AU703333B2 - Improvements to saddles - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to improvements to saddles, such as horse saddles, to better secure a rider to the saddle.

The invention will be described with reference to a horse saddle, but it should be appreciated that the invention can include other types of animal saddles.

The major cause of injury to horse and pony riders is caused by falling from the saddle. Young children, disabled children and beginners are particularly susceptible to injury caused by falling from the saddle.

It is dangerous to strap or otherwise bind the person to the saddle as should the horse or pony stumble or fall, even greater injuries can be sustained if the person cannot jump from the horse or pony.

It has now been found that if it is possible to secure the rider's legs to a greater degree, the chance of falling from the saddle is reduced. This is particularly so with disabled children or young children which do not have 15 adequate strength in their legs.

_The present invention has been developed to better secure a rider's legs to minimise the rider from falling from the animal, but where the legs are not secured in a totally non-removable manner.

It is an object of the invention to provide improvements to saddles 20 which may overcome the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the public with a useful or commercial choice.

In one from the invention resides in a leg securing arrangement to secure a rider's legs relative to a saddle, the arrangement comprising a two-part releasable attachment means, one of the parts being attachable to a rider's legs and the other of the parts being attachable to or relative to the saddle, the two parts beings positionable such that the parts can attach together when the rider sits on the saddle, wherein the parts can become detachable by pulling the parts apart.

In this manner, the saddle can be provided with one of the attachment means, while the rider's legs can be provided with the other of the attachment means, the rider can then mount the saddle and readily attach the two parts together to provide a greater securement.

It is desirable that the leg securing arrangement comprises a separate saddle cover which can be attached to an otherwise conventional unmodified saddle. Thus, when the cover is removed from the saddle, the saddle is of a conventional type, yet when the cover is attached to the saddle, the saddle now allows a greater degree of leg securement.

The saddle cover can have a seat portion and a pair of depending leg portions.

The cover can be made from a number of different types of material which are suitable for the purpose, these including canvas, woven materials, nylons, plastic composites and leather. It should be appreciated that the material that the cover is made from can vary to suit.

*The cover can be secured to the saddle by various types of *°attachments with a preferred attachment being one or more straps which can pass underneath the saddle to secure the cover thereto. The straps can be adjustable to allow the cover to be used on saddles having different shapes or sizes.

The seat portion preferably at least partially overlies the saddle seat and thus can be sat upon by the rider to provide improved securement of the saddle cover to the saddle.

The leg portions can be made integrally with the seat portion, or can be made separately and attached to the seat portion. The leg portions may be adjustable in length, or a number of different size leg portions can be provided which can be attached to the seat portion. The leg portions typically depend from each side of the seat portion to overlie each side of the animal, or the side flaps of the saddle. The cover can have openings to allow the saddle girth straps to pass therethrough, and openings to allow the stirrups to pass through the cover.

A girth strap can be used to secure the leg portions of the saddle cover against the saddle to prevent an undesirable amount of movement.

Alternatively, the leg securing arrangement can form part of a saddle. In this alternative the saddle will require modification, while in the above arrangement a conventional saddle can be used with the saddle cover being provided with the releasable attachment means.

The two-part releasable attachment means should comprise one where the parts can become detached by pulling the two parts apart. Thus, suitable releasable attachment means can comprise Velcro strips or patches, pressure-stick adhesives, press-fit fasteners, such as press studs. These releasable attachment means can be used many times without requiring repair and maintenance.

It is also envisaged that the releasable attachment means can comprise a "use once" means. In this arrangement, a sacrificial member such as .a frangible or breakable member can be used to attached a person's leg to the saddle and must be repaired or replaced every time the parts become detached.

An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to 15 the following drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a saddle cover according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the saddle cover of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an underneath view showing a preferred strap 20 arrangement to secure the saddle cover to a saddle; Figures 4A and 4B illustrate the leg-attachable part of the of the two-part releasable attachment means.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a saddle cover 10 which can be fitted over a conventional saddle (the saddle itself not being shown).

Saddle cover 10 can be formed from any suitable material which is strong enough to resist wear and tear caused by use. Saddle cover 10 is made from flexible material to allow it to form snugly over a saddle and the side panels of the saddle.

In the embodiment, saddle cover 10 has a seat portion 11 and two side depending leg portions 12, 13. In the embodiment, leg portions 12 and 13 are formed as part of the seat portion. Leg portions 12 and 13 extend down each side panel of the saddle and to a distance at least past the rider's knee.

Saddle cover 10 is formed with a first pair of slots 14, 15 through which the stirrup strap 16 can pass. This arrangement allows stirrup 16 to function in the normal manner without being impeded by saddle cover Saddle cover 10 includes a further pair of slots 17, 18 through which the girth strap 19 can pass, the girth strap passing underneath the horse or pony's belly.

Girth strap 19, as illustrated in Figure 2, also functions to secure leg portions 12 and 13 relative to the saddle side panels to stop the leg portions from moving freely.

As illustrated in Figure 3, saddle cover 10 is attached to the saddle by a number of underneath straps 20 which can be made adjustable to suit.

~The two-part releasable attachment means in the embodiments comprises a large Velcro patch 21 on the outside of each leg portion 12, 13.

This Velcro patch can be either the hook or loop part of the Velcro.

15 The other part of the two-part releasable attachment means is attached to a leg strap 22 illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B. Leg strap 22 is made from flexible material that can be wrapped around the rider's leg. The leg strap itself has two end Velcro patches 23, 24 which mate together when the leg strap is wrapped around the person's leg. In between these Velcro patches is a large rectangular patch 25 which mates with Velcro patch 21 on leg portions 12 and 13.

In use, leg strap 22 is fitted to a person's leg between the knee and thigh with Velcro patch 25 facing inwardly. The person mounts the saddle and if necessary, leg strap 22 is adjusted such that Velcro patch 25 overlies Velcro patch 21. The patches are then pressed together resulting in securement of the person's legs to the saddle cover.

Should the person wish to dismount the horse, the person's legs can be pulled away to release the Velcro patches.

The arrangement is particularly useful in most areas of the horseriding community from pony clubs, riding schools, riding for the disabled, to property owners with young children keen to lean to ride horses.

The leg strap 22 in a variation can be formed onto or attached to purpose-designed riding pants rather than being a separate strap.

It should be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

e THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A leg securing arrangement to secure a riders legs relative to a saddle, the arrangement comprising a seat portion, a pair of leg portions and a two-part releasable attachment means, one of the parts being attachable to a rider's legs and the other of the parts being attachable to each leg portion, the two parts beings positionable such that the parts can attach together when the rider sits on the saddle, and the parts can become detachable by pulling the parts apart wherein the seat portion and the leg portions form part of a saddle cover which is attachable to the saddle.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein one of the said two-part releasable attachment means comprises a band extending about each of the rider's legs.

3. The arrangement of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the two-part releasable attachment means comprise a hook and pile arrangement.

4. The arrangement of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the said twopart releasable attachment means will pull apart should the rider fall from the saddle.

5. The arrangement of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the saddle cover has openings through which the saddle stirrups can pass such that 20 the stirrups extend over the outside of the saddle cover.

6. A leg securing arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

DATED this 9 t h day of November 1998 Liana PRESTON By her Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.