GB2426423A - Saddle - Google Patents

Abstract

A saddle having a front part adapted to be oriented towards a head of an animal, a cantle part 4 adapted to be oriented towards a tail of the animal, and a seat part between the front part and the cantle part, the saddle comprising a rigid support element 20 which does not extend into the front part of the saddle. The support element may comprise a spur 26 which will be prevent rotation of the element in use. The support element may bifurcated.

Description

SADDLES The present invention relates to saddles.

BACKGROUND Conventional equine saddles are constructed around a saddletree. "Tree" is a term used to describe the solid structure to which many of the elements of the saddle are attached, and which provides structure and support to the saddle. A standard saddletree comprises two bar elements that form a base of the tree and terminate in a horn at one end that will form the pommel of the saddle, and a cantle piece at the other end that will form the cantle of the saddle. In use, a saddle is positioned such that the bar elements of the saddletree rest along the back of the horse, on either side of the spine. Saddle tress may be constructed from a variety of materials including wood, plastics and fibreglass. Fully rigid saddles, having a tree as described above, have been in use for many years but are problematic for several reasons. A full saddletree is a heavy component and adds significantly to the weight of the saddle. Further, a conventional saddletree is rigid and inflexible, incapable of adjusting to the dimensions of a specific horse, or of adapting to accommodate the movement of a horse. A conventional rigid saddletree also cannot adapt to the changes in the dimensions of a horse that take place over time, for example due to weight gain and/or weight loss. Further problems with conventional saddletrees arise from the manner in which they distribute the weight of a rider over a horse's back. The shape of a conventional saddletree tends to concentrate the load carried through the saddle on specific areas, leading to localised pressure points and associated problems for the horse. As a means of addressing these problems it is known in the art to provide a fully flexible, treeless saddle. One of the earliest fully flexible saddles is the Straus saddle, which was patented on 26 October 1880. In the Straus saddle described and claimed in US 233,816, the rigid tree of a conventional saddle is replaced by a flexible leather body, to which the pommel, cantle and other saddle components are attached. The saddle is flexible in all directions and has a flexible pommel and cantle. The present invention relates to an improvement to the Straus saddle, which ensures that the cantle maintains its shape, thereby providing comfort for the horse and support for the rider in high impact riding applications such as show jumping and eventing. According to the present invention, there is provided a saddle having a front part adapted to be oriented towards a head of an animal, a cantle part adapted to be oriented towards a tail of the animal, and a seat part between the front part and the cantle part, the saddle comprising a rigid support element which does not extend into the front part of the saddle. The support element may comprise a substantially U shaped element having two support arms, which is located in the seat part of the saddle. Each of the support arms may terminate in a supporting foot. The arms may extend substantially parallel to each other and may be adapted to rest along either side of a horse's back. The support element may be permanently fixed within the saddle and may be made of plastics material. The support element may further comprise a seat portion and a cantle portion. The cantle portion may be arcuate. The seat portion may be integrally formed with the cantle portion. In use of the saddle, the seat portion of the support element may extend in a substantially horizontal plane, and the cantle portion may extend rearwardly and upwardly out of the horizontal plane to provide a framework upon which a cantle of the saddle can be constructed. The cantle portion may extend from the seat portion at an intermediate position along its length, thereby defining a spur in the seat portion which extends rearwardly from the junction between the cantle portion and seat portion. The spur resists the tendency of the support element to rotate when load is applied to the cantle portion. The support element may be bifurcated, and may be moulded in one piece. The saddle of the present invention provides advantages over the prior art in combining comfort for the horse with rigid support for the rider, in an area of the saddle that can be subject to large forces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of the Strauss saddle taken from US 233, 816. Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of a rear portion of a saddle having a cantle support element. Figure 3 is a plan view of a cantle support element. Figure 4 is a front end view of a cantle support element. Figure 5 is a partial sectional view of a rear portion of a saddle having another embodiment of cantle support element. Figure 6 is a plan view of the cantle support element of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a front end view of the cantle support element of Figure 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figure 1, a conventional treeless saddle comprises a leather body portion 1 which is shaped or "blocked" to form a seat part 6. A pommel 2 is attached to a front part of the body portion 1 and a cantle 4 is attached to a rear "cantle" part of the body portion 1. Flaps 8 are fixed to the body portion 1 and extend downwardly on either side of the saddle to provide protection for the legs of a rider. In use, the raised cantle 4 of the saddle provides support for a rider and helps to maintain the rider in the correct seated position. Referring to Figure 2, a saddle comprises a seat part 6, a cantle 4 and a pommel (not shown). The saddle is formed from different materials assembled in layers from the base of the saddle, adjacent the back of the horse, to the upper surface of the saddle, adjacent the rider. The base layer comprises a moulded panel which may, for example, be latex foam or a neoprene based panel, on top of which is a layer of wool felt 12. A layer of cushioning material 14, such as Prolite (RTM), rests on top of the wool felt 12. The upper layer of the saddle comprises a layer of slow recovery foam 16 which rests on top of the cushioning material 14. The surface of the saddle comprises a layer of leather 18, which surrounds the above-mentioned layers, forming the outer skin of the saddle. A rigid cantle support element 20 is permanently fixed, for example by means of adhesive, between the layers of cushioning material 14 and foam 16. The cantle support element comprises a seat portion 22 which lies substantially within the seat part 6 of the saddle, and an arcuate cantle portion 24 which extends rearwardly and upwardly of the seat portion 22. The cantle portion 24 of the cantle support element 20 extends from an intermediate region of the seat portion 22, and a spur 26 extends from the junction between the cantle portion 24 and the seat portion 22. Flocking 27 fills the gap between the cantle portion 24 and the spur 26. In use, the cantle portion 24 supports the cantle 4 of the saddle, providing support to the rider and preventing the cantle from collapsing under forces applied by the rider's body.Pressure on the seat portion 22 of the cantle support element 20 helps to maintain the cantle support element 20 in its desired position. When excessive forces are applied to the cantle 4, the spur 26 acts to resist the turning forces that would otherwise cause the cantle support element 20 to rotate (in an anticlockwise direction when viewed in Figure 2) about the junction between the cantle portion 24 and the seat portion 22. A strap of webbing 28 is attached to the seat portion 22 of the cantle support element 20, and extends towards and is fixed to the front part of the saddle. The strap of webbing 28 acts to transfer load from the cantle support element to the front part of the saddle. Referring to Figure 3, the cantle support element 20 is bifurcated and comprises two arms 30, each of which terminates in a foot 32. The arms 30 extend from the cantle portion 24 of the cantle support element 20 in a substantially parallel orientation within the seat part 6 of the saddle. Referring particularly to Figure 3, the arms 30 and feet 32 are angled out of the plane of the saddle so as to lie in intersecting planes 36 and 38. In use of the saddle, the arms 30 of the cantle support element 20 lie along the back of a horse, either side of the horse's spine. Downward pressure exerted on the arms 30, by the rider, assists in maintaining the cantle support element in its desired orientation. Referring to Figure 5, a second embodiment of cantle support element 20 also comprises a seat portion 22 and a cantle portion 24. The seat portion 22 is of reduced length compared to the corresponding element of Figures 2 to 4. Furthermore, no spur 26 is provided. Instead, the arcuate cantle portion 24 extends upwardly in a gradual curve from a rearward end of the seat portion 22. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the second embodiment of cantle support element is also bifurcated, comprising two arms 30, each of which terminates in a foot 32 and which lie within a seat part 6 of the saddle. As in the previous embodiment, in use of the saddle the arms 30 lie along the back of a horse, either side of the horse's spine.

Claims (17)

1. A saddle having a front part adapted to be oriented towards a head of an animal, a cantle part adapted to be oriented towards a tail of the animal, and a seat part between the front part and the cantle part, the saddle comprising a rigid support element which does not extend into the front part of the saddle.

2. A saddle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support element is the only rigid support element in the saddle.

3. A saddle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support element is contained within the saddle.

4. A saddle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support element is confined to the cantle part of the saddle.

5. A saddle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support element comprises a substantially U shaped element having two support arms, which arms are located in the seat part of the saddle.

6. A saddle as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the support arms terminates in a supporting foot.

7. A saddle as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the arms extend substantially parallel to each other and are adapted to rest along either side of a horse's back.

8. A saddle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support element is permanently fixed within the saddle.

9. A saddle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support element is made of plastics material.

10. A saddle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support element comprises a seat portion and a cantle portion.

11. A saddle as, claimed in claim 10, wherein the cantle portion is arcuate.

12. A saddle as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein the seat portion is integrally formed with the cantle portion.

13. A saddle as claimed in any one claims 10 to 12, wherein, in use of the saddle, the seat portion of the support element extends in a substantially horizontal plane, and the cantle portion extends rearwardly and upwardly out of the horizontal plane.

14. A saddle as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the cantle portion extends from the seat portion at an intermediate position along its length, thereby defining a spur in the seat portion which extends from the junction between the cantle portion and seat portion.

15. A saddle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support element is bifurcated.

16. A saddle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support element is moulded in one piece.

17. A saddle substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in Figures 2 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.