Harness for working animal – Girths
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-14
2003-01-07
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Harness for working animal
Girths
Reexamination Certificate
active
06502376
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a saddle girth for use with horses, and more particularly, to a novel saddle girth that inhibits the saddle from shifting longitudinally along the spine of the horse between the withers and the rump to prevent sores and chafing, thus providing more comfort for the horse, safety for the rider and peace of mind for the empathic horse owner.
Saddle girths for horses are used with all styles of saddles, including the styles of saddle commonly known as “English” and “Western.” Girths used with English saddles are typically made of leather and extend around and beneath the chest of the horse. Such a girth usually has two or three buckles at each segment for attachment to a corresponding billet or saddle strap on each side of the saddle. The buckles and/or saddle straps should provide a mechanism to adjust the girth in order to secure the saddle on the back of the horse. Generally, this is accomplished by pulling the saddle strap through the buckle until taut and then holding the saddle strap at that position by inserting the tongue of the buckle through the punch holes of the saddle strap.
Unlike girths used with English saddles, girths used with Western saddles are in the form of a cinch. Western saddles have rigging from both a front girth and a flank girth. Traditionally, one segment of the front girth is connected directly to the saddle while the other segment of the front girth is connected to the opposite side of the saddle by a latigo, which is a long strap on the saddle tree to tighten and fasten the front girth to the saddle. After the saddle is placed on the horse, the latigo is pulled up by hand until the proper tightness of the front girth is obtained. Like the front girth, the flank girth is typically a leather strap that extends from one side of the rear portion of the saddle to the other side behind the rib cage to keep the rear portion of the saddle down on the back of the horse. For a girth to sufficiently hold a Western saddle to a horse and prevent the saddle from slipping or turning, the front girth and the flank girth need to be extremely tight. This causes discomfort to the horse and increases sores and chafing while also restricting the horse's natural breathing.
Girths, especially those used with English saddles, typically allow considerable movement of the saddle laterally and longitudinally on the horse when performing rapid action events such as jumping, dressage or polo. For example, in a polo game, the rider will place more weight on the stirrup on the side of the horse where the ball is to be hit, tending to cause the saddle to laterally rotate several degrees to that side. Saddles also shift along the longitudinal axis of the horse during equestrian events like jumping. This saddle movement is dangerous and disconcerting to the rider and can also cause sores and chafing on the horse's withers, shoulder blades, and/or back. Further, the girth's repeated side-to-side and/or front-to-back movement can irritate the horse's ribcage and/or skin along the chest and sides of the horse.
A primary factor in saddle movement and the associated problems caused thereby is the traditional design of girths. Many popular horses do not have a flat chest but have a barrel or rounded chest, such as Arabian and Quarter horses. A barrel chest is broad at the midsection to form the apex of the chest and narrows considerably toward the front and the rear of the horse. Traditionally, girths have been straight and wrapped across the apex of the horse's chest directly beneath the point at which the girth is attached to the saddle. However, the tapering of the chest away from the apex permits the girth to slide forward and backward along the horse's chest which allows the saddle to slip back and forth longitudinally along the spine of the horse. The solution to date is to further tighten the girth, a solution which is not a good one as far as the horse is concerned.
An example of a saddle girth is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,533, to Larisch. Larisch discloses a typical saddle girth used to hold an English saddle to a horse. As discussed above, the saddle girth disclosed in Larisch is straight from end-to-end and is pulled across the apex of the horse's chest just beneath the point at which the girth is attached to the saddle. This design allows the girth to slide forward towards the forelegs during use, which loosens both the saddle and girth. This allows the saddle to slide longitudinally along the back of the horse causing sores and chafing while the girth rubs against the chest and forelegs inflicting the same ailments.
Another example of a saddle girth is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,130,214, to Wright. Wright discloses a saddle girth that has an S-shaped curve at both ends of the girth near the buckle/saddle to position the rest of the girth in a plane posterior to the portion of the horse at which the girth is attached to the saddle. The curves disclosed in Wright locate the girth across the underside of the horse at a point substantially further back than a traditional saddle girth. Like Larisch, the saddle girth disclosed in Wright has a tendency to shift forward towards the forelegs when the girth is situated over the apex of the horse's chest. Again, this causes the saddle to loosen and shift upon the back of the horse and permits the saddle girth to rub against the chest and forelegs, both causing sores and chafing. If the curves disclosed in Wright are substantial and the girth is located behind the apex of the chest towards the hindlegs, the girth will pass over the lower ribs or behind the rib cage. A girth in this position will cause discomfort and possible internal injury to the horse if overtightened.
One possible way to overcome the problems and disadvantages described above would be by creating a saddle girth that is curved instead of straight. However, saddle girths of this type would fail because they would have a tendency to straighten when tightened or after the girth has been used repeatedly. When straightened, such saddle girths are no better than the traditional saddle girths discussed above.
To overcome the problems and disadvantages of the approaches discussed above, it is an objective of the saddle girth of the present invention to securely hold the saddle on the back of the horse and prevent the saddle from shifting during use. The girth should accomplish this objective by being capable of use with traditional style saddles and wrapping across the horse's chest or sternum area forward the apex of the chest.
It is a further objective that the saddle girth of the present invention retains its position over the sternum area of the horse so that the girth does not rub against the skin or forelegs to cause sores and chafing. The girth should also not be allowed to pass towards the posterior of the horse to cause discomfort or internal damage to the horse.
Another objective of the saddle girth is that it should provide a rider greater stability, comfort and confidence when used in combination with a saddle. The saddle girth should also be constructed to be comfortable to the horse and capable of absorbing perspiration.
Finally, it is also an objective of the saddle girth that all of the aforesaid advantages and objectives be achieved without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The disadvantages and limitations of the background art discussed above are overcome by a saddle girth for holding a saddle securely on the back of a horse as taught by the present invention. When the saddle girth is used in combination with a saddle, the girth minimizes saddle movement longitudinally along the back of the horse, thereby preventing sores and chafing while providing safety and comfort for horse and rider alike. A brief summary of the invention follows.
The saddle girth is constructed from a girth band having a central portion and two opposing straight segments. Each opposing straight segment extends awa
Golba Tara M
Jordan Charles T.
Mondial Industries Ltd.
Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.
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