Arabian Hunt Seat tack question...

I have a question for everyone. I trained in dressage for 11 years. This season I will be showing my arab in hunt seat, as I have been riding with a world champion trainer. I was wondering if anyone knows why people that show arabian horses never use the hunt seat pads that have the number slots on the side? I am planning to use mine this year, I am just hoping that the judges don't mark me down for it. All of the stock horse people use them so I would think it would be ok. Can you give me some imput? I will be showing in open shows in the NEWPHA circuit.

Thanks everyone!!!!!!

I have a question that is not going to answer your question. Lol. I went and watched an arab/half-arab show a couple of months ago and noticed that ALL of the hunt horses were in snaffles. Not a single one of them were in dbl bridles, or anything with curbs. In the morgan breed it is completely diff, only jr horses go in snaffles. So in the arabs is it a rule that you ride in snaffles?

Regarding your choice of saddle pad, personally I would go with the pad w/o the number slot if you are showing at a show that none of the other exhibitors are using the one you have posted above.

Hi, to answer your question, there are not requirements as to what arabs are shown in. A snaffle bit is normal for hunt seat classes, if you start getting into the show hack classes then a double bridle is required. As for the saddle pad, I am competeing with a lot of stock horses, and they ALL use these pads, do you think the judge would mark me down if I used it? I just got a new hunt coat and I would prefer not to put pin holes in it. Also I come from dressage training and I just think it looks so funny when you just have a pad as big as the saddle Thanks!!!

If you are competing with a lot of stock horses than I would go ahead and use the pad they are using. Thanks for the info!