[ponyxjd]

I work at a tack shop and today someone came in and was going on and on about these saddle pads being great in the jumper ring. The store owner takes suggestions like these very seriously and when the customer left said she ought to have some on stock, to which I replied, "I don't think they'd sell very well. I've only ever seen them on the quarter horses in hunt seat equitation classes." The tack store is in the middle of hunter/jumper/event land, no quarter horses people what-so-ever. I seemed to have struck a nerve because the store owner responded "well <customer> rides very nice horses at very big shows and those pads could be the new thing in the show ring next year." I still disagree... but I couldn't help but wonder what others thought about them for the jumper ring.

[Trakehner]

Ick. Maybe in a sales ring...nope, still crappy looking. At least it doesn't have bling all over it.

[JWB]

Ummm yeah.
They're really popular with the kids who show the local saddle club series.... Most ride their horses with english tack and these pads on Saturday, and swap to western tack on Sunday. I can't think of ever seeing someone show jumpers in them.

[*Liz*]

I've seen some people use them over the years, but I'm in the boat that thinks they look really tacky and should stay at the QH shows. I'd be very surprised if these ever got BIG in the jumper world.

[AmandaandTuff]

I'd hope not because I gave mine away since I never used it. I hate the way they look, I only had one when I was thinking about showing breed circuit. Quickly gave it away to a 4-H kid.

[somageek]

Eww no, they're gross. I've never seen someone use them in the jumpers at USEF shows around here (southern CA)

[Plumcreek]

The ONLY reason for these pads in the first place was for the older nearsignted judges to be able to read the numbers pinned on the pad from the center of the show ring.

[Go Fish]

The ONLY reason for these pads in the first place was for the older nearsignted judges to be able to read the numbers pinned on the pad from the center of the show ring.

Well, maybe. But the habit got started when women began wearing those Las Vegas show girl-style shirts and they didn't want to put pins in them, so they started pinning numbers to the saddle blankets (both sides). I think it carried over to the under saddle classes and some smart person made an uggggly English pad to accommodate the numbers. When you go to the show office to check in, they actually give you two numbers.

Tell the store owner not to bother. No self-respecting H/J rider is going to show in one of those pads.

I showed a friend's QH in the under saddle a couple of weeks ago. I brought a string and tied the number around my waist. I told her that I wasn't showing her horse with a dumb-ass pad, period and would use my own standard pad, thank you very much.

I was second out of 27. So there...

[ponyxjd]

Okay good my hunch was right.

[Ozone]

I agree. Those pad are just tacky. I've seen some people sporting them proudly....

[theinstigator]

It's actually a rule to have numbers on each side of the saddle for the Pinto shows:

"In western performance classes, English performance classes, (except Saddle Seat), Hunter Hack, over fence classes and heritage, each Exhibitor must have two (2) numbers and one (1) must be placed on each side of the saddle or saddle pad."

So some of us "self-respecting H/J riders" that occasionally cross over to breed shows to help friends have to show in them (or attempt to pin a number to each side of our "proper" saddle pad).

At the other breed shows where they are in fashion (QH and Paint circuits) you very rarely see them used over fences, just in the flat classes.

That being said, I wouldn't use one other than when required. Thank goodness I was able to pick up one for pretty cheap on ebay.

[JumpWithPanache]

If she has enough breed show clientele to support keeping the pad in stock then OK, fine, carry the pad. Otherwise, blech, I wouldn't put it on my horse even for a local H/J schooling show. Surely the shop owner can special order it for folks who want one.

[GreystoneKC]

One of my students had one of them when she came to ride with me many years ago... I hated every second that she used it and was soooooo glad when the plastic started to tear and she decided it was time to move on. Thankfully, she has grown up to have excellent taste in attire, but I still get a kick out of some of the stuff she had when she first showed up!

Your hunch is right, they are sinfully ugly and not going to be the new trend any time soon!

[hntrjmprpro45]

I did some breed shows and I HATED the number pads. At regular shows I just pinned the number to the sides of a regular contour show pad. For the world shows, regionals and bigger circuits I caved and bought the ugly pad. Some shows required only one number on the side and one on the back while others required one on EACH side.

When I could get away with it, I wore my number proudly on my back like a true hunter/jumper rider! Some would pin their numbers on their coats high up, between their shoulder blades (they looked stupid by the way). I didn't want to poke holes in my coat so I poked a couple holes in the number and used a shoe string like usual. Some people couldn't figure out how I managed to attach my number... they were awestruck when I explained to them that if you use string then you won't have holes in your coats.

[ExJumper]

If I'm showing a jumper I'll pin my number to the square pad like a sane person. That thing is yuck.

[mvp]

I work at a tack shop and today someone came in and was going on and on about these saddle pads being great in the jumper ring. The store owner takes suggestions like these very seriously and when the customer left said she ought to have some on stock, to which I replied, "I don't think they'd sell very well. I've only ever seen them on the quarter horses in hunt seat equitation classes." The tack store is in the middle of hunter/jumper/event land, no quarter horses people what-so-ever. I seemed to have struck a nerve because the store owner responded "well <customer> rides very nice horses at very big shows and those pads could be the new thing in the show ring next year." I still disagree... but I couldn't help but wonder what others thought about them for the jumper ring.

Then let the tack store owner buy 100 of 'em and see what happens. Say nothing and enjoy.