Abstract:
An automatically resetting rodeo barrier training and desensitizing device. This device is constructed to train horses to properly act with respect to rodeo barriers in performance of certain rodeo contests, such as, by way of example, steer roping and calf roping. The device further trains horses to be accustomed to stimulation to their legs and bodies so that the horse will not succumb to panic or a flight reaction. A barrier arm makes a makeshift rodeo barrier, which rotates about the support member allowing the animal to pass through. After the animal has moved through, the barrier arm is returned automatically to resting position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The rodeo is a popular form of western competition and entertainment. Traditionally, a rodeo includes various events involving bovine or equine animals, and a human contestant. Generally, the human contestant tests his abilities against the speed, strength and agility of the animal. 
         [0002]    In timed rodeo events, such as calf roping or steer roping, a barrier is employed. A barrier is a line at the front of the contestant&#39;s starting box which the contestant and his horse cannot cross until the steer or calf has a head start. The barrier is typically a breakaway rope that is pulled across the exit of the starting box. Breaking the barrier (breaking the rope or leaving too early) results in a penalty added to the overall time of the competitor. 
         [0003]    In rodeo events, especially among highly competitive professional riders, the timing of events for judging is exceedingly critical. An event can be won or lost by a mere fraction of a second. Because the success of a Rodeo competitor can depend upon milliseconds, preparation and training of the horse is vital. Without proper training with respect to barriers, a horse may likely attempt to leap over the rope barrier rather than running through it. Additionally, an untrained or improperly trained horse may hesitate or be reluctant to pass through the barrier. If the horse either attempts to jump the barrier or hesitates, it will undoubtedly result in a poor run and may result in penalties or disqualification of the participant. 
         [0004]    Currently known methods of teaching rodeo horses to pass through, rather than over, a rodeo barrier typically involve setting a rope or barrier between two vertical posts. Once the rope or barrier is set, the trainer will either guide the horse to walk into the rope or barrier either by riding the horse or while walking by guiding the horse by its reins. Once the horse walks into and against the rope or barrier, it will detach, allowing the horse to pass between the posts. Alternatively, a second individual may hold a rope or barrier across the gap between two posts. In this instance, once the horse walks into the rope or barrier, the person holding it will drop one end, allowing the horse to pass between the posts. 
         [0005]    The methods and devices that exist in the prior art are disadvantageous primarily because they are not automatically resetting. The rope or barrier will need to be reset after each pass by the horse. This will necessarily require the rider to dismount the horse in order to reset the rope. This causes undue delay, expenditure of energy, and frustration for both the rider and the horse. Under the alternative method detailed above, a second individual is required to train the horse. The present invention provides training for horses that is significantly safer than the prior art in that no human needs to stand or be positioned next to the horse. This significantly reduces the risk of a human being bumped, kicked, hit, run over, or similarly injured. 
         [0006]    It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to provide a means for training a rodeo horse to pass through a rodeo barrier which remedies the deficiencies in the prior art. Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide improved training apparatus for use in training rodeo horses. More specifically, the present invention is a durable and automatically resetting barrier training device. Through use of the present invention, a single individual may train his horse to properly approach and pass through a barrier without the need to dismount or reset the barrier in any fashion. 
         [0007]    Because the present invention is automatically resetting, each pass through the barrier will require less time than under the prior art. Thereby, the horse may receive more meaningful training within the same time frame as compared to under the prior art. 
         [0008]    The present invention possesses an additional advantage over the prior art in that it will also serve to desensitize a horse to stimulus to its legs and body. Horses need to be trained to become accustomed to the stimulus of objects coming into contact with their leg, such as twigs and bushes. If the horse is not so trained, they may become easily spooked and succumb to its flight instinct upon stimulus to their legs or body. As a result, the rider may be thrown from his saddle or the horse may ignore commands from the rider and flee. This may easily result in injury to the rider or to the horse. Thus, proper training of a trail horse is specifically desired so as to reduce the risk of injury and discomfort for both the rider and the horse. 
         [0009]    The present invention will serve to train horses by introducing the horse to stimulation similar to that expected on a trail and other locations where a horse may be ridden. Each time the horse passes through the barrier created by the present invention, the Barrier Arm or an extension thereof will graze the side and leg of the horse. Through repeated use of the present invention, the horse will become accustomed to stimulation to its legs and thereby will be significantly less likely to become spooked or flee while riding a trail. The prior art is disadvantageous as those methods and devices do not provide any stimulation to the sides or legs of the horses as the barrier is disengaged or dropped as the horse passes through the barrier. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front view of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the present invention with the Spring(s)  116  removed. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the present invention focused upon the connection between the Support Member  110  and Barrier Arm  112  with the Spring(s)  116  and Annular Spring Attachment(s)  118  removed and with the Barrier Arm  112  rotated ninety degrees about the central axis. 
       
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0000]    
       
         
           
             Support Member  110   
             Barrier Arm  112   
             Fin  114   
             Spring  116   
             Annular Spring Attachment  118   
           
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0019]    The present invention comprises a rigid, vertical Support Member  110 , a Barrier Arm  112 , and a means for returning the Barrier Arm  112  to resting position after it rotates about the central axis of the Support Member  110 . 
         [0020]    The Barrier Arm  112  is affixed to the superior terminus of the Support Member  110 . The Barrier Arm  112  extends outwardly approximately perpendicular from the Support Member  110 . The Barrier Arm  112  is supported on the Support Member  110  and is rotatable relative to that Support Member  110  about that central axis. When torque is applied to the Barrier Arm  112  the Barrier Arm  112  will rotate about the central axis. Rotation of the Barrier Arm  112  facilitates opening and closing of the barrier. 
         [0021]    The Barrier Arm  112  hangs off the Support Member  110  in a manner such that the Barrier Arm  112  creates a force acting to tip the Support Member  110  to one side. For this reason, the Support Member  110  is reinforced in some manner to prevent tipping. 
         [0022]    Now referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , those figures show one particular embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment of the present invention, the Support Member  110  is a narrow, tubular structure. The Barrier Arm  112  is an L-shaped arm, whereby the horizontal portion creates a barrier for a horse to pass through and the vertical portion is adapted to connect to the superior end of the Support Member  110 . The Barrier Arm  112 , once the present invention is anchored, will be elevated to a height corresponding with the chest or upper forearm of a horse. The Barrier Arm  112  will thus be elevated approximately thirty-six inches above the ground. 
         [0023]    In this embodiment, the inferior end of the Barrier Arm  112  is narrowed and prolate in form. This prolate end is sheathed by the superior end of the Support Member  110 , which itself is bored to accommodate the prolate inferior end of Barrier Arm  112 . This sheathed prolate end of the Barrier Arm  112  supports the Barrier Arm  112  and further provides a pivot point for the Barrier Arm  112  to rotate about the central axis. The inferior terminus of the Support Member  110  is pointed so as to reduce the resistance experienced if the device is driven into the ground or soil. 
         [0024]    In this particular embodiment, the means for returning the Barrier Arm  112  to resting position comprises two Springs  116 , one sinister and one dexter as well as the mitered connection between the Support Member  110  and Barrier Arm  112 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0025]    With regard to the mitered connection between the Support Member  110  and Barrier Arm  112 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , the superior end of Support Member  110  and the portion of the Barrier Arm  112  that is supported on the superior end of Support member  110  are each mitered at corresponding angles and sized to mate as shown in  FIG. 3 . When the Barrier Arm  112  is at its resting position, the mitered portions of the Barrier Arm  112  and Support Member  110  create a flush connection. When in resting position, no portion of the prolate inferior end of the Barrier Arm  112  is visible. When torque is applied to the Barrier Arm  112 , the Barrier Arm  112  is elevated relative to the Support Member  110  owing to the mitered connection between the Barrier Arm  112  and Support Member  110 . The connection is adapted to return the Barrier Arm  112  to its lowermost position owing to the weight of the Barrier Arm  112  and consequently permit the return of the Barrier Arm  112  to its lower-most resting position. 
         [0026]    Two Annular Spring Attachments  118 , one sinister and one dexter, are affixed to the Support Member  110  radially near the superior end of the Support Member  110 . Two additional Annular Spring Attachments  118  are affixed to the Barrier Arm  112  radially near the inferior end of the Barrier Arm  112 , one sinister and one dexter. A Spring  116  is affixed to the Annular Spring Attachments  118  whereby one Spring  116  is connected at one end to the sinister Annular Spring Attachment  118  that is affixed to the Support Member  110  and at the other end to the sinister Annular Spring Attachment  118  that is affixed to the Barrier Arm  112 . Another Spring  116  is affixed in the same manner to the Annular Spring Attachments  118  that are affixed to the Dexter sides of the Barrier Arm  112  and Support Member  110 . 
         [0027]    The weight of the Barrier Arm  112  and the downward force provided by sinister and dexter Springs  116  will cause the Barrier Arm  112  to rotate about the central axis and return the Barrier Arm  112  to resting position. 
         [0028]    This embodiment of the invention also comprises a triangular Fin  114  affixed upon its longitudinal axis radially to the Support Member  110  as depicted in  FIG. 1 . The Fin  114  provides a means for person to drive the inferior portion of Support Member  110  into ground using downward force provided by a hammer or other driving tool. The Fin  114  is affixed in such a manner so that the narrow pointed end of the Fin  114  is inferior, as shown in  FIG. 1 . This orientation of the Fin  114  reduces the resistance the device experiences as it is driven into the soil or ground and thereby decreasing the energy or force necessary to do drive the device into the soil or ground. 
         [0029]    The Fin  114  further serves to anchor the invention into the ground. When torque is applied to the Barrier Arm  112 , a portion of the tortuous force may be transferred to the Support Member  112 . The Fin  114 , when embedded in the ground or soil provides sufficient resistance that the Support Member  110  will not rotate about its central axis, thus maintaining a consistent orientation of the present invention. 
         [0030]    In this embodiment, the Barrier Arm  112  is shortened and a sheath is bore out at the distal end to accommodate insertion of a further member to elongate the barrier. This elongation member, or barrier extension, will be rigid or semi rigid and in practice, this will likely be a flag. Other embodiments of this invention possess a much longer Barrier Arm  112  which will serve as the entire barrier for the horse to pass through. By utilizing the attachment to the Barrier Arm  112  of a flag or other semi rigid member extension, the length of the barrier is easily adaptable and will reduce risk of injury to the horse as the flag or member extension may bend when the animal applies force to the barrier. 
         [0031]    This embodiment of the invention can be used individually, where the distal end of the Barrier Arm  112  or barrier extension, as specified above, is adjacent to a further vertical structure, post or wall, which can then provide the outer wall of the barrier for the animal to pass through. Most commonly however, this invention will be utilized in pairs where each device will be anchored and positioned so that the distal ends of the Barrier Arm  112  of each, or any extension affixed thereto, will meet at a central point to create a barrier or gate for the animal to pass through. 
         [0032]    The embodiment using a pair of the present invention will reduce risk of the animal or rider being harmed by the Barrier Arm  112  by virtue of the counter-rotational torque applied to the Barrier Arm  112  by virtue of the Springs  116 . If the counter-rotational torque is too great, the horse could be scratched or injured as a result of the Barrier Arm  112  scraping or hitting against the skin of the horse. By using a pair of the present invention, the counter-rotational torque of two Barrier Arms  112  will be less than that exerted by one Barrier Arm  112  as the distance each Barrier Arm  112  must rotate about the central axis for the horse to pass through the barrier is reduced. 
         [0033]    Thus, at least one embodiment of this present invention provides a more efficient device that will increase the amount of training an individual can provide to a rodeo horse. 
         [0034]    While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification of one embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible. Further modification and adaptation to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be implemented without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope should be determined not by the embodiment illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.