GB2590471A

GB2590471A - Improvements in or relating to riding and equestrianism

Info

Publication number: GB2590471A
Application number: GB1918832.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Belton Geoffrey
Original assignee: Albion Saddlemakers Co Ltd
Current assignee: Albion Saddlemakers Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-12-18
Filing date: 2019-12-18
Publication date: 2021-06-30
Also published as: GB201918832D0

Abstract

An equestrian item 1 (a girth, bridle noseband, headband, saddle pad, numnah or saddle) comprises a breathable memory material (e.g. a foam) covered by a porous skin facing layer/cover 3 (e.g. leather or a like material having visible pores or pinholes) which, in use, contacts the body of a horse. The item may have a second outer porous skin layer on an opposing side of the memory material to the first porous skin facing layer; such that in use heat may pass through the entire item from the skin-facing side to ambient air. The item may also include a plurality of channels or passageways 4 which divide up the contact area of the skin facing layer into a series of panels 5 and provide an airflow means in direct contact with the horse’s body to draw away body heat.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO RIDING AND EQUESTRIANISM

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to riding and equestrianism and is more particularly but not exclusively concerned with improvements in or relating equestrian items that come into contact with the body of a horse.

As is well known, making girths, saddles, bridles and the like is a specialised art and it is important to provide comfort for both the horse and rider, with the weight of the rider being well distributed on the horse and the girth, enifite, bridle and the like being a snug, stable fit on the horse.

In particular, it is known for girths to be provided with internal cushioning material such as a layer of memory foam material substantially throughout the length of girth to aid in comfort for the horse in various movements the horse undergoes during riding or other performances such as showjumping.

Whilst considerable attention and analysis has been devoted to developing the shape and format of equestrian items to provide better comfort and performance for both horse and rider, it is believed certain design factors may have been overlooked or not given sufficient consideration (even though such items may be bespoke in nature).

On the whole, it is believed that attention has been focussed on the comfort of horse and rider through pressure distribution from an initial standpoint rather than how comfort needs of the horse may change over a prolonged period of working time. Analysis has shown that the supposed maximum pressure a horse should be subjected to over a twenty minute period is 1.44 p.s.i. (circa 9.93 IcPa) without causing considerable discomfort/fatigue, The Applicant believes that one of the main reasons for this is the disadvantageous consequential excessive accumulation of heat within the animal over time, mainly being due to the contact under pressure of various equestrian items with the body of the horse. The greater the heat build up the greater the heart rate of the animal and the greater the level of distress. Whilst it is Sy possible to redistribute pressure and there has to be a sufficient area of contact between the equestrian items and the horse's body, the Applicant believes it should be possible to increase/stabilise the comfort needs of the horse over a prolonged period of working time by restraining or eradicating such disadvantageous heat accumulation within the horse's body.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to at least alleviate the aforementioned, or other, disadvantage associated with equestrian items or to provide a riding or equestrian item which is improved in at least some respect According to the present invention there is provided a riding or equestrian item comprising breathable memory material, at least one side of the breathable memory material being covered by a porous skin layer that contacts or is in heat communication with the body of horse or other animal, in use, to allow dissipation of heat from the body of the animal.

Preferably, the breathable memory material is a foam which may be polyester based.

The breathable memory material may comprise one or more (integral) layers.

One embodiment of the present horerdion comprises an item in the form of a band, such as a girth or bridle headband or noseband preferably having a second, outer, porous skin layer covering an opposite side of the breathable memory material, the arrangement being such that, advantageously, in use, heat from the body of the horse can pass or flow through pores in the porous skin layer contacting the horse into and through the breathable memory material and out through the pores in said second, outer, porous skin layer into ambient air.

Advantageously, and, most importantly, the band is preferably, provided with airflow means in the form of a plurality of transverse channels or passageways dividing up said porous skin layer in contact with the animal's body into a series of panels.

The channels/passageways are, preferably, open-ended and may be of generally equal width. Preferably, the panels are of equal width and equidistantly spaced from one another.

Where the band is arranged to lie upon a curved part of the animal's body it is envisaged that the channels will be positioned at the highest stress locations along the length of the band to seemingly minimise friction on the animal's body with the band.

Thus, where the band is a girth, a central channel/passageway may be provided with two other equidistantly spaced channels being provided to the left of the central channel and two equidistantly spaced channels being provided to the tight of the central channel. It is believed the provision of five airflow channels/passageways in This toner should help to minimise heat and, therefore, related consequences. Preferably, the channels/passageways may be of a width in the range 1-2 cm +/-2mm and seemingly optimally 1.5 cm +/-2inm with the panels in contact with the animal, preferably being about 10cm in length +/-L4 cm.

The thickness of the breathable memory (foam) material used in the girth may be 14mm (possibly comprised of two layers of 7mni thick -foam-material) whereas the thickness of breathable memory (foam) material used in the headband may be 7mm thick-possibly comprised of one layer of (foam) material.

Where the band is a headband, preferably, three equidistantly spaced panels may be provided separated by two spaced channels/passageways with no central channel/passageway being provided. The width of the channels/passageways may be similar to that provided on a girth as previously described.

One embodiment of the present invention comprises an item in the form of a saddle. It is envisaged that breathable memory material will be provided in the saddle positioned, in use, on each side of the animal' s body with said porous skin layer in heat communication with each side of the animal's body and being provided along outer edge panels/regions of the saddle. The porous skin layer may be in use, in contact with a saddle blanket positioned on the horse under the saddle.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a combination of different riding or equestrian items such as a girth or headband or saddle each containing

S

breathable memory material covered on at least one side by a porous skin layer in contact with or in heat communication with a horse or other animal, in use.

Each of the items of said combination may have any oft features as herein described.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a riding or equestrian item having one or more of the following features:-a) Breathable memory material b) Airflow passageways/chnnnels c) At least one porous skin layer in contact or heat communication with an animal's body, in use d) Any feature or combination of features as herein described Further according to the present invention there is provided a method of making a riding or equestrian item comprising providing an interior breathable memory material covered on one side by a porous shin layer in cmatact with or in heat communication with an animal's body in use.

Many advantages of the present invention will be apparent Thorn the following description and drawings.

An embodiment of a riding or equestrian item in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of an embodiment of a girth for a horse, in accordance with the present invention, FIGURE 2 shows an enlarged view of one half of the girth shown in FIGURE I; FIGURE 3 shows an enlarged central portion view of an inverted plan view of the girth as shown in FIGURES I and 2; FIGURE 4 shows an enlarged end portion of an inverted plan view of the girth shown in FIGURES 1 to 3; FIGURE 5 shows a plan view of an embodiment of a headband of a bridle for a horse, in accordance with the present invention; FIGURE 6 shows an inverted plan view of the headband as shown in FIGURE 5; FIGURE 7 shows an inverted plan view similar to FIGURE 6 with an outer skin layer of the headband and end straps removed to expose a layer of breathable memory foam material, and FIGURE 8 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a saddle for a horse, in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the FIGURES of the drawings, a girth 1 for a horse has a peripheral outer contour 2 which is generally of a known shape.

Advantageously, the girth 1 has a first porous skin layer 3 which, in use, contacts the body (belly or underside) of a horse (not shown) covering one side of an interior double (integral) layer of breathable memory %am material --not shown-(each layer being of 7mm thickness). The porous skin layer 3 may be of leather or like material having visible pores or pinholes arranged generally in a regular square matrix array.

The Applicant has found that an ideal breathable memory foam material is a polyester foam having a weight of 625 g/m2 and thickness of 7inm.

FIGURES 3 and 4 show the reverse or outer side of the girth I having a second, outer, porous skin layer 3a of leather or the like covering the opposite side of the double layer of breathable memory foam.

Advantageously, when the skin layer 3 comes into contact with the horse's body during riding or other performance activity, heat generated by the horse's body can be dissipated through the pores in said skin layer into and through the double layer of breathable memory foam material and, finally, through the pores on outer skin layer 3a to ambient air_ As previously mentioned, when a horse is subjected to various performance exercises over a prolonged period of time there can be an undue -and potentially divulging -heat build up in the horse due to the pressure of the equestrian item in contact with the body of the horse. It is believed that the provision of the porous skin layer 3, breathable memory material and optional skin layer 3a should dramatically reduce the heat build up in the horse in an unprecedented manner.

Moreover, extremely importantly, FIGURES 1 and 2 show that the girth 1 has a plurality of equidistantly spaced transverse open-ended channels or passageways 4 dividing the contact area of the skin layer 3 with the horse into a series of panels 5.

The channels/passageways 4 comprise an airflow means in direct contact with the horse's body to draw away body heat.

The number, location and format of the channels/passageways 4 is very important in order to seemingly EllatiSC heat dissipation without losing the acceptable area of contact required for the pressure control necessarily involved with the equestrian item concerned. It is to be appreciated that the girth 1 needs to adapt to the horse with muscle contraction/expansion and must move to fit with the fotves involved without rubbing or slipping.

It is believed that the combination of channel/passageway configuration along with the breathable memory material and skin layer 3 (and preferably skin layer 3a) should provide a revolutionary advance more particularly in the field of equestrianism enabling the horse to extend its range of prolonged performance dramatically in a way not previously considered feasible.

As shown in FJOIJRES 1 and 2, each. channel 4 of girth 1 is 1.5 cm in width X with two channels 4 being provided to the left of a central channel and two channels being provided to the right of the central channel -each of the panels being of 10 cm in width.

Advantageously, the channels 4 are located at highest stress areas of the girth I as it curves to match the contour of the underside of the horse. In known girths provided with non-breathable memory foam and a non-porous skin layer in contact with the horse the skin layer wrinkles in a manner which is more prominent at said highest stress areas, disadvantageously, causing potential friction problems with the skin of the horse that could lead to sores.

FIGURE 5 shows an embodiment of a bridle headband 100 having a known outer peripheral contour 102 with a th-st porous skin layer 103 which, in use, contacts the head region of a horse. The skin layer 103 covers one side of a single layer of breathable memory foam material F of 7imn thickness (see FIGURE 7).

The reverse or outer side of the headband 100 (see FIGURE 6) is covered by a second porous skin layer 103a. The porous skin layers 103, 103a may be of leather or the like. FIGURE 7 shows a view of the headband 100 with skin layer 103a and end straps S removed to expose the (integra)1 foam material layer F. The headband has two spaced open-ended transverse airflow channels/passageways 104 dividing the contact area of the skin layer 103 with the horse into a series of three equal width contact panels 105. The channels/passageways 104 are positioned at the high stress locations along the headband when in use.

Advantageously, dissipation of heat from the horse's head takes place in a similar mariner to that already described in relation to girth 1.

Advantageously, no wrinkling of the skin layer 3, 103 is apparent in girth 1 or headband 100 and the channel.: provided 4, 104 increase heat dissipation from the horse's body drawing the heat away from the body.

The chosen width of the channels 4, 104, their number and placement creates good airflow without adversely affecting the required area of contact with the horse's body, seemingly minimising heat build up in the horse's body.

FIGURE 8 shows a side view of an embodiment of a saddle 200 for a horse which is in accordance with the present invention but which is generally of a known shape. The inner rear edge panel parts (not shown) of the saddle in heat communication with each side of the horse's body, in use, are of known contour 202 provided with a porous skin layer 203 covering a double layer of breathable memory foam material -not shown-of the type already described. The outer rear edge panel parts 201 (only one shown) of the saddle adjacent to said inner rear edge part are also provided with a porous skin layer 203a (as shown) to enable heat to flow from a saddle blanket (not shown) on the horse's body through the pores (not shown) in the skin layer 203 into and through the breathable memory foam material and though the pares in the outer skin layer 203a to ambient air.

Whilst embodiments of the present invention have involved girths, bands and saddles the principle of utilising a breathable memory material covered on at least one side by a layer of porous material in contact or in heat communication with the horse's body may be applied to any equestrian item (such as a saddle blanket/pad), in accordance with the present invention. Advantageously, where the equestrian item is a saddle pad including at least one layer of breathable memory material, said at least one layer may be removable froin a purpose-made pocket in the pad e.g for washing/cleaning said layer. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may lie outside the field of equestrianism and be applicable to any animal that is ridden or that requires any sort of harness.

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly Limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may be replaced or supplemented by an equivalent or generic term. For example, the term 'breathable memory material' could be replaced by 'breathable cushioning material'; the term 'body' is not meant to be restrictive and could include or comprise any animal part e.g. a head'. Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions relating to the riding or equestrian item or combinations thereof might be individually patentably inventive. The singular may include the plural and vice versa Additionally, any range mentioned hereba for any parameter or variable shall be taken to include a disclosure of any derivable sub-range within that range or of any particular value of the variable or parameter arranged within, or at an end QC the range or sub-range.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A riding or equestrian item comprising breathable memory material, at least one side of the breathable memory material being covered by a porous skin layer that contacts or is in heat communication with the body of horse or other animal, in use, to allow dissipation of heat from the body of the animal.
2. An item as claimed in claim 1 in which the breathable memory material is a foam which is, preferably, polyester based.
3. An item as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the breathable memory material comprises one or more (integral) layers.
4. An item as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in the form of a band.
5. An item as claimed in claim 4 having a second, outer, porous skin layer covering an opposite side of the breathable memory material, the arrangement being such that in use, heat from the body of a horse or other animal can pass or flow through pores in the porous skin layer contacting the horse/animal into and through the breathable memory material and out through the pores in said second, outer, porous skin layer into ambient air.
6. An item as claimed in Claim Sin which the band is provided with airflow means in the form of a plurality of Transverse channels or passageways dividing up said first porous skin layer, in use, in contact with the animal 's body, into a series of panels.
7. An item as claimed in Claim 6 in which the channels/passageways are open-ended and preferably of generally equal width.
8. An item as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7 in which the panels are of about equal width and equidistantly spaced from one another.
9. An item as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8 in which, in use, the band is arranged to lie upon a curved part of the animal "s body and the channels/passageways are positioned at the highest stress locations along the length of the band.
10. An item as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9 which is a girth band in which a central channel/passageway is provided with two other equidistantly spaced C\I channels/passageways being provided to the left of the central CD channel/passageway and two equidistantly spaced channels/passageways being provided to the right of the central channel/passageway.
11. An item as claimed in Claim 10 in which the channels/passageways are of a width in the range 1-2 cm +/-2mm.
12. An item as claimed in Claim 11 in which the channels/passageways are of a width in the range 1.5 cm +/ 2mm.
13. An item as claimed in Claim 10 or 11 in which with the panels in contact with the animal are about 10cm in length +/-1.4 cm.
14. An item as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13 in which the thicknecs of the breathable memory material used in the girth is about 14mm
15. An item as claimed in Claim 14 in which the breathable memory material is comprised of two layers of about 7 mm thick material.
16. An item as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9 which is a headband in which three equidistantly spaced panels are provided separated by two spaced channels/passageways with no central channel/passageway being provided.
17. An item as claimed in claim 16 in which the width of the channels/passageways are in the range 1-2 cm +/-2mm and preferably in the C\I range 1.5 cm +/-2mm. a)O
18. An item as claimed in claim 16 or 17 in which the thickness of breathable o memory material used in the headband is about 7mm thick.
19. An item as claimed in claim 18 in which the breathable memory material is comprised of one layer of material.
20. An item as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in the form of a saddle having breathable memory material positioned, in use, on each side of the animal -s body with said porous skin layer in heat communication with each side of the animal "Ts body and being provided along outer edge panels/regions of the saddle and, in which the porous skin layer may be, in use, in contact with a saddle blanket positioned on the horse under the saddle.
21. An item as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 which is a saddle pad including at least one layer of breathable memory material, said at least one layer preferably being removable from a purpose-made pocket in the pad.
22. A combination of different riding or equestrian items such as a girth or headband or saddle each containing breathable memory material covered on at least one side by a porous skin layer in contact with or in heat communication with a horse or other animal, in use.
23. A combination as claimed in claim 22 in which each of the items of said combination is as clai med in any one of the claims 1 to 21, as applicable.(\I
24. A riding or equestrian item having one or more of the following features:- 0') a) Breathable memory material b) Airflow passageways/channels c) At least one porous skin layer in contact or heat communication with an animafl body, in use d) Any feature or combination of features as herein described.
25.A method of making a riding or equestrian item comprising providing an interior breathable memory material covered on one side by a porous skin layer in contact with or in heat communication with an animal "s body in use.