Patent Publication Number: US-6662536-B2

Title: Pressure relieving bridle

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from UK Application Ser. No. 0124290 filed Oct. 10, 2001. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional snaffle bridle comprises a nose band strap, adapted to be laid over the horse&#39;s head immediately behind the horse&#39;s ears, and a snaffle head, which lies on top of the nose band strap, the snaffle head carrying the throat lash, and also cheek straps to which the snaffle bit is attached. 
     Similarly, a conventional weymouth bridle comprises a weymouth strap which carries the cheek straps to which the weymouth bit is attached, and from which the throat lash extends, the weymouth strap similarly being located over the horse&#39;s head immediately behind the ears. Mounted immediately underneath the weymouth strap is the snaffle (bradoon) strap, which carries the snaffle bit, and, under the snaffle strap, a nose band strap carrying the nose band. 
     A problem which is encountered in the use of conventional bridles, particularly in competitive environments, is what is referred to as “head shaking”: when exercising control over the horse it commences to shake its head violently, which disrupts its performance. 
     A number of causes of this phenomenon have been postulated, including that of unruly behaviour, and attempts to control the horse have exacerbated the problem. 
     Without intending to be bound by a theory of operation, we believe that head shaking is caused by downward pressure on a nerve area of the horse&#39;s head, and we have found that, by the re-design of the bridle with a particular view to increasing the area of the head to which the pressure is applied, the high levels of control needed in competition environments can be exercised without producing head shaking. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a bridle which will reduce pressure on a horse&#39;s head, and permit action of bit-carrying parts of a bridle independent of non-moving parts of the bridle, to alleviate head shake. 
     According to this invention there is provided a bridle in which the throat lash is carried on a strap other than the strap which carries a bit. The bridle comprises a first head strap on which a throat lash is attached, and a separate, second head strap which carries a bit. 
     Separating the throat lash strap from the head strap which carries the bit permits the bridle to be designed in such a way as to reduce downward pressure on the horse&#39;s head. Specifically, this fundamental change permits a number of radical design features to be employed. For example, it permits the use of a head strap which carries stable, non-moving components such as the nose band and the throat lash, and thus enables the use of a broader band strap over which the head strap which carries the bridle can be placed. In this way tendency for high pressure contact to occur can be reduced. 
     Additionally, the invention permits the use of a cushioning strap which may be located beneath the first head strap which carries the throat lash and the nose band, whereby two broad layers are located between the horse&#39;s head and the second, bit-carrying head strap. 
     Conveniently the throat lash and the nose band are carried by an integral head strap. 
     Where the bridle is a weymouth bridle, conveniently the weymouth bit and the snaffle bit are carried by an integral head strap. 
     Preferably the integral head strap is padded, and preferably the bridle comprises a first head strap which carries the throat lash. 
     Preferably the first head strap is padded, and preferably the bridle comprises a padded member adapted to be laid over the horse&#39;s head, and onto which the first head strap may be placed. 
     Preferably the padded member provides an upwardly convex surface, to retain the head strap in position. 
     According to this invention there is also provided a weymouth bridle in which the bits, throat lash and nose band are carried by two broad head straps, which are mounted one on top of the other. 
     Preferably one of the head straps carries both the bits, the other carrying the throat lash and the nose band, and preferably the strap which carries the bits is mounted above (ie. on top of) the other strap. 
     According to this invention there is also provided a snaffle bridle comprising a broad nose band strap, located beneath the snaffle strap. 
     Preferably the nose strap also carries the throat lash. 
    
    
     There will now be given detailed descriptions, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of two conventional bridles, and two bridles in accordance with this invention, which have been selected for the purposes of illustrating the invention by way of example. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional snaffle bridle; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a snaffle bridle in accordance with this invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional weymouth bridle; and 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a weymouth bridle in accordance with this invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The conventional snaffle bridle shown in FIG. 1 comprises a nose band strap  4 , carrying a nose band  5 , and which is mounted over the horse&#39;s head immediately behind the ears and tightened with a conventional buckle. Placed on top of the nose band strap is a snaffle head strap  8 , which comprises two forward straps  10   a  and  10   b , to which cheek straps  12   a ,  12   b  are attached, which carry the snaffle bit  14 . 
     The head strap  8  also comprises two rear portions,  11   a ,  11   b , which afford the throat lash of the bridle. In use, the straps  4  and  8  are held together by a brow band  6  which passes in front of the horse&#39;s ears. 
     The bit  14  is connected to the reins  16   a,    16   b  in conventional manner, and on pulling back of the reins, downward pressure is exerted on the horse&#39;s head by the snaffle strap  8  through the relatively narrow nose band strap  4 , causing a high force per unit area to be applied to the horses&#39; head. 
     The snaffle bridle in accordance with this invention, shown in FIG. 2, comprises a broad nose band strap  24 , to which both the nose band  26  and the throat lash  28  are connected, and a second, similarly broad head strap  30  which carries the bit  14  by way of the cheek straps  32   a ,  32   b.    
     The snaffle bridle in accordance with this invention also comprises a cushioning pad  42 , which is laid over the horse&#39;s head prior to mounting the first head band strap  24 , spreading the load which is applied to the head during the use of the bit. The cushion  42  conveniently presents a slight upward concavity, assisting a retention of the cushion  42  in a desired location, and permitting second head strap  30  to be located in position on top of the strap  24 . 
     When during use of the bridle shown in FIG. 2 rearward force is applied to the bit  14  by the reins in conventional manner, downward pressure applied by the bit is taken up by a strap which carries the bit only, and not by a strap which also carries non-moving parts of the bridle such as the throat lash or nose band. The downward pressure applied by the strap  30  will be spread over a broad area by the pad  42 , which we have found significantly reduces tendency for head shake to occur. 
     The bridle shown in FIG. 3 is a conventional weymouth bridle, comprising a weymouth strap  40  which is connected by way of cheek straps  42   a ,  42   b  to a weymouth bit  44 , the weymouth strap also carrying the throat lash  46 . In use the weymouth strap is located on the horse&#39;s head immediately behind the ears. 
     Mounted beneath the strap  40  is a bradoon or snaffle strap  50 , which carries by way of cheek straps  52   a ,  52   b  a snaffle bit  54 . Also positioned between the weymouth strap  40  is a nose band strap  60 , which carries the nose band  62 . 
     In the use of the standard weymouth bridle, downward pressure on the horse&#39;s head is primarily produced by the weymouth bit  44 , and transmitted to the horse&#39;s head by the relatively narrow weymouth strap  40 . Downward pressure is also produced by the snaffle bit  54  through the snaffle strap  50 , which is similarly relatively narrow, producing high forces per unit area. 
     The weymouth bridle in accordance with this invention is shown in FIG. 4, comprising a first, head strap  70 , comprising strap portions  72   a ,  72   b  which carry the nose band  74 , and strap portions  76   a ,  76   b , which carry the throat lash  78 . 
     Mounted above the first head strap  70  is a second, head strap  80 , comprising strap portions  82   a ,  82   b , which carry weymouth bit straps  84   a  and  84   b , to which a weymouth bit (not shown) is attached, and strap portions  86   a ,  86   b  which carry snaffle bit straps  88   a ,  88   b , to which a snaffle bit (not shown) is secured. 
     The weymouth bridle in accordance with this invention also comprises a cushioning pad  90 , which may similarly be convex in cross-section, onto which the first strap  70  is mounted, with the second strap  80  mounted over the first strap  70 . Both straps  70  and  80  may be significantly broader than is conventional, which in addition to the pad  90  spread the load applied to the horse&#39;s head over a large area. 
     In FIG. 4 the strap  80  carries both the weymouth and snaffle bits. Alternatively, the strap  80  may be divided, comprising separate straps for the weymouth and the snaffle bits, providing for easier adjustment of the bridle, without any detrimental effect to the pressure on the horse&#39;s head. 
     The browband  6  is attached in conventional manner, with a loop on each end through which both the bit head strap  80  and the throat latch/nose band head strap  70  are passed. 
     The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.