US3259105A - Swimming pool for horses - Google Patents

Description

July 5, 1966 H. SHEPARD 3,259,105

SWIMMING POOL FOR HORSES Filed Oct. 12, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ROBE RT H. SHEPARD y 1966 R. H. SHEPARD SWIMMING POOL FOR HORSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 12, 1964 u/ m m n w 8 Wilma Q 2 Ihl l MH & W l o I j |l 3 \II I m 1% 8 Q IHIII 2 H .l. .N 4 l W ll 3 all m 4. n F N m H a M m 0 MI 4 a 4 v 3 t P 4 u 112 m 6 a p 3 INVENTOR. ROBERT H. SHEPARD 142m & 54:11am

United States Patent 3,259,105 SWIMMING POOL FOR HORSES Robert H. Shepard, 10703 Eureka Road, Spring Valley, Calif. Filed Oct. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 403,266 6 Claims. (Cl. 119-29) The present invention relates generally to a swimming pool for horses and more particularly to such a pool for exercising and conditioning race horses.

It has long been known that swimming is a perfect conditioning exercise for horses, particularly those in training during the racing season. Trainers of horses assigned to tracks situated near a large body of water conduct regular swimming programs to insure that their horses are in the pink of condition. Controlled swimming is somewhat diflicult to obtain since the horse must be accompanied by an attendant holding the halter rope. To follow the movements of the horse the attendant must usually be in a boat and the freedom of movement of the horse is seriously limited and several attendants are required for a group of horses.

It is, accordingly, the primary object of this invention to provide an improved swimming pool for horses which will permit a single attendant to handle several horses simultaneously without materially limiting the freedom of movement of the horses and without danger of injury to the horses.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a swimming pool for horses having an improved bridge over the entrance ramp which functions not only as a guide for the horses and a gate-like closure for the ramp, but also as an extension of the walkway for the attendant.

Finally, it is an object to provide a swimming pool of the aforementioned character which is simple and convenient to use and which will give generally efiicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawings which form a material part of this disclosure, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the improved swimming pool;

FIGURE 2 is asection on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section on the line 33 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a section on the line 44 of FIGURE 1.

With particular reference to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the pool, indicated by the reference numeral 10, consists of an open topped tank and is shown as being substantially circular. While this is the preferred form, since it provides generally unimpeded movement of the horse around the circumference thereof, it is within the scope of this disclosure to form the pool of any desired shape. The side wall 12 and bottom 14 are formed of reinforced concrete or any other suitable material, the junction of the wall with the bottom being smoothly curved as at 16.

Leading into the pool is a curved sloping ramp 18. As will be evident from FIGURE 1, the spaced Walls 20 and 22 of the ramp are formed as extensions of the wall of the pool, the outer Wall 20 being curved outwardly to leave an entrance 24 to the pool between the end 26 of inner wall 22 and outer wall 20. Suitably mounted on top of the outer wall 20 is a guard fence 28, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. A similar confronting fence 30 is mounted on top of the inner wall 22.

A walkway 32 surrounds the pool 10 and the outer wall 20 of ramp 18. This walkway may be of any suitable construction and is here shown as being of reinforced concrete and an integral part of the upper edge of wall 12. Spanning the entrance 24 between the end 26 of wall 22 and the outer wall of the pool is a movable bridging means 34. As here shown, this bridging means 34 takes the form of a drawbridge pivoted to the wall of the pool at 36 and movable upwardly in the direction of arrow 38 by any suitable means such as the cable 40 in a manner well known in the art. While I have shown a drawbridge, it is to be understood that any other well-known movable bridging means may be substituted therefor.

Operation While the dimensions of the pool are not critical, it should not be less than 40 feet in diameter and approximately 10 feet deep to allow sufiicient depth of water for a horse to swim. With the pool nearly full of water, a horse is led down the ramp 18 by an attendant holding a rope attached to the horses halter, the drawbridge 34 having been first moved to a vertical position. The raised guard fences 28 and 30 prevent the horse from jumping over the wall 20 or 22 as he is led down the ramp. Once through the entrance 24 and into the pool proper, the horse is free to swim around the periphery of the pool guided only by the attendant who follows around the walkway 32. With the horse safely through the entrance 24, the drawbridge is dropped down to provide a walkway connecting the end 26 of the wall 22 with the edge of the pool as shown in FIGURE 1. The attendant can now walk around the pool and over the drawbridge 34. With the drawbridge positioned as shown, it also serves as a guide to direct the horse away from the ramp 18 as he swims around the pool. Multiple tethering means may be provided as, for example, by use of a centrally disposed tethering post, so that several horses can be managed by a single attendant. As will be seen in FIGURE 1, the top of the wall 22 between the ramp 18 and the pool proper is relatively narrow. To provide secure footing for the attendant a widened strip 42 may be provided if desired. After the exercise period is completed, the drawbridge 34 is raised and the horse led up the ramp.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A swimming pool for exercising and conditioning horses comprising:

an open topped tank having a sidewall and a bottom;

a ramp extending from one ege of the tank downwardly toward the bottom of said tank and having an inner wall and an outer wall, the latter being an extension of said sidewall;

a walkway around the outer edge of said tank; and

removable means bridging one end of said inner wall and an adjacent portion of said sidewall.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said removable means is a pivoted drawbridge.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said drawbridge is a continuation of said inner wall.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said tank is generally circular in shape and said drawbridge, in the operative position thereof extends chordally of said sidewall.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which said ramp extends circumferentially around a portion of the sidewall of the tank.

6. The structure of claim 5 further including a guide fence on and inner and outer walls and on both sides of the ramp leading into the tank.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 712,496 11/1902 Clark 119158 3,106,045 10/1963 Rautio 52169 ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, Acting Pliflllll') Examiner.

HUGH R. CHAMBLEE, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A SWIMMING POOL FOR EXERCISING AND CONDITIONING HORSES COMPRISING: AN OPEN TOPPED TANK HAVING A SIDEWALL AND A BOTTOM; A RAMP EXTENDING FROM AN EDGE OF THE TANK DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF SAID TANK AND HAVING AN INNER WALL AND AN OUTER WALL, THE LATTER BEING AN EXTENSION OF SAID WALL; A WALKWAY AROUND THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID TANK; AND REMOVABLE MEANS BRIDGING ONE END OF SAID INNER WALL AND AN ADJACENT PORTION OF SAID SIDEWALL.

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