Equestrian equipment or the like

Each end of a main girth strap length has a billet strap attached thereto by a fitting/component. The billet strap is threaded through the fitting/component at right angles to the main girth strap length prior to folding the ends parallel to the main girth strap length.

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to equestrian 
equipment or the like and is more particularly concerned with an animal 
girth strap. 
Traditionally, girth straps may include two buckle straps attached onto 
each end of the main girth strap length, directly to the girth webbing and 
extending parallel to one another along the axis of the girth strap. 
However, another type of girth strap known as the "humane" girth has been 
in existence for some years and the buckle straps are not attached 
directly to the girth webbing but rather are attached to the main girth 
strap length via an intermediate fitting/component known as the humane 
girth "Dee". The humane girth strap may have certain advantages over and 
above traditional girth straps since the inclusion of the girth Dee on 
each end of the main girth strap length for the buckle straps effectively 
enables the buckle straps to compensate each other thereby equalling the 
load on each strap at each end of the girth. Even so, it is believed that 
both the traditional girth strap and the humane girth strap have certain 
disadvantages. For example, the humane girth Dee is attached onto the main 
girth webbing at one end of the main girth strap length normally in the 
centre thereof and has a tendency to cause certain problems in creasing of 
the girth webbing itself. Furthermore, the attachment of the buckle straps 
onto the girth Dee does not allow said straps to be easily removed (and 
would require stitching to be undone) from the main girth strap length for 
example, for washing and/or replacement with new buckle straps if unduly 
worn. Additionally, the anchorage of the buckle straps onto the webbing of 
the girth strap may not be optimised in the humane girth and thus may be 
improved in an alternative design. 
Of course other designs of girth strap are known which may have one strap, 
two straps or three straps. In particular, reference is made to GB Patent 
Specification No. 2166035 which shows a main girth strap length having two 
billet straps at each end, each strap being removably fixed separately to 
an associated co-operating buckle ring fitting attached by webbing to the 
main girth strap length. However, since the billet straps are attached 
independently to the main girth strap length (albeit removably) the load 
cannot be compensated equally between the billet straps at the associated 
end of the main girth strap length. The load can be spread over 
substantially the whole width of the girth webbing in a similar manner 
provided for by the humane girth Dee. A very significant advantage in 
compensating the load equally between the billet straps is that if a hole 
(for engaging the tongue of a buckle) in one of the saddle girth straps is 
damaged (there are usually three such saddle girth straps on each side of 
the saddle) an immediately adjacent hole can be utilised instead without 
incurring problems. 
An object of the present invention is to provide a girth strap which at 
least alleviates one or more of the aforementioned, or other, 
disadvantages in girth strap design and/or which is improved in at least 
some respect. 
According to the present invention there is provided a girth strap 
comprising a main girth strap length having at least one fitting or 
component at an associated end thereof for a billet strap, the arrangement 
being that the billet strap can be removably attached to said 
billet/component and folded so that free buckled ends of the billet strap 
can extend parallel to one another along the axis of the main girth strap 
length. 
Usually, each end of the main girth strap length will be provided with a 
fitting/component for an associated billet strap allowing said billet 
strap to be removably attached to the associated fitting/component and 
folded so the buckled ends can extend parallel to one another along said 
axis (each pair of buckled ends extending in opposed directions). 
In one embodiment of the present invention, the billet strap can be 
threaded or passed through the fitting or component (usually generally at 
right angles to the main girth strap length) and each buckled end of the 
billet strap can be folded about a respective guide edge of the 
fitting/component to lie parallel along the axis of the main girth length. 
Usually, the fitting or component will be of rigid material such as 
plastics or metal and will usually have two openings joined by a bridge 
piece preferably extending axially of the main girth strap length. Thus, 
the billet strap may be introducable into the first opening and fed 
underneath the bridge piece and up through the second opening such that 
the billet strap can extend equal amounts on each side of the girth strap 
prior to folding. Preferably, each of the openings is similar, being 
mirror images of one another about the axis of the main girth strap 
length. One of said guide edges may be provided by an inclined edge of one 
of the openings and the other said guide edge may be provided by an 
inclined edge of the other opening. The inclined guide edges will usually 
extend at right angles (.+-.10.degree.) to one another and, preferably, at 
45.degree..+-.5.degree. to the axis of the main girth strap length sloping 
away from the associated end of the main girth strap length towards the 
axis of said main girth length. A second edge of each opening opposing 
said guide edge will usually extend transverse of the main girth strap 
length. 
The fitting/component will usually be of generally rectangular form secured 
to the girth strap length by loops of webbing. Thus the component/fitting 
may provide innermost transverse bar portions (defined in part by said 
second edges of said openings opposed to said guide edges where 
applicable) that can be secured to the main girth strap length by said 
loops of webbing stitched to said main girth strap length. 
It is possible that the billet strap could be additionally secured to said 
fitting/component e.g. by stitching but this will usually not be 
necessary. 
It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that uneven 
loading can be compensated for. 
Further according to the present invention there is provided a fitting or 
component (usually substantially rigid) comprising two openings, said 
fitting/component being provided with means for attachment to a main girth 
strap length of a girth strap, for example by loops of webbing being 
stitched to said main girth strap length, the arrangement being such that 
a billet strap can be threaded through the fitting/component through said 
openings in a direction generally at right angles to said main girth strap 
length and folded twice relative thereto about a guide edge on each 
opening to removably attach the billet strap to the fitting/component with 
buckled ends of the billet strap extending parallel to one another along 
the axis of the main girth length. 
Still further according to the present invention there is provided a girth 
strap having one or more of the following features: 
(a) a fitting or component allowing a billet strap to be threaded 
therethrough generally at right angles to a main girth strap length, 
(b) a component or fitting having guide edges on respective openings 
extending generally at 90.degree..+-.10.degree. thereto and preferably 
generally at 45.degree..+-.5.degree. to the axis of the girth strap, 
(c) a billet strap removably attached to a fitting or component attached by 
webbing to a main girth strap length, preferably, such that buckled ends 
of the billet strap can be folded to extend parallel with the axis of the 
main girth strap length, 
(d) at least one generally rectangular fitting or component for a billet 
strap located at an associated end of a main girth strap length, said 
fitting or component including two similar openings being mirror images of 
one another about the axis of the main girth strap length, 
(e) a fitting or component having a guide edge for guiding the direction on 
which an end of a billet strap will lie. 
Further advantages of the girth strap and/or a fitting/component of the 
present invention will be evident from the following description and 
drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of one end of a traditional girth strap 1 
(the other end is similar) having two parallel buckle straps 2,3 attached 
directly to the webbing of main girth strap length 4. A disadvantage with 
this type of girth strap 1 is that the buckle straps cannot be removed 
easily for washing or replacement (stitching would have to be undone). 
Also, a different size (length) of buckle strap 2,3 could not be easily 
fitted on to the main girth strap length 4 in order e.g. to lengthen the 
girth strap 1 to cater for a larger animal. Additionally, there could be 
uneven loading on the buckle straps 2,3 when the girth strap 1 is fitted 
on to an animal such as a horse. 
FIG. 2 shows schematically, one end of a girth strap 10 (the other end is 
similar) including buckle straps 11 and 12 effectively connected together 
to form one billet strap (with a buckle at either end) attached on to the 
end of the main girth strap length 13 by a humane girth Dee 14 (see FIG. 
3) by means of webbing 15 secured around straight portion 14a of the Dee. 
FIG. 4 shows diagrammatically how the billet strap 11,12 is attached to the 
girth Dee and stitched thereto so that a new billet strap can only be 
fitted by cutting off the old billet strap 11,12 (or undoing stitching); 
thus the billet strap could not be removed for washing or the like. 
One advantage of the humane girth over and above the traditional design of 
girth strap is that the buckle strap 11,12 compensate each other in order 
to equalise the load on both buckle straps. Nevertheless, certain problems 
may be caused in creasing of the girth webbing itself. 
FIG. 5 shows schematically a view of an end of a girth strap 100 (the other 
end is similar) in accordance with the present invention. Buckle straps 
101 and 102, on main girth strap length 103, are integrally connected 
together to form a billet strap which can be threaded through 
fitting/component 104 and folded twice at 45.degree. in order to provide 
two buckle strap ends extending parallel to one another along the axis of 
said main girth strap length. The billet strap 101,102 is threaded through 
fitting 104' which is of the same general type as the fitting 104 shown in 
FIG. 7. The fitting 104' has a wider bridge piece 104'a than the bridge 
piece 104a shown in FIG. 7 and it is to be appreciated that the width of 
this bridge piece can be varied to suit, depending upon the width that the 
buckle straps 101,102 are to be set apart whilst extending along the main 
girth length. 
FIG. 8 which shows in greater detail one end of the girth strap 103 in 
which the billet strap 101,102 is attached to the end of the main girth 
strap length 103 by means of the fitting 104 rather than the fitting 104'. 
Thus, the buckle straps 101,102 are shown spaced closer to one another 
than in the diagrammatic view of FIG. 5. 
For ease of understanding, FIG. 9 shows how the billet strap 101,102 can be 
threaded through the fitting 104 at right angles to the main girth strap 
length 103 prior to folding to the position as shown in FIG. 8. 
The precise form of the fitting 104 can be varied to suit and could be 
modified to the shape of fitting/component 105 shown in FIG. 10. An 
important feature of the fitting/component 104,104',105 is that the 
inclined guide edges e of the similar, generally trapezoidal shaped 
openings O are inclined towards one another generally at 90.degree. and 
generally at 45.degree. to the axis of the main girth length in order to 
allow the ends of the buckle straps 101,102 to be folded about the fitting 
104,104',105 to extend in a parallel relationship with one another. 
The trapezoidal openings O are mirror images of one another about the axis 
of the main girth strap length. Each opening O has an edge e.sub.1 
opposing the guide edge e which aligns with the edge of the billet strap 
as it is threaded through the openings O and an edge e.sub.2 extending 
along the axis of the main girth strap. The length of edge e.sub.2 is 
slightly larger than the width of the billet strap. The bridge piece 104a 
is defined by shorter edges e.sub.3 opposed to edges e.sub.2. It is 
possible that the openings O could be more triangular with point p.sub.1 
being almost coincidental with point p.sub.2. Component/fitting 104 has 
bar portions b.sub.1, b.sub.2 defined in part by edges e.sub.1 around 
which webbing W is looped to attach the component/fitting to the main 
girth strap length by stitching S. 
Advantageously, in this way it is an easy matter to replace the billet 
strap 101,102 with a new one if worn or the billet strap 101,102 can be 
removed easily for washing or even replaced with a different size (length) 
of billet strap 101,102 to be used with the same main girth length and 
thus may easily have the flexibility of use of the same main girth strap 
length with at least three different sizes of girth strap (to cater for 
different sizes of animal to which the girth strap is to be attached). The 
billet strap may be of elastic material. 
Two popular girth webbing widths in use are 3",(75 mm) and 4",(102 mm) and 
the fitting 104,104',105 can be made of any suitable material for example, 
metal or plastics. The main girth length itself may be suitably shaped or 
contoured in known manner. 
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 any equivalent or generic term. 
For example, the term "buckled ends" could be replaced by "ends", "buckled 
portions", "buckled lengths", or "buckled sections"; "billet strap" could 
be replaced by "strap" or the like. 
Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or 
functions relating to the girth strap or fitting/component or combination 
thereof might be individually patentably inventive. The singular may 
include the plural and vice versa. Additionally, any range mentioned 
herein for any variable or parameter 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 of, the range or sub-range.