Abstract:
An adjustable equestrian saddle and adjusting and reinforcing system for adjusting an equestrian saddle to permit the saddle fit several sizes of the back and withers of one or more horses, wherein the adjusting system comprises a plurality of reinforcing members having different angular dimensions with the saddle having a headplate for interchangeably receiving the reinforcing members.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of the equestrian activities, particularly to a saddle and means for riding an equine and, more particularly the invention refers to means for adjusting a saddle in order that the same may be used in equines having different back sizes or in the same equine that, by any circumstance, the size of the back or withers thereof have increased or decreased, wherein a saddle according to the invention may be adjusted to any new size as well as parts thereof may be installed and removed in an easy and quick manner without the need of expertise. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    It well known that a saddle, particularly those employed in equestrian activities are composed of a complex structure combining leather working and engineering to provide comfort and safety not only for the rider but also for the horse. A bad saddle will cause affliction to the horse and rider when no correct fit of the saddle is obtained in the back or withers of the horse generally due to an incorrect design or manufacture of the saddle. This discomfort leads to future affections of the horse and rider as well as to a handicap for any sport competition. 
         [0005]    Any saddle generally has an upper part or surface designed for sitting the rider and a bottom part or surface open at an angle to accommodate to the back or withers of the animal. When a rider employ more than one horse, for example in several sportive competitions such as polo, the rider is provided with several saddles, generally one saddle per horse wherein each saddle is designed to fit the size of the animal where the saddle will be employed. Thus, each saddle has a design with a bottom part thereof having an opening forming an angle or predetermined angle that fits the size and anatomy of the horse&#39;s back. 
         [0006]    In other situations, when only one horse is employed, it may happen that in short or long periods of time the anatomy of the horse had changed in an extent that the saddle usually employed for that horse becomes anatomically inappropriate. This is a frequent complication when the horse gets weight or looses weigh thus varying the angular profile of the back thereof, particularly the horse&#39;s withers. Since the saddle has been designed with a predetermined angle to fit the former horse&#39;s anatomy, the saddle will not yield its form to the anatomy changes and will not fit adequately. 
         [0007]    Under the above circumstances many attempts have been made to design a saddle having a structure with the capacity of being adjusted in its dimensions, particularly in the angle of the bottom part of the saddle, to fit to the new characteristics of the animal anatomy. However, the solutions provided by the prior art have failed in that the same are complex, expensive, not reliable and they require of technical skillfulness and specialized workers to carry out the necessary adjustments. 
         [0008]    Among the known solutions there are saddles having a structure or tree that is comprised of two or more hinged portions. These portions are hinged along a center line of the saddle, namely a line coinciding with the spine of the horse, and the parts can be angularly moved in order to open or close the parts relative to each other for altering the opening of the saddle to a desired angle according to the back shape of the horse. This regulating movement is achieved by means of a hinge and adjusting system that requires of strong, complex, bulky and heavy mechanisms including metal plates, bolts, levers and nuts. A system of this type is disclosed in GB 2254234 to the UK firm Thorowgood Limited. 
         [0009]    US Patent Application No. 2005/0120683, to Swain, discloses a saddle tree including a progressive flex headplate capable for properly fitting a variety of different size horses, wherein the headplate is constructed of a plurality of flexible, and resilient overlapping layers secured together at a top of the headplate with the layers increasing in length from top to bottom wherein the assembly provides progressive flexure to fit horses of varying widths. As mentioned above comfort and proper fitting mostly exclusively depends on the as exact as possible design of the structure and bottom part of the saddle to copy the back of the equine. The saddle of Swain has a fixed bottom shape, this is that the bottom is open at a fixed angle and it is expected that the headplate yields upon the weight of the rider to accommodate to the horse&#39;s back. However, the fixed angle could fit size within an average size of the horse&#39;s back but will not fit properly in other dimensions, for example thin backs or wide backs. In addition, the top of the headplate is mostly rigid therefore while the distal ends of the layers may yield and flex under the rider&#39;s weight if the angle of the top part is not the correct one this part will be floating over the withers and back without offering a correct fitting. 
         [0010]    All the above known systems have not entered into a known market perhaps because the costs and complexities thereof have caused them to be no competitive. In addition, because of their complexity they require of special maintenance to guarantee that, when needed, it operates as expected and, if not well maintained, when one needs to use them it does not work properly. Even in addition there is one aspect that is of very much importance in any saddle but particularly in a saddle of high costs such as the saddles for competition and this aspect is the appearance and aesthetic of the saddle. The above regulation system makes difficult, if not impossible, to design and manufacture a high quality saddle with fine and delicate terminations and fittings. 
         [0011]    Under the above circumstances it would be very convenient to have a new adjusting system and or adjustable saddle capable of being adjusted to fit varying horse sizes with no need of expertise or specialized personnel, and in an easy and quick manner, and also permitting to manufacture a saddle without alterations as to the design is concerned. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new saddle provided with adjusting means for quickly and easily adjusting the saddle to fit several horse sizes without the need of skilled personnel, with the aid of only simple tools such as a screwdriver and with an easy access to the adjusting means, without the need of disassembling the saddle to adjust the saddle. 
         [0013]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable equestrian saddle and adjusting and reinforcing system for adjusting an equestrian saddle to permit the saddle fit several sizes of the back and withers of one or more horses, wherein the adjusting system comprises a plurality of reinforcing members having different angular dimensions with the saddle having a headplate for interchangeably receiving the reinforcing members. 
         [0014]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adjustable saddle for equestrian use, of the type having a tree with a seat, a headplate, a cover for providing comfort and cushion for the rider and elongated pad members forming a cushion between the saddle and a back of the equine, wherein the head plate includes a rigid reinforcing member removably connected to the head plate by fixation means having at least one portion thereof accessible from outside the saddle and wherein the rigid reinforcing member is preferably one of a reinforcing assembly comprising a plurality of interchangeable rigid reinforcing members, wherein each rigid reinforcing member has an inverted V-shape to accommodate to the back of the equine and the V-shape is open at different predetermined angles with each predetermined angle corresponding to one of said rigid reinforcing member. 
         [0015]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reinforcing assembly for use in an equine saddle for adjusting the saddle to different sizes of horse backs, the reinforcing assembly comprising a plurality of reinforcing rigid members for interchangeably attaching to the saddle, wherein each reinforcing rigid member has an inverted V-shape with the V-shape being open at different angles for each reinforcing rigid member in order to accommodate to different back sizes of the equine. 
         [0016]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be better understood when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and description. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The present invention is illustrated by way of example in the following drawings wherein: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a saddle according to an embodiment of the invention wherein the tree or inner frame is illustrated in solid lines while the outer cover materials, such as the leather, cushion pads, skirt panels, etc. are shown in phantom lines; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  shows an exploded perspective view of the tree of the saddle of  FIG. 1 , shown from a front part o the saddle and slightly from the bottom thereof; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  shows an exploded plant bottom view of the tree of the saddle of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the inventive saddle, similar to  FIG. 1 , but illustrating a tool acceding to the fasteners means of the invention from outside the saddle, either through the bottom or the side parts of the saddle; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  shows a bottom and front perspective view of the saddle of  FIG. 1  with a rigid reinforcing member secured to the headplate, with the tree, the headplate and rigid member illustrated in solid lines and the cover materials and other parts of the saddle shown in transparency, and 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a partial cross-sectional front view of a saddle according to another embodiment of the invention with skirt panels, at opposite sides of the saddle, shown in phantom lines and folded to have easy access to the fasteners. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    Now referring in detail to the invention, the same refers to a saddle generally indicated by numeral reference  1  that comprises an inner frame or tree  2  and a plurality of covering materials to provide comfort and cushion not only for the rider but also for the horse. Saddle  1  may be flocked with any appropriate material such as polymeric foams, wool, synthetic or natural fibers, air and any material according to the use and quality of the saddle. This covers are extended and arranged all around the inner structure forming pads, skirts, flaps, panels and the like all indicated by reference  3  in phantom lines to show transparency. Generally, the leather parts and pads are conventional ones except when the opposite is indicated and when some of them, such as elongated pads “B” in  FIG. 6 , incorporate the teachings of the invention which is mostly incorporated in the inner structure or tree. 
         [0025]    According to  FIG. 1  the saddle may have an upper cover or liner RS forming the surfaces of a seat for the rider, and outer skirts “FE”. In like manner, the lower or bottom part of the saddle includes a bottom cover or liner “RI” that includes elongated pad members “B” arranged at each side of a center line X-X,  FIGS. 5 ,  6 , and joined by a central web portion “CI”, to form a cushion between the saddle and the back of the horse at each side of the horse&#39;s spine. 
         [0026]    Tree  2  may be constructed conventionally of any material such as wood, plastics, resins, light metals, etc. reliable to incorporate the teachings of the invention. Tree  2  has a middle part  4 , a rear part  5  and a front part forming a headplate  6  having a general inverted V-shape having a bottom or lower surface or face  7  designed to rest onto the back or withers of the horse and that, according to the invention, is provided with an elongated recess or channel  8  for receiving and securing a rigid reinforcing member  9  that is removably connected to the head plate by fixation means having at least one portion thereof accessible from outside the saddle and to which means reference will be made below. Member  9  is preferably a metal band having a thickness corresponding to the depth of recess  8  and more preferably band  9  remains entirely within the recess in order that bottom face  7  is uniform and if band  8  must be thicker the thickness will not affect the horse. 
         [0027]    Also according to the invention, rigid member  9  is part of an inventive reinforcing assembly comprising a plurality of interchangeable rigid reinforcing members, wherein each rigid reinforcing member has an inverted V-shape to accommodate to the bottom surface and recess  8  and to the back of the equine. Each V-shaped member  9  is open at a predetermined angle and the predetermined angles of all the rigid members of the assembly will be different from each other in a manner that each predetermined angle, corresponding to each one of said rigid reinforcing member, will accommodate to or fit a size or dimensions of different horses or to the changing dimensions of a horse that, for example, gains or looses weight. 
         [0028]    For instance, a saddle is manufactured and has a reinforcing member having an angle designed for a given horse. If the horse gains weight along the time, the saddle will not fit the new dimensions of the horse and, if a conventional saddle, the reinforcing member conventionally welded or riveted to tree  2 , and with the leather liners and pads, adhered, glued or sewed entirely closing the inner structure, must be brought to a leather worker to disassembly at least the front part of the saddle to remove welding, rivets, an the like to replace the reinforcing member by a new one having an angle wider than the first member. Since this work requires of the use of heat to remove welding, or strong impacts to remove rivets the saddle must be opened in a large proportion to prevent damages in the leather liners, however, always the leather is at least minimally damaged. 
         [0029]    According to the invention, member  9  is easily and quickly removed and replaced by another wider one, as will be described below, without disassembling the saddle. For this purpose, band  9  is secured into recess  8  by at least one fastener accessible from outside the saddle. More particularly, two screws  10 ,  11  are provided that are received in threaded orifices  12 ,  13  in band  9  and pass through the headplate and the outer lining materials “RS” in a manner that screws  10 ,  11  not only secures band  9  but also retains the upper and side liners in a zone above the outer skirts “FE” and below side skirts or skirt panels “SP”. Therefore, while screws  10 ,  11  have their threaded stems retained in the structure and their heads easily accessible from outside the saddle, the screw heads do not appear visible but are hidden under the foldable skirts “SP”. 
         [0030]    At both sides of recess  8  two side resistant and flexible rims or strips  14 ,  15 , are provided for compensating any decrease in the structural resistance due to recess  8  and for providing flexibility to accommodate to wider or closer rigid members  9 . The angular opening of headplate  6  will correspond to a design angle with capability to open or to close according to the rigid member installed into recess  8 . This is important as long as the tree should accompany, as close as possible, the variations in the angles when forced by the interchanging rigid members  9  having different angles. 
         [0031]    Headplate  6  also includes at least two orifices  16 ,  17  at one side of recess  8  for threadably receiving screws  18 ,  19  for retaining, at this corresponding portion of the saddle, lower liners “RI” or any pad member to the tree. In addition, strip “CI” running along the center line of the saddle, has a front end portion  20  for fixing, by fixing means  21 , to front edges of headplate  6  for providing termination to the assembly. Considering that all the bottom front assembly, including pad members “B”, is already fixed or retained by screws  18 ,  19 , there is no need of further fixation means or fasteners. For providing a better finishing, end portion  20  may be attached to the tree by a very well known fastener of hooks and loops  21  that can be manually closed and opened easily. 
         [0032]    The assembly also includes other components and fittings such as a connector  22 ,  23  for girth tabs, not shown, at opposite sides of the saddle. According to the invention, these connectors are provided in a side upper surface of the headplate in order to prevent interference with the installation and/or removal of rigid members  9  into recess  8 . 
         [0033]    Distinctly from the saddles of the prior art, that reference to the structures thereof have been made above, a saddle according to the invention provides the aids to adjust the saddle to different horse sizes easily, quickly and without the need of skilled personnel to disassemble the saddle. In the event that the horse wherein the saddle is used gains weight and, hence the angle of the back is enlarged, the saddle must be adjusted, or opened, to fit the new dimensions. Thus, by lifting skirt panels “SP” access is provided directly to screws  10 ,  11  while access to screws  18 ,  19  is obtained by pulling portion  20  and dislodging the same from means  21 , and spacing portion  20  and bottom cover “RI” slightly out from the tree. By unscrewing screws  10 ,  11 , by means of a screwdriver “T” for example, rigid member  9  may be removed once portion  20  and cover “RI” are slightly spaced apart from the tree. A new rigid member can be then secured into recess  8  and fastened by screws  10 ,  11  and portion  20  and cover “RI” may be placed back into place and secured by screws  18 ,  19  and closing means  21 . 
         [0034]    While the screws have been shown with a cross-type notch, any screw or fastener may be used as long as the same may be easily removed by a simple tool such as screwdriver. 
         [0035]    According to another embodiment of the invention, depicted in  FIG. 6 , threaded orifices  12 ,  13  of the first embodiment, are replaced or embodied by connecting threaded sleeves  24 ,  25  which are riveted, welded, or fixed by any other way, in rigid member  9 . Each sleeve may have orifices passing entirely through the sleeve or the orifice may be a blind orifice. Each sleeve  24 ,  25  is preferably designed to enter into orifices  26 ,  27  in band  9 . Thus, when the rigid member must be installed into the saddle the member is placed into recess  8 , with connecting sleeves placed into orifices  26 ,  27 , and screws  10 ,  11  are introduced and screwed into sleeves  24 ,  25  to secure rigid reinforcing member  9  in position. Heads of screws  10 ,  11  are easily acceded form outside the saddle, particularly from the opposite sides thereof once skirts “SP” are lifted to have access to the screws. The firm and permanent connection of screws  10 ,  11  into sleeves  24 ,  25  may be guaranteed by any kind of resilient washers  28 . Other blocking or gripping means may be provided to prevent the screws to get loose. 
         [0036]    At the bottom part of the saddle elongated pad members “B” are arranged to provide cushion between the saddle and the horse. When rigid members  9  must be removed and replaced by another interchanging rigid member, said pad members must be removed and this is made by unscrewing screws  18 ,  19  that, distinctly from the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 , are acceded from the outer or upper side of the saddle, also under skirts “SP”, that causes any replacement of the rigid members is still easier than the one of the other embodiment. Pads “B” include connecting threaded sleeves  29 ,  30  which may be like sleeves  24 ,  25  and are embedded into the body of the pads. To be retained properly into the body of pads “B” each sleeve  29 ,  30  is joined to a plate  31 ,  32  which may be placed into the body of the pad “B” during the manufacture of the pad. Sleeves  29 ,  30  are designed to pass through orifices  33 ,  34  in the headplate and receive screws  18 ,  19  which also may use of elastic washers  28 . 
         [0037]    Pads “B” are designed according to conventional techniques and may be made, for example, of urethane polymer foam or wool, like other components of the saddle, and therefore plates  31 ,  32  will be designed to guarantee a good retention into the foam or wool. Said plates  31 ,  32  may be fixed to sleeves  28 ,  29  or may be made of only one piece together with the sleeves. The design of the plates will also accommodate to any design of the pads, namely dimensions and geometry of pads “B”. 
         [0038]    Connecting sleeves  24 ,  25 ,  28 ,  29  may be made of any appropriate and light material, such a light metal, and they may be entirely interiorly threaded and the opening thereof for receiving the screws may be provided with a biased edge, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , in order to facilitate the introduction of the stem of the screws into the sleeves. 
         [0039]    While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.