Abstract:
The disclosure provides a headgear system for an animal (e.g., a horse) that may function as a halter and lead rope, hackamore, and bridal with various reining options. The headgear may be converted between the various forms without its removal from the animal. The disclosure also provides connecters and adjustment fittings that may be used in the headgear system or in any system involving ropes or flaps that require length adjustment or attachment.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present application discloses headgear system for a horse or other riding animal that may function as a halter and lead rope, hackamore, and bridal with various reining options. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Horses and other riding animals are usually controlled by means of various forms of headgear that apply pressure to the animal&#39;s head and/or mouth. There are various types of headgear in different configurations depending upon the position of the handler or rider and the type of control desired. Halters are the most basic headgear that allow a handler on the ground to control the animal while walking beside it or to tie the animal to fixed object (e.g., cross ties, etc.) Halters generally are affixed to the animals head but do not apply any specific or localized pressure to the animal&#39;s head or mouth. Bridles are used to control the animals when they are being ridden (e.g., under saddle). Bridles are characterized by a design that applies a specific or localized pressure to the animal&#39;s head and that pressure is communicated from the rider via the reins. Hackamores are bitless bridles that typically apply pressure to the bridge of the nose and/or under the chin when the reins are pulled by the rider. Bitted bridles are characterized by the presence of a mouth piece to which the reins are attached and that applies pressure within the animal&#39;s mouth and to the side of the cheeks. Combination bridals that are bitted hackamores are also known. 
         [0003]    It is common for handlers to use a separate halter device and bridle device which requires the removal of one device in order to don the other device. This two-headgear system raises several problems. First, the animal has a moment of freedom when one device is being changed for the other. Animals that are flighty or not otherwise contained in a defined space may get loose and out of contact and control of its handler. Second, a handler necessarily has to carry the then-unused headgear if a change is later anticipated. For example, a rider controlling its animal with a bridle may have to carry a separate halter if a change of headgear is expected at the end of the ride. 
         [0004]    The present invention addresses these problems by providing a single headgear system that does not have to be removed in order to switch between a halter-and-lead rope configuration and a bridle configuration. Furthermore, all system components may be used in both the halter and bridle configurations, eliminating the need for the handler to inconveniently carry extra headgear components. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In various aspects, the invention provides a headgear system for a horse or other riding animal that may function as a halter and lead rope, hackamore, and bridal with various reining options. 
         [0006]    In one aspect, the invention provides a headgear system for an animal comprising 
         [0007]    (a) a headstall; 
         [0008]    (b) a noseband comprising
       (i) a first reinstrap attached to the noseband on a first side with a first reinstrap end terminating in a first loop and extending to a second side, and   (ii) a second reinstrap attached to the noseband on a second side with a second reinstrap terminating in a second loop end extending to the first side,   wherein that the reinstrap ends form a cross and the cross is positioned below a jaw of the animal when the headgear system is worn; and       
 
         [0012]    (c) a lead rope terminating in a reversible closure attached to the first loop and the second loop. 
         [0013]    Optionally, the lead rope comprises a first rope reversibly attached to a second rope, wherein the first rope comprises a first eye, a first bite end, and a first terminal stopper sized to pass through the first eye; and wherein the second rope comprises a second eye, a second bite end, and a second terminal stopper sized to pass through the second eye. The first and second ropes may be separate or may be joined when the first terminal stopper is disposed through the first eye such that the first bite end forms a first loop, the second terminal stopper is disposed through the second eye such that the second bite end forms a second loop, and the first loop and second loop interlock. 
         [0014]    In another aspect, the invention provides a headgear system for an animal comprising 
         [0015]    (a) a headstall comprising
       (i) a first end terminating in a first loop and a first extension, the extension comprising a first terminal stopper that is sized to pass through the first loop, wherein when the first stopper is disposed through the first loop, the first extension forms a first closed loop, and   (ii) a second end terminating in a second loop and a second extension, the second extension comprising a second terminal stopper that is sized to pass through the second loop, wherein when the second stopper is disposed through the second loop, the second extension forms a second closed loop;       
 
         [0018]    (b) a noseband; and 
         [0019]    (c) a bit reversibly attached to the headstall comprising a first snaffle ring that that passes through the first closed loop and a second snaffle ring that passes through the second closed loop. 
         [0020]    In another aspect, the invention provides a slidable rope attachment junction comprising a first rope member, a second rope member terminating in a loop, a ring, and a slidable keeper joining the first rope member and the second rope member, wherein the ring is disposed around the second rope member and the first rope member runs through the loop but not through the ring. This attachment junction may be incorporated into any of the headgear systems of the invention and is particularly useful for attaching a crown piece to a cheek piece. In particularly, the headstall may comprises a crown piece, a cheek piece terminating in a cheek piece loop, a ring, and a slidable keeper joining the cheek piece and the crown piece, wherein the ring is disposed around the cheek piece and the crown piece runs through the cheek piece loop but not through the ring. When an adjustment is desired, the crown piece (first rope member) slides through the loop in either the lengthening or shortening direction without the need to disassemble the attachment junction. The slidable keeper slides towards the loop to apply pressure between the ring and the crown piece (first rope member). The slidable keeper may be moved away from the loop to release pressure and enable adjustment with minimal force. 
         [0021]    In another aspect, the invention provides a rope or strap having a terminal end comprising an eye, a bite end, and a terminal stopper that is sized to pass through the eye, wherein the bite forms a loop when the terminal stopper is disposed through the eye. The eye may be defined and/or reinforced with a grommet. In one embodiment, the terminal stopper is smaller than the eye in a first dimension and larger than the first eye in a second dimension. In another embodiment, the terminal stopper is a monkey fist. 
         [0022]    In another aspect, the invention provides a method for changing between a halter and a bitted bridle using the headgear described herein. To change from a halter configuration to a bitted bridle configuration, the closed loops formed by the headstall extensions are opened, a bit is placed in the animal&#39;s mount and elevated to align the snaffle ring or other attachment point with the open loops, and the loops are then closed, securing the bit within the animal&#39;s mount to the headstall. The process is reversed to change from a bitted bridle configuration to a halter configuration. 
         [0023]    By “riding animal” is meant any animal for a handler alternately desires control from the ground and while mounted. Riding animals include, for example, horses, camels, alpacas, llama, cows and bulls, sheep, and goats. Although reference to horses is made herein, such reference is not limiting on the species of animals to which the inventive headgear may be adapted. 
         [0024]    By “headstall” is meant the piece of the headgear system that is configured to pass over the animal&#39;s head behind the ears and is attached to at least one of (i) the noseband  120 , (ii) a hackamore, and (iii) a bit one both sides of the animal&#39;s head. In one embodiment, the headstall  110  is fashioned as a single segment connected at each end to the noseband, hackamore, and/or bit (i.e., the headstall is a combination of the crown piece  112  and two cheek pieces  114 ). In another embodiment, the headstall  110  consists of a crownpiece  112  that is attached to the noseband, hackamore, and/or bit at one end on a first side of the animal&#39;s head and to a cheek piece  114  on the second side of the animal&#39;s head, wherein the cheek piece  114  attaches to the noseband, hackamore, and/or bit on that second side. In another embodiment, the headstall  110  consists of a crown piece  112  attached to two cheek pieces  114  (one on each side of the animal&#39;s head), wherein each cheek piece  114  is attached to the noseband, hackamore, and/or bit. Optionally, the headstall  110  is adjustable in one or more places to accommodate animals having differently-sized heads using one or more adjustors  150 . 
         [0025]    By “lead rope” is meant any rope or strap that may be reversibly attached to the head gear system and is configured to allow a handler on the ground to control the animal wearing the headgear. Lead ropes may be fashioned from a single element (e.g., a single rope/rein as described herein) or may be formed by joining multiple elements (e.g., two rope/reins joined at one end, as described herein). The lead rope may comprise a single type of material (e.g., a rope or a leather or nylon strap) or it may be constructed from different materials (e.g., a rope or a leather/nylon strap with a metal chain terminating in a reversible connector such as a snap). 
         [0026]    By “reversible closure” is meant any device that is capable of being attached to and detached from the headgear system, preferably through an eye or loop provided on the headgear system. Reversible closures include, for example, buckles, snaps, and reversible loop closures as described in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0027]    By “adjustor” is meant any mechanism that facilitates an adjustment to the size of any component of the headgear system  100 . For example, adjusters are particularly useful on the headstall  110  in order to accommodate animals having varying head sizes. Adjustors may include any useful mechanism including buckles and sliding attachments as described herein. 
         [0028]    These and other aspects of the invention will now become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0029]      FIG. 1  illustrates the portion of the headgear system that is worn about the head of the animal and contains the Indian hackamore feature. 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  illustrates the headgear system in a halter and lead rope configuration. 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  illustrates the headgear system in a bitless bridle (hackamore) configuration. 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  illustrates the headgear system in another bitless bridle (hackamore) configuration. 
           [0033]      FIG. 5  illustrates the headgear system in another bitless bridle (hackamore) configuration. 
           [0034]      FIG. 6  illustrates the headgear system in a bitted bridle configuration. 
           [0035]      FIG. 7A  is a magnification of a portion of the headgear system in a bitted bridle configuration with a reversible closure in the closed position. 
           [0036]      FIG. 7B  is a magnification of a portion of the headgear system in a bitted bridle configuration with a reversible closure in the open position. 
           [0037]      FIG. 8A  illustrates an attachment mechanism. 
           [0038]      FIG. 8B  illustrates an adjustable attachment mechanism. 
           [0039]      FIG. 9A-9B  illustrates a reversible attachment mechanism. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0040]    The present invention relates to a combination halter-bridle headgear system and various specialized connectors to allow the system to be converted among its various forms without being removed from the animal. 
         [0041]    The Headgear System 
         [0042]    The headgear system is based on an Indian hackamore design in which two reinstraps attached at or near the noseband on opposite sides of the animal&#39;s head cross underneath the jaw and are attached to a rein on the side opposite to its attachment. The crossed reinstraps, when pulled, tighten and exert pressure on the bottom of the jaw and/or bridge of the nose. 
         [0043]      FIG. 1  illustrates the basic headgear and  FIG. 2  illustrates the headgear in a halter-and-lead rope configuration. The headgear system  100  consists of a headstall  110  having a crown piece  112  and a cheek piece  114 , and a noseband  120 . Optionally, the headgear system also has a throat latch  130  which may be reversibly attached to the headstall  110  on one or both ends. Optionally, the headgear system also has a fixed or removable brow band (not shown). 
         [0044]    The noseband  120  is configured as an Indian hackamore  140 . In one embodiment, the hackamore  140  that has a noseband strap  122  that spans the bridge of the nose and terminates in a loop on each end  128   a  and  128   b . The noseband  120  also has two reinstraps  126   a  and  126   b . The first reinstrap  126   a  passes through the first loop  128   a  in the outside to inside direction and then through the second loop  128   b  in the inside to outside direction such that the first reinstrap  126   a  cross underneath the jaw. Likewise, the second reinstrap  126   b  passes through the second loop  128   b  in the outside to inside direction and then through the first loop  128   a  in the inside to outside direction such that the second reinstrap  126   b  cross underneath the jaw in the opposite direction of the first reinstrap  126   a . The reinstraps  126   a,b  may be formed of a contiguous piece  124  that crosses the bridge of the nose, wherein the reinstraps represent the bites (terminals) of that piece, or the reinstraps may be discontinuous pieces affixed to the noseband strap  122 . Optionally, the contiguous piece  124  is attached to the noseband strap  122  to form a single functional unit of the two fused elements. In one embodiment, the reinstraps  126  are configured to extend about 6-24 inches beyond the loops  128   a,b . The reinstraps  126  terminate in one member of a fastening pair in order to facilitate attachment to the rope/reins  170 . Optionally, the reinstraps  126  terminate in a reinstrap eye  127 . In one embodiment, the reinstrap eye  127  is formed by looping the reinstrap member  126  back on itself and defining the eye  127  using a seizing  186 . The headgear system  100  also has a bit loop  180  at each junction of the headstall and the noseband  120 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 2  illustrates the headgear system  100  in the halter-lead rope configuration including a first rope/rein  170   a  and a second rope/rein  170   b . The first rope/rein  170  is attached on a first end to both reinstraps  126   a  and  126   b . The second rope/rein  170   b  is optionally is attached on a second end of the first rope rein  170   a  to extend the length of the lead rope in this configuration, but may be absent. The first rope/rein  170   a  may be reversibly attached to the reinstraps  126   a,b  and/or the second rope/rein  170   b  using any suitable connector such as a buckle, snap, clasp, or loop connector as described herein. In use, this configuration acts as a halter. The attachment of both reinstraps  126   a,b  to a single rope/rein  170  allows the handler to control the animal from the ground using the customary single lead rope. The hackamore  140  feature provides an extra measure of control relative to a standard halter by allowing the handler to cause the application of specific pressure to the bridge of the animals&#39; nose or bottom of the jaw. 
         [0046]      FIG. 3  illustrates the headgear system  100  in a hackamore bridle configuration. To convert the headgear system  100  from the halter configuration illustrated in  FIGS. 1-2  into a hackamore bridle configuration, a single end of a rope/rein  170  is attached to each reinstrap  126 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 4  illustrates a headgear system that uses two rope/reins  170   a,b , as illustrated in the hackamore configuration ( FIG. 3 ), in which the first rope/rein  170   a  is attached to the first reinstrap  126   a  and the second rope/rein  170   b  is attached to the second reinstrap  126   b . As is customary, the two rope/reins  170  are disposed on opposite sides of the animal&#39;s neck and under independent control by the mounted rider.  FIG. 4  illustrates a two-rein system in with the two rope/reins  170   a,b  are not attached to each other. 
         [0048]      FIG. 5  illustrates a one-rein system in the hackamore configuration in which the two rope/reins  170   a,b  are attached to each other at their free ends by a suitable connector  171  (e.g., a buckle, snap, clasp, or loop connector as described herein). It is understood that the a one-rein system may be formed in which a single rope/rein  170   a  is attached at opposite ends to both reinstraps  126   a,b , as illustrated in the bitted bridle configuration of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 6  illustrates the headgear system  100  in a bitted bridle configuration. To convert the headgear system  100  from the halter configuration illustrated in  FIGS. 1-2  into a bitted bridle configuration, the bit loops  180  are opened, the bit  610  is placed into the animal&#39;s mouth and elevated to align the snaffle rings  612  with the open bit loops  180 , and the bit loops  180  are closed to secure the snaffle rings  612  to the headstall  110 . The bit loops  180  may be any connector suitable for securing the snaffle rings  612  to the headstall  100  including, for example, a buckle, snap, clasp, or loop connector as described herein). One or more rope/reins  170  may be attached to the snaffle ring  612  to serve as reins in the standard manner. In one embodiment, two rope reins  170   a,b  may be attached individually to the snaffle ring  612  and either used in a single-rein or two-rein configuration as described above.  FIG. 6  illustrates a single-rein configuration in which only a single rope-rein  170  is attached to the snaffle rings  612  at each of its two ends. The choice of a single-rein with a single rope/rein  170 , a single-rein with two rope/reins  170   a,b  in which the two rope reins are attached to each other at their free ends, or a double rein in which the two rope reins  170   a,b  are not attached to each other is selected by the rider based on the preference of rein format and the desired rein length. 
         [0050]      FIG. 7A  illustrates one specific implementation of the headgear system  100  in a bitted bridle configuration. The bit loop is illustrated in the closed configuration and is formed as an eye-and-stopper system. The headstall  110  terminates in an eye  182  at the about the junction point with the noseband  120 . Optionally, the eye  182  is formed by looping the headstall member  110  back on itself and defining the eye  182  using a seizing  186 . The junction point of the headstall  110  and noseband  120  also contains a headstall extension  180  which is short rope member that terminates in a stopper  184 . The headstall extension  180  may be attached the headstall  110  or attached to the noseband  120  if the noseband  120  is attached to the headstall. The stopper  184  is configured to pass through the eye  182  such that it forms a secure but reversible closure. Optionally, the stopper is a monkey first or a disc. The headstall extension  180  is configured to form a loop to hold the bit  610  in place in the animal&#39;s mouth when the stopper is engaged through the eye  182 . Specifically, the snaffle ring  612  is held in place in the closed space defined by the headstall extension  180  and the eye  182 . The reinstraps  126  are not used in the bitted bridle configuration. As further illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the reinstrap eye  127  optionally is disposed within the bit loop formed by the headstall extension  180  and the eye  182 . 
         [0051]      FIG. 7B  illustrates the bit loop containing a bit in the open configuration. As illustrated, the headstall extension  180 , terminating in a stopper  184  is passed through the snaffle ring  162  and the reinstrap eye  127 . Optionally, the headstall extension  180  also attaches the noseband  120  to the headstall  110 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7B , the stopper  184  is not secured through the eye  182  which allows the user to insert or remove the reinstrap eye  127  and/or the snaffle ring  162 . Passing the stopper  184  through the eye  127  forms the closed configuration illustrated in  FIG. 7A . 
         [0052]    Fasteners and Construction of the Headgear System 
         [0053]    The headgear system  100  may be constructed of any suitable material including, for example, rope (nylon, polypropylene, hemp, fiber, cotton, etc.) and straps (e.g., leather, nylon, polypropylene, etc.). Suitable types of rope include monofiliament, cored, braided, and twisted ropes. 
         [0054]      FIG. 8A  illustrates one useful configuration for constructing the headgear system  100  by joining ropes without the need to cut, splice, or split the ropes to be joined. To create attachment  160 , a loop  812  in formed at the end a first rope  810  and passed around a second rope  820 . The bite of the first rope  810  is then passed through the loop of the first rope  810  and tightened to secure the first rope  810  in the desired location on the second rope  820 . Optionally, the loop  812  may be secured using a seizing  186  on the first rope  810 . Optionally, the position of the first rope is fixed by one or more seizings  186  on the second rope  820 . This attachment method is particularly useful for joining a reversibly or irreversibly attached end of a throat latch  130  to a headstall  110 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 8B  illustrates an adjustor  150  useful in the construction and fitting of the headgear system  100  when it is desired to join two independent rope members and provide a convenient slidable attachment for adjustment. The following description is exemplified in terms of the adjustor  150  between the crown piece  112  and the cheek piece  114  but it is understood that the adjustor  150  may be used at any junction of two elements that an adjustment to the size or length of any component of the headgear system  100  is desired. The adjustor  150  forms an adjustable junction between the cheek piece  114  and the crown piece  112 . The cheek piece  114  ends with a loop  115 . The loop  115  passes through the center of a ring  116 . The crown piece  112  is passed through the loop  115  but not through the ring  116 . Thus, the ring  116  is prevented from sliding off over the end of the loop  115  by the presence of the crown piece  112  being place through the loop  116 . The crown piece  112  does not pass through the ring  116 . The ring  116  applies pressure to the cheek piece  112  at the point where it passes through the loop  115 . The crown piece  112  is joined to the cheek piece below the loop  115  and ring  116  using a slidable keeper  118 . The slidable keeper is moved away from the junction (down) to relieve frictional pressure between the ring  116  and the crown piece to facilitate adjustment. Once the adjustment is complete by sliding the loop  115  relative to the crown piece  112 , the keeper  118  is moved toward the junction to “lock” the loop-ring-crown piece junction into place. 
         [0056]      FIG. 9  illustrates a reversible closure  900  that is useful in the headgear system  100 . This reversible closure  900  is particularly useful for joining two rope/reins  170  together or joining a rope/rein  170  to a reinstrap eye  127  or snaffle ring  162 . One or both ends of a rope/rein  170  has an eye  172 , at bite end  174 , and a terminal stopper  176 . The eye  172  may be fashioned into a rope by splicing according to known method. Alternatively, a twisted rope may be unwound and a grommet inserted to define the eye  172 . For straps, an eye  172  may be cut into the flat side of the strap and optionally reinforced with a grommet. The bite end  174  has a sufficient length to form a loop configured to accommodate the other pair member to which the rope/rein  170  is to be reversible attached. The bite end  174  terminates in a stopper  176 . The stopper  176  is configured to pass through the eye  172  such that it forms a secure but reversible closure. In one embodiment, stopper  176  is larger than the eye  172  in at least one dimension (e.g., disc shaped). Optionally, the stopper is a monkey fist or a disc.  FIG. 9A  illustrates the open configuration of closure  900  for two rope/reins  170   a,b . The bite ends  174   a,b  are crossed over each other and the first stopper  176   a  is passed through the first eye  172   a . The second stopper  176   b  is passed through the second eye  172   b  in order to form interlocking loops thereby reversible attaching the two rope/reins  170 .  FIG. 9B  illustrates the first step in which the first stopper  176   a  is passed through the first eye  172   a.    
         [0057]    The disclosed embodiments are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, and specific examples thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are not meant to be limited to the particular forms or methods disclosed, but to the contrary, the disclosed embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives.