, but the girth is a bit of a cross between a dressage girth and a h/j girth. I show in Hunters but unrated divisions (ie small fences). I care more about my horse being happy than “fitting in” but I guess I care enough to ask you all what you think? thanks… (especially would love to hear from judges)
As a judge, I would not care in the least. I might not even notice, unless the saddle also happened to be bright pink or something. I know a few people who have used a monoflap in the hunter ring with no issues.
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I used to have a monoflap, but did switch to a regular flap saddle when I decided to ride more regularly in the hunter ring.
I don’t think judges actually care. But like anything “unusual” in the hunter ring, it does make you stand out a bit - which is great if you have a good trip, and not so much if you don’t.
Personally, I wouldn’t buy one specifically to use in the hunter ring unless I could not find another good fit in my budget. That said, I feel like I need any advantage I can get, and I do try to do a few A shows a year.
I showed in a regular/dual-flap saddle when I started out showing in the hunters - haven’t been to any shows lately, but now have a monoflap jump saddle. I wouldn’t hesitate to take it into the hunter ring.
Go for it. I had a monoflap and I absolutely loved it, the only reason I didn’t keep it for the hunter ring was because it had purple blocks. Whoops. I think I used it at a few local shows before I got a standard saddle and no judges cared, they couldn’t see the purple from a distance outdoors I guess. Otherwise I would have kept it and continued to use it, we show a lot indoors (WEC) where the purple would have been pretty obvious in the lights.
