My first introduction to 2 meter as VP8BKM everything was horizontal, on returning to UK I found 2 meter was so different, could not believe how different, although day to day range would vary, it did not vary much, in 4 years on Falklands never has isotropic propagation and sporadic E was unheard of, however in the UK (GW7MGW) range could vary from 10 to 100 miles.
I still had halo aerial so one day I tried an experiment, using SSB I had a 7/8th whip and a halo with a switch, I was in a flat area and the station I was doing the test with had a rather good horizontal beam, the signal as expected was to start with better with halo, a second station joined in and had it not joined in I had reached about the limit and would have stopped at around 40 miles, then the signal came back, at around 60 mile and finally lost at around 80 miles, finally lost contact, however by this time, vertical was working better than horizontal, it does seem as distance increases it does not really matter which polarization is used.
It even today surprises me how it does not always follow expected rules. So have a go, suck it and see, as long as the VSWR is within limits so no damage to radio, give it a go.