Abstract:
Horn wraps are disclosed for protecting the horns and head of a steer, e.g., during team roping. The horn wraps can be easily and safely applied to a steer, can be left on the steer for an extended period of time, and have a relatively long use life due to the replaceability and interchangeability of the parts of the horn wrap. In some implementations, the horn wraps are attached to the steer using an attachment system that includes replaceable closures having hook and loop fasteners.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Protective horn wraps are often used in the rodeo sport of team roping, to protect a steer&#39;s horns, ears and head from damage as a result of the tightening of the rope or lariat around the horns. 
     Horn wraps generally include a pair of separate, side head pads that are connected to each other when in use by a strap system. The strap system includes a relatively short strap with a buckle, extending from one of the pads, and a much longer strap extending from the other pad. The long strap is configured to be looped around the bottom of the steer&#39;s neck and around the steer&#39;s horns (e.g., in a figure eight) and then fastened to the buckle on the other strap. An example of this type of horn wrap is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,707. 
     Typically, to apply a conventional horn wrap to a steer it is necessary to place each of the pads over one of the steer&#39;s horns, and then fasten the strap system around the steer&#39;s head, all while the steer is fidgeting and swinging its head back and forth. 
     Because the two pads are attached only by the single long strap, if that strap fails or becomes unfastened one or both pads will tend to come off of the steer. The steer may also trip over or become entangled in the long strap, or the strap may get caught on stationary objects. For this reason, and because this type of horn wrap is uncomfortable to the steer, such horn wraps are typically removed from the steer after each roping event or practice. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention features horn wraps that can be easily and safely applied to a steer, can be left on the steer for an extended period of time, and have a relatively long use life due to the replaceability and interchangeability of the parts of the horn wrap. 
     In one aspect, the invention features a horn wrap that includes a pair of protective elements, configured to be positioned on opposite sides of a steer&#39;s head and each having an opening configured to receive one of the steer&#39;s horns, and an attachment system configured to join the protective elements together around the steer&#39;s head, the attachment system comprising hook and loop fasteners. 
     Some implementations include one or more of the following features. 
     The hook and loop fasteners may be carried by a pair of releasable closures, each releasable closure extending between the protective elements and being configured to draw the protective elements together around the steer&#39;s head. Each of the releasable closures may comprise an elongated strap that is folded in thirds when in use. The strap may include a first portion that has fastener elements on both of its broad surfaces, and be configured such that when the releasable closure is folded into thirds the first portion is captured between second and third portions of the strap that carry fastener elements that engage the fastener elements on the first portion. 
     The horn wrap may further include an elastomeric strap attached to and extending between the protective elements, the elastomeric strap being positioned on the protective elements so that it will extend across the throat of the steer in use. The elastomeric strap may comprise a continuous loop of flat elastomeric material, e.g., it may comprise a Dally rubber. 
     In some cases, each protective element comprises a side portion which protects the steer&#39;s horn and defines the opening, and a rear portion, which protects the back of the steer&#39;s head and neck, and one of the releasable closures is configured to draw together the side portions, and the other releasable closure is configured to draw together the rear portions. 
     In another aspect, the invention features a horn wrap that includes (a) a pair of protective elements, configured to be positioned on opposite sides of a steer&#39;s head and each comprising a side portion which protects the steer&#39;s horn and defines an opening configured to receive the horn, and a rear portion, which protects the back of the steer&#39;s head and neck; and (b) an attachment system configured to join the protective elements together around the steer&#39;s head, the attachment system comprising a front releasable closure configured to draw together the side portions, and a rear releasable closure configured to draw together the rear portions. 
     Some implementations include any one or more of the features discussed herein, including the features mentioned above in connection with the first aspect of the invention. 
     The invention also features methods of using the horn wraps disclosed herein. In one aspect, the invention features a method comprising (a) placing a first protective element of a horn wrap over one horn of a steer; (b) placing a second protective element of the horn wrap over the other horn of the steer; and (c) fastening a pair of releasable closures to secure the two protective elements together around the steer&#39;s head. 
     In some cases, each of the releasable closures is partially fastened to one of the protective elements prior to placing the protective element over the steer&#39;s horn. The method may further comprise positioning an elastomeric strap extending between the protective elements adjacent the throat of the steer. 
     The term “steer,” as used herein, refers to all horned roping cattle and is not gender-specific. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a horn wrap according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view showing the horn wrap on a steer. 
         FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the horn wrap. 
         FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view showing the horn wrap on a steer. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the releasable closure used on the horn wrap shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , in the open position. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the releasable closure with one portion in the closed position. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the releasable closure with two portions in the closed position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1-4  show a horn wrap  10  that includes a pair of protective elements  12 ,  14 , which are mirror images of each other and which are configured to be positioned on a steer&#39;s head. Each of the protective elements includes a horn opening  16  ( FIG. 3 ), through which the steer&#39;s horn  18  extends during use, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . Each of the protective elements is comprised of a side portion  20 , which protects the steer&#39;s horn and defines the opening  16 , and a rear portion  22 , which protects the back of the steer&#39;s head and neck, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , and which helps to hold the protective element in position. The protective elements may be made, for example, of an inner padding material, such as needled felt, foam or the like, covered by a durable outer layer such as a ripstop or ballistic material, as is well known. 
     The protective elements  12 ,  14 , are secured together by three separate attachment devices, each of which is readily removable and replaceable, as will be discussed below. The use of three attachment devices provides redundancy—should one of the devices fail there will still be two remaining to retain the horn wrap on the steer&#39;s head. The horn wrap is configured so that only one of the devices need be fastened in order to put the horn wrap on a steer&#39;s head, allowing easy application of the horn wrap to a restless animal. 
     The three attachment devices are: a front releasable closure  40 , a rear releasable closure  41 , and an elastomeric strap  30 . The releasable closures will be discussed in further detail below. These closures can be easily replaced should they become worn or if a different color or design is desired. The closures are also easy to open and close, making it easy to apply the horn wrap to a steer&#39;s head. 
     The elastomeric strap is positioned on the protective members so that it will extend across the throat of the steer during use ( FIG. 4 ), generally at the lowest edge of the rear portions  22 . The elastomeric strap  30  may be, for example, a dally rubber (also known as a dally wrap). A Dally rubber is a continuous circle of flat rubber that is used by ropers to protect their saddle horns and to prevent the rope from slipping around the saddle horn. Accordingly, replacements are readily available. However, other loops of elastomeric material may be used. Preferably, the elastomeric strap is attached to the protective members by girth hitching the strap through a pair of D-rings  32  that are secured to the protective members. This method of attaching the strap allows for quick and easy replacement should the strap break or appear worn. The D-rings may be secured to the protective members by a loop of webbing  34  that is stitched to each protective member ( FIG. 3 ). In addition to being readily replaceable and facilitating easy application of the horn wrap to the steer, the elastomeric strap enhances safety by breaking away if caught on a stationary object. 
     The releasable closures are preferably attached to the protective members using rectangular rings  36 . The rectangular rings are attached to the protective members by loops of webbing  37  that are stitched to the protective members. The rings  36  are positioned so that the upper releasable closure  40  extends across the steer&#39;s head approximately level with the horns ( FIG. 2 ), aligned with the center top of the horn opening  16 , and the rear releasable closure  41  extends across the upper portion of the steer&#39;s neck several inches behind the horns ( FIG. 4 ), aligned with the furthest rear parallel edges of rear portions  22 . As a result, the front releasable closure  40  holds the side portions  20  together while the rear releasable closure  41  holds the rear portions  22  together, snugly and comfortably securing the horn wrap to the steer&#39;s head. This secure attachment prevents the horn wrap from chafing against the steer&#39;s hide, enhancing comfort and in some cases allowing the horn wrap to be worn for an extended period of time. The use of two relatively small and narrow replaceable closures, rather than several wraps of a heavy webbing strap—e.g., as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,707—makes the horn wrap cooler to wear, enhancing comfort of the steer during hot weather. 
     In the preferred implementation shown in  FIGS. 5-7 , releasable closures  40 ,  41  each include a substantially planar elongated band of material having first and second portions. The first portion  140  includes loop fasteners on both of its opposite surfaces  43  and  44 . This may be achieved, for example, by attaching two pieces of loop material back-to-back, or by providing a two-sided loop material. The second portion  142 , which extends lengthwise from the first portion, includes two side-by-side surfaces  42  and  45 , both of which carry hook elements. In preferred implementations the opposite surface  46  of the second portion is free of fastener elements, and may be smooth or may have any desired texture. This configuration allows the releasable closure to be folded in thirds such that when the releasable closure is closed the first portion  140  is captured between the two surfaces  42  and  45  of the second portion, and the generally smooth surface  46  is exposed. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , to initially position the releasable closure  40  on the horn wrap, e.g., when replacing the releasable closure, the releasable closure  40  is looped through the rings  36  and the surface  43  is folded over on to surface  42  ( FIG. 6 ). Preferably, surface  43  includes loop fasteners and surface  42  includes complementary hook fasteners as shown. The interaction of these two surfaces forms a strong releasable bond, which would generally only be disengaged when the releasable closure  40  needs to be replaced due to material deterioration or damage. Leaving the releasable closure in place as shown in  FIG. 6  allows quick and easy application and removal of the horn wrap without losing the releasable closure. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , to fasten the horn wrap on an animal the second portion  142  of the releasable closure is threaded through the ring  36  and hook-carrying surface  45  is folded over onto the corresponding loop fasteners on surface  44 , capturing the first portion  140  of the releasable closure between surfaces  42  and  45  as discussed above. 
     The strength of the bond between the first and second portions, and thus the force required to disengage the releasable fastener, can be increased or decreased by altering the amount of interaction between the complementary surfaces  45  and  44 . This can be done by the animal&#39;s handler, by only partially overlapping the complementary surfaces, or by the manufacturer, e.g., by providing fewer complementary fasteners, less aggressive hook fasteners, or bands of hook fasteners rather than a continuous array of hook fasteners. 
     In some implementations, the releasable closure  40  utilizes woven nylon hook and loop material measuring from ¾ to 3 inches in width, but preferably e.g. 2 inches in width. 
     The releasable closures can be easily replaced when worn or damaged. Moreover, the releasable closures can be interchanged with replaceable closures of a different color, e.g., to allow steers to be sorted into different pens, or to indicate something about the steer, for example that it is a “bounty steer” for competition purposes. 
     OTHER EMBODIMENTS 
     A number of embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. 
     For example, the arrangement of hook and loop fasteners on the releasable closures may be different, e.g., the hooks can be replaced by loops and vice versa. 
     Moreover, while D-rings and rectangular rings are shown, other types of attachment devices may be used to join the releasable closures and/or the elastomeric strap to the protective members. 
     Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.