Abstract:
A mounting horse aid for attachment to a stirrup iron lowers the distance between a step, on which a rider steps to swing into a saddle and the ground. The attachment is pivotally mountable on the stirrup iron and is pivotally movable between a normally latched position, covering the rider&#39;s boot and an unlatched position to provide the lowered step for a rider.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the field of horsemanship and equestrian equipment, and more particularly to an assembly adapted for attaching to a stirrup mountable on a horse. 
         [0002]    The stirrups form parts of conventional horse mounting equipment; they are positioned on both sides of the saddle and assist a rider in mounting a horse. Depending on the length of the leather attaching the stirrup irons, the bottom of the stirrup is located at a pre-determined height above the ground. However, for children and people with disabilities or simply short persons, mounting on a horse equipped with conventional riding equipment presents an insurmountable difficulty. Special arrangements have to be made to lift the person up to enable the person to reach the stirrup and allow the person to mount the horse. 
         [0003]    Some individuals require that the stirrups be elevated during horseback riding due to their physical limitations. The shorter straps holding the stirrups, which are comfortable during riding, present an additional difficulty to the person when mounting a horse since the bottom of the stirrup iron is positioned higher than usual. 
         [0004]    The present invention contemplates elimination of drawbacks associated with prior solutions and provision of an attachment that can be secured to the conventional stirrup to assist a person when mounting a horse from the ground. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an attachment for equestrian equipment that can be used as an aid to conventional stirrups to facilitate horse mounting. 
         [0006]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an attachment for equestrian equipment that allows the rider&#39;s foot to be safely positioned in the stirrup without interfering with safety during riding and dismounting. 
         [0007]    These and other objects of the invention are achieved through a provision of a horse mounting aid assembly for attachment to a Western-style stirrup iron or an English-style stirrup iron. The stirrup has a bottom portion, a top portion, and a pair of opposed side portions. The mounting aid assembly comprises a hollow body pivotally mountable on the stirrup iron, the body defining a first edge, on which a boot or shoe of a rider is receivable, a second edge, an attachment means formed between the first edge and the second edge for securing the body to the stirrup iron, and a means for detachably securing the second edge to the top portion. 
         [0008]    When the device is unlatched from its normally latched position and is pivoted downwardly, the first edge extends at a distance below the bottom portion of the stirrup iron and assists a rider in mounting the horse. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the mounting aid assembly in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention secured on a stirrup, in a latched position. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the device in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention in an unlatched position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the mounting aid assembly of the present invention in a latched position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the mounting aid assembly according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0014]    Turning now to the drawings in more detail, numeral  10  designates the stirrup aid assembly, or mounting aid assembly device in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, particularly adapted for use with a Western-style stirrup, or stirrup iron  12 . As can be seen in the drawing, the stirrup  12  is conventional in a sense that it has a pair of opposed side portions  14  and  16  connected on the bottom by a bottom portion  18 . The stirrup  12  has an upper bridge portion  20 , to which stirrup leather (not shown) is normally attached. 
         [0015]    The device  10  comprises a body  30  which defines a cavity for receiving at least a portion of a rider&#39;s foot therein. The body  30  carries a latching member  32  adapted for engagement with a latch  60  positioned on the upper bridge portion  20 . A sleeve  34  is configured for positioning on the bottom portion  18  of the stirrup iron  12  and a safety member  36  is secured to the sleeve  34  extending outwardly therefrom. The body  30  has solid walls defining a central part  40  and a pair of side parts  42 ,  44 . The body  30  parts  40 ,  42 , and  44  are unitary connected to each other to form a shield for the rider&#39;s foot  41 , as will be described in more detail hereinafter. 
         [0016]    A lower peripheral edge  46  of the body  30  defines an opening  48 , while an upper peripheral edge  50  defines an upper opening  52 . The body  30  is pivotally engaged to the side portions  14  and  16  of the stirrup iron  12 . The body  30  comprises a pair of stirrup engaging portions  54 . Although only one stirrup engaging portion  54  can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , it will be understood that a mirror-image stirrup engaging portion is provided for engaging the side portion  16  of the stirrup iron  12 . 
         [0017]    The stirrup-engaging portions  54  receive a pivot pin  56  through aligned openings formed therein. The pivot pin  56  extends through the stirrup-engaging portions  54  and through the thickness of the side portions  14  and  16 , securing the body  30  on the stirrup iron  12  and allowing the body  30  to pivot about the axis formed by the pivot pin  56 . 
         [0018]    The sleeve  34  is configured for mounting on the bottom portion  18  on the stirrup iron  12  with the safety member  36  extending in a generally parallel orientation to a horizontal surface of the bottom portion  18  and transversely to a longitudinal axis of the bottom portion  18 . The safety member  36  prevents the rider&#39;s foot  41  from being entangled in the body when riding the horse, when dismounting a horse, or when a rider falls from a horse. 
         [0019]    The latch  60  secured to the upper bridge portion  20  of the stirrup iron  12  is designed to engage the latching member  32  of the body  30  when the body  30  is pivotally moved upwardly into abutting engagement with the stirrup iron  12 . The latch  60  and the latching member  32  retain the body  30  is a latched position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , during riding. 
         [0020]    In operation, the body  30  is secured to the stirrup iron  12  using the pivot pin  56 . When a rider is about to mount a horse, the body  30  is pivoted in the direction of arrow  62  to an unlatched position shown in  FIG. 2 . The peripheral edge  46  is located below the bottom portion  18  of the stirrup iron  12  to degree allowed by the distance between the bottom portion  18  and the peripheral edge  46 . Depending on the size of the aid body  30 , this distance can be 6 inches or greater. As a result, the distance between the ground and the step formed by the body  30  is less than the distance between the ground and the bottom portion  18 . 
         [0021]    The user positions his boot  41  on the edge  46 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , and then swings into the saddle in a usual manner. Once both feet are engaged with respective stirrups  12 , the user pushes on the device body  30 , causing the body  30  to pivot upwardly and the latching member  32  to engage with the latch  60 . The safety member  36  extends inside the cavity defined by body  30 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , and prevents the user&#39;s foot from entangling in the body  30  in case of a fall. When not in use the aid device  30  can be retained in a latched position shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0022]    The body  30  can be formed from a flexible resilient material, if desired, such as leather, synthetic material, for instance vinyl and the like. Alternatively, the body  30  can be made from a rigid material, if desired, as long as it provides sufficient support for the user&#39;s foot when mounting the horse. 
         [0023]    Turning now to the second embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 3 , a mounting aid device  70  is shown in detail partially secured on an English-style stirrup, or stirrup iron  72 . The stirrup  72  has an upper ridge  74  and an intermediate bridge  76 . An opening  78  is formed between the bridges  74  and  76  to allow engagement with the stirrup leather (not shown). The stirrup iron  72  has a pair of opposed side portions  80  and  82 ; each side portion has a lower part,  84  and  86 , respectively. The lower parts  84 ,  86  are provided with openings  85 . The diameter of the openings  85  is sufficient to receive a pivot member  90  therethrough. Securing members  92  (only one shown in  FIG. 3 ) prevent disengagement of the pivot member  90  from its engagement with the device  70  and the stirrup  72 . 
         [0024]    The device  70  has a pair of opposed attachment portions  94  (only one can be seen in  FIG. 3 ), which are spaced to engage the lower parts  84  and  86  of the side portions  80 ,  82 . Each attachment portion  94  is provided with a corresponding opening  95 , which when aligned with the openings  85 , receives the pivot member  90 . 
         [0025]    The mounting aid device  70  defines a lower edge  96 , which serves as a step for the rider&#39;s foot in lieu of the stirrup lower portion  81 . A latching member, similar to the latching member  32 , is secured on the upper edge  98  of the device  70 . The latching member engages with a latch  100  secured to the intermediate bridge  76  of the stirrup  72  when the device  70  is not in use. 
         [0026]    The device  70  further comprises a bottom plate  102 , from which a plurality of elongated spaced bars  106  radiate. The bars  106  extend between the hub defined by the plate  102  and the upper edge  98  of the device  70 , forming a cage, which protects the rider&#39;s foot when riding. A safety member  104 , similar to the safety member  36 , extends within the cage defined by the device  70 . The safety member  104  is secured to the bottom portion  81  of the stirrup  72  and extends in a generally horizontal relationship transversely to the longitudinal axis of the bottom portion  81 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  illustrates a modification of the mounting aid device of the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the mounting aid device is designated by numeral  110 . The device  110  is adapted for securing on an English-style stirrup, or stirrup iron  72 , the structure of which was discussed above. The device  110  comprises a cage  112  formed by a plurality of elongated bars  114 , which radiate from a bottom plate  116 . A lower edge  118  of the cage  112  serves as a step for the rider&#39;s foot when mounting a horse. An upper edge  118  carries a latching member  120  adapted for engaging the latch  100  secured to the stirrup  72 . 
         [0028]    A securing sleeve  122  extends across the cage  112 . The sleeve  122  is sized to fit between the lower parts  84 ,  86  of the side portions  80 ,  82 . The sleeve  122  is provided with a through opening  123 , which is sized to accommodate the pivot member  90  when the opening  123  is aligned with the openings  85 ,  97  formed in the lower parts  84 ,  86 . Although not shown in  FIG. 4 , the device  110  can be provided with a safety member, similar to the safety member  104  of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0029]    In use, the devices  70  or  110  are secured to the stirrup  72  in a pivotal relationship, allowing the body cages to swing toward and away from the stirrup  72 . When in a latched position shown in  FIG. 3 , the devices  70  and  110  are secured through the engagement of the latching members with the latch  100 . When the rider needs to mount a horse, the latching members are disengaged and the cages  70  or  112  are pivoted outwardly and downwardly from the stirrup  72 . The bottom plates  102  or  116  are oriented generally horizontally and are located below the bottom portion  81  of the stirrup  72 . The distance of the stepping surfaces of the device  70 ,  110  from the lower portion  81  can be 6 inches or more. The rider rests a toe of the footwear in the device  70  or  110  and the mounts the saddle in the usual manner. 
         [0030]    The cages  70 ,  112 , similarly to the attachment  10 , can be made from natural or synthetic material, such as leather, plastic or other lightweight synthetic material that is sturdy enough to allow support of the rider&#39;s body while not adding any substantial weight to the equestrian equipment. It will be understood that the size of the device  10 ,  70  and  110  can differ, depending on the desired length of the stirrup attachment to accommodate a child or a grown person. Each of the device bodies can be configured so that a predetermined distance from the ground is afforded for each rider for mounting the horse. The stepping surfaces, on which the rider&#39;s foot temporarily rests, can be dimensioned for accommodating different types of footwear, boots, shoes, etc. If desired, the device  10 ,  70  and  110  can be made as a one-piece molded unit. The safety members  36  and  104  are useful in preventing the rider&#39;s foot from entangling in the attachment or in the stirrup, particularly if the rider falls or is thrown from the horse. 
         [0031]    When not in use and in a latched position, the device  10 ,  70 , or  10  protect the rider&#39;s foot by shielding the foot and absorbing an impact force from contact with stones, tree branches and the like. The assembly  10 ,  70 , or  110  can be provided for both stirrups to accommodate different riders. 
         [0032]    Many other changes and modifications can be made in the design of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I, therefore, pray that my rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.