GB1587688A

GB1587688A - Saddles

Info

Publication number: GB1587688A
Application number: GB2255678A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Balducci G C
Current assignee: Balducci G C
Priority date: 1978-05-25
Filing date: 1978-05-25
Publication date: 1981-04-08

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES (71) I, GIAN CARLO BALDUCCI, an Italian citizen, of 287 Via Conca d'Oro, Rome, Italy, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a Patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to saddles and is particularly concerned with a method of designing a saddle to give maximum comfort and control for a horse rider and with apparatus for performing the method.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of making a saddle fitting for a rider in which the diameter of the body or thorax of a horse which the rider intends to ride is measured; an artificial thorax having the diameter the thorax of the measured horse is mounted on a frame; the rider sits on a seat provided on the frame with his legs astride the artificial thorax; a stirrup support member, to which a pair of stirrups are attached by adjustable straps and which is adjustably mounted on the frame, is moved with respect to the frame to suit the riding posture of the rider, the length of the stirrup straps also being adjusted; the distance of the stirrup support member from the seat and the length of the adjusted stirrup straps is measured and the measured distance and the measured length are transferred to a saddle and reproduced thereon to obtain substantially perfect equilibrium for the rider on the horse.

Another aspect of the invention provides apparatus for performing the above described method, said apparatus comprising a supporting frame, an artificial thorax of a horse or other mount which is adapated to be mounted on the frame, a seat provided on said frame, a stirrup support member movably supported on the frame and a pair of stirrups attached to the stirrup support member by straps, wherein the length of the stirrup straps and the distance between the seat and stirrup support member are adjustable to suit the riding posture of a rider in order to obtain substantially perfect equilibrium for the rider on the horse.

Preferably, the artificial thorax comprises a pair of arcuate shells which are adjustably mounted on the frame whereby the distance between said shells can be adjusted to equal the diameter of the thorax of a measured horse which the rider intends to ride.

The frame desirably comprises at least one substantially horizontal rail supported by legs and the seat and the stirrup support member may be movable along the rail(s).

The apparatus may further include an instrument for measuring the distance between the seat and the stirrup support member.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows, diagrammatically, one embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 is an explanatory view showing the riding posture to be assumed by a rider on a horse; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a saddle showing the dimensions A and y obtained from the device shown in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a frame consisting of two substantially horizontal rails 6 which are secured at each end to cross-members 7 which in turn are each connected to a respective pair of legs 8. Two arcuate shells 5 representing the thorax or body of a horse are mounted on the frame by suitable means (not shown) and are adjustable towards and away from each other to vary the distance a. The adjustment may take any suitable form and does not form part of the subject of this invention.

A seat 1 and a stirrup support member 4 are adjustably mounted on the rails 6. An electric motor and drive means (not shown) may be provided by means of which the seat 1 and stirrup support member 4 may be driven along the rails 6. A control box (not shown) for operating the motor is preferably mounted on the stirrup support member 4.

A pair of stirrups 3 are connected by adjustable straps 2 to a predetermined point or points 4a on the stirrup support member 4.

The diameter of the thorax or body of a horse which a rider intends to ride is measured and the shells 5 are adjusted until the distance a is exactly equal to the measured diameter of the horse. The rider now mounts the apparatus and assumes a desired riding posture ss (Figure 2). The riding posture will depend on the use for which the saddle is intended, e.g. showjumping or racing, or, in the case of an inexperienced rider, the position in which he feels most comfortable.

The seat 1 and stirrup support member 4 as well as the length of the stirrup straps 2 can now be adjusted by the rider by means of the control box (not shown) until the optimum position for comfort and control to suit the particular rider has been found. The posture ss adopted by the rider will of course depend, to some extent, on the dimension a of his mount. However, to obtain true equilibrium of the rider, the stirrup straps should hang vertically whatever the inclination of the upper part of the body of the rider and the length of the stirrup straps.

The length y of the stirrup straps is now measured and this length will depend on the dimension a of the horse, the desired riding posture ss and the length of the rider's leg.

Finally the distance A between the point 4a on the stirrup support member 4 and a predetermined point on the seat 1 is measured with the aid of a measuring instrument (not shown). The distance A will depend on the dimension a, the riding posture p and the length y.

In obtaining the above-mentioned measurements y and A. it will be found convenient to use the stirrups which form the subject of my British Patent No. 1,458,742.

However, other stirrups may be used if desired.

A saddle may now be manufactured in which the distance A from the centre line of the rider to the stirrup strap attachment point which has been measured on the apparatus shown in Figure 1 is faithfully reproduced. This will normally be done for custom made saddles to suit one particular rider on a particular horse. However. it is also possible to use the apparatus according to the invention in conjunction with a universal, general purpose saddle which can be used by more than one rider and/or for more than one horse.

By means of a personal table giving the dimensions A and y, as functions of a and ss, a rider can adjust his position on whatever saddle he has to use. It is necessary to know all of the dimensions A, a, p and y for a saddle which is to be made to measure but for any other saddle, once the distance A is known, it is only necessary to adjust the length y of the stirrup straps to reveal the limitations of the saddle. Suffice it to say that it will be more comfortable for the rider to incline the upper part of the body the shorter the stirrup straps and the more distant their attachment to the saddle from the seat within the limits imposed by the laws of mechanics regarding the balance of force in general.

It will be seen that, by means of the apparatus according to the invention, a rider can measure perfectly the position he or she will assume on any particular horse and this position can be faithfully reproduced on any type of saddle.

It should be noted that the invention is not restricted to use with saddles for horses but may be used in conjunction with saddles for other mounts, such as ponies, and references to horses in this specification are intended to cover such other mounts.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A method of making a saddle fitting for a rider in which the diameter of the body or thorax of a horse which the rider intends to ride is measured; an artificial thorax having the diameter of the thorax of the measured horse is mounted on a frame; the rider sits on a seat provided on the frame with his legs astride the artificial thorax; a stirrup support member, to which a pair of stirrups are attached by adjustable straps and which is adjustably mounted on the frame, is moved with respect to the frame to suit the riding posture of the rider, the length of the stirrup straps also being adjusted; the distance of the stirrup support member from the seat and the length of the adjusted straps is measured and the measured distance and the measured length are transferred to a saddle and reproduced thereon to obtain substantially perfect equilibrium for the rider on the horse.

2. Apparatus for performing the method claimed in claim 1, said apparatus comprising a supporting frame, an artificial thorax of a horse or other mount which is adapted to be mounted on the frame, a seat provided on said frame, a stirrup support member movably supported on the frame and a pair of stirrups attached to the stirrup support member by straps. wherein the length of the stirrup straps and the distance between the seat and stirrup support member are adjustable to suit the riding posture of a rider in order to obtain substantially

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. are adjustably mounted on the rails 6. An electric motor and drive means (not shown) may be provided by means of which the seat 1 and stirrup support member 4 may be driven along the rails 6. A control box (not shown) for operating the motor is preferably mounted on the stirrup support member 4. A pair of stirrups 3 are connected by adjustable straps 2 to a predetermined point or points 4a on the stirrup support member 4. The diameter of the thorax or body of a horse which a rider intends to ride is measured and the shells 5 are adjusted until the distance a is exactly equal to the measured diameter of the horse. The rider now mounts the apparatus and assumes a desired riding posture ss (Figure 2). The riding posture will depend on the use for which the saddle is intended, e.g. showjumping or racing, or, in the case of an inexperienced rider, the position in which he feels most comfortable. The seat 1 and stirrup support member 4 as well as the length of the stirrup straps 2 can now be adjusted by the rider by means of the control box (not shown) until the optimum position for comfort and control to suit the particular rider has been found. The posture ss adopted by the rider will of course depend, to some extent, on the dimension a of his mount. However, to obtain true equilibrium of the rider, the stirrup straps should hang vertically whatever the inclination of the upper part of the body of the rider and the length of the stirrup straps. The length y of the stirrup straps is now measured and this length will depend on the dimension a of the horse, the desired riding posture ss and the length of the rider's leg. Finally the distance A between the point 4a on the stirrup support member 4 and a predetermined point on the seat 1 is measured with the aid of a measuring instrument (not shown). The distance A will depend on the dimension a, the riding posture p and the length y. In obtaining the above-mentioned measurements y and A. it will be found convenient to use the stirrups which form the subject of my British Patent No. 1,458,742. However, other stirrups may be used if desired. A saddle may now be manufactured in which the distance A from the centre line of the rider to the stirrup strap attachment point which has been measured on the apparatus shown in Figure 1 is faithfully reproduced. This will normally be done for custom made saddles to suit one particular rider on a particular horse. However. it is also possible to use the apparatus according to the invention in conjunction with a universal, general purpose saddle which can be used by more than one rider and/or for more than one horse. By means of a personal table giving the dimensions A and y, as functions of a and ss, a rider can adjust his position on whatever saddle he has to use. It is necessary to know all of the dimensions A, a, p and y for a saddle which is to be made to measure but for any other saddle, once the distance A is known, it is only necessary to adjust the length y of the stirrup straps to reveal the limitations of the saddle. Suffice it to say that it will be more comfortable for the rider to incline the upper part of the body the shorter the stirrup straps and the more distant their attachment to the saddle from the seat within the limits imposed by the laws of mechanics regarding the balance of force in general. It will be seen that, by means of the apparatus according to the invention, a rider can measure perfectly the position he or she will assume on any particular horse and this position can be faithfully reproduced on any type of saddle. It should be noted that the invention is not restricted to use with saddles for horses but may be used in conjunction with saddles for other mounts, such as ponies, and references to horses in this specification are intended to cover such other mounts. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A method of making a saddle fitting for a rider in which the diameter of the body or thorax of a horse which the rider intends to ride is measured; an artificial thorax having the diameter of the thorax of the measured horse is mounted on a frame; the rider sits on a seat provided on the frame with his legs astride the artificial thorax; a stirrup support member, to which a pair of stirrups are attached by adjustable straps and which is adjustably mounted on the frame, is moved with respect to the frame to suit the riding posture of the rider, the length of the stirrup straps also being adjusted; the distance of the stirrup support member from the seat and the length of the adjusted straps is measured and the measured distance and the measured length are transferred to a saddle and reproduced thereon to obtain substantially perfect equilibrium for the rider on the horse.

perfect equilibrium for the rider on the horse.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the artificial thorax comprises a pair of arcuate shells which are adjustably mounted on the frame whereby the distance between said shells can be adjusted to equal the diameter of the thorax of a measured horse which the rider intends to ride.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the seat is movably mounted on the frame.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the frame comprises at least one substantially horizontal rail supported by legs, the seat and stirrup support member being movable along said rail(s).

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the apparatus includes an electric motor and drive means for driving the stirrup support member along the rail(s).

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein control means for the electric motor are mounted on the stirrup support member.

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the apparatus includes an instrument for measuring the distance between the seat and stirrup support member.

9. A method of making a saddle fitting substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

10. Apparatus for use in designing a saddle substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 1 of the drawings.