Patent Publication Number: US-6708471-B1

Title: Riding saddle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device for seating a rider on an animal, preferably a horse, and to the use of such a device for seating a rider. 
     The first riders rode bareback on horses without saddles, and held on to the horse by the mane. 
     The first leather saddles were developed by riders in the Asiatic steppes about 2000 years ago and enabled the riders to engage in combat, gallop after the enemy, fire arrows and the like all the time whilst remaining on the horse, which leads to the situation wherein the horse is uncontrollable and unpredictable, a dangerous state of affairs for both rider and horse. 
     During these last 2000 years the basic design of the saddle has remained the same, wherein saddle is built up around a central, solid, inflexible “tree” which extends centrally along the backbone of the horse. The rider sits on a seat arranged above this tree whilst the remaining parts of the saddle are built up therearound. 
     A disadvantage of these known saddles, is that they are relatively inflexible, which, when being placed on a moving horse whereby the backbone is constantly changing in form, leads to irritation, pain and sometimes injury for the horse. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an improved saddle which substantially overcomes one or more of these problems. 
     According to a first aspect of the resent invention, here is provided a device for seating a rider on an animal, preferably a horse, said device comprising: 
     a first side frame member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a middle section extending therebetween, 
     a second side frame member having a proximal end, a distal end and a middle section extending therebetween, wherein the first and second frame members are attached in such a way as to create a sitting area for the rider between said first and said second frame members. 
     Since according to the present invention, the traditional central, solid tree is now replaced by a first and second side frame member which does not extend along the backbone of the horse, but which is arrangeable on either side of the backbone to provide a setting area therebetween, a seating device is provided which exerts substantially less pressure directly onto the horse&#39;s backbone in comparison with known saddles. 
     The rider now sits directly above the backbone of the horse without the solid tree being arranged between the rider and the backbone of the horse. This enables the rider to sit, as it were, directly on the back of the horse, whereby the rider is able to effect a better control of the horse. 
     Moreover, since the central, solid, inflexible tree is no longer necessitated with the device according to the present invention, injuries to the horse resulting from misformed trees, damage to the saddle itself due to a bent tree for example, and a painful seating position for the rider can be obviated. 
     The frame members are preferably equipped with support pads pivotally arranged thereunder to support the frame on the animal&#39;s back. In this way the device is able to react and move according to the movements of the horse&#39;s back to effect a secure, reactive seating whereby irritation points due to uneven pressure which can lead to injury to the horse are substantially obviated. 
     Further details and characteristics of the device according to the present invention are to be found in the claims. 
     According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to the use of the above device for seating a horse rider. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for assembling the device comprising the steps of: 
     a) pivotally arranging a frame comprising: 
     a first side frame member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a middle section extending therebetween, 
     a second side frame member having a proximal end, a distal and a middle section extending therebetween, wherein the first and second frame members are attached in such a way as to create a sitting area for the rider between said first and said second frame members, 
     a distal joining frame member for joining the distal ends of the first and second side frame members together, 
     a proximal joining frame member for joining the proximal ends for the first and second side frame members together on an undercover, and 
     b) arranging a seat on this frame. 
    
    
     The invention will now be further elucidated by means of the following description and figures wherein: 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a saddle according to the present invention, 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective, partially cut away exploded view of the saddle according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A saddle  1  comprises a seat  2  having a pommel  4  and a removable cantle  6  arranged on a frame  8 , block flaps  10 , stirrup supports  12  depending from the frame  8  along with stirrup irons  14  attached thereto, stirrup leathers  16  and a girth  18  (FIG.  1 ). 
     The frame  8  comprises a first side frame member  20 , a second side frame member  22 , a front (proximal) joining frame member  24  and a rear (distal) joining frame member  26  (FIG.  2 ). 
     Two roughly heart-shaped support pads ( 28 ) pivotally depend from the junctures of the side frame members  20 ,  22  and the front frame member  24 , which support parts  28  are pivotally attached to the frame by means of universal joints  30 . 
     Two rectangular support pads  32  depend from the frame at the juncture between the side frame members  20 ,  22  and the rear frame member  26  and are also joined thereto by means of universal joints  34 . 
     Since the support pads  28 ,  32  are attached to the frame by universal joints  30 ,  34 , the support pads are able to remain flat against the horse&#39;s back, whilst the contour thereof changes during the movement of the horse, whereby these support pads  28 ,  32  fully cooperate with the changing movement of the horse&#39;s back. Since the frame is connected to the support pads  28 ,  32  by universal joints  30 ,  34 , the support pads move substantially independently to the frame, whereby the frame, and thereby the seat remains substantially still on the horse. In this manner, irritation of the horse&#39;s back by means of a saddle exerting uneven pressures during movement of the horse&#39;s back is substantially obviated. The pads may also be equipped with silica gel layers/pressure distributors for comfort. 
     An undercover  36 , which is continuous with the block flaps  10  is arranged under the frame and is provided with profiled cut outs  38  which extend around the front support pads  28 . 
     A seating element  40  comprising a silica gel cushion is arranged between the side frame members  20 ,  22 , the front frame member  24  and the rear frame member  26 . A removable cantle element  42  is arranged on the rear frame member  26  by means of two terminal pin members  44  arrangeable in the rear frame member  26  and a central gripping stem  48  which grips around said rear member  26 . Hence, the saddle according to the present invention can be equipped with different cantles, in order to provide a saddle for different uses. 
     Since both the cover  36  and the seating element  40  comprise silica gel layers, a massaging and pressure distribution effect is provided for the back muscles of the horse to provide good comfort. Furthermore, since the rider does not now actually sit on an inflexible tree, but rather between the frame members on the silica gel seating element, the frame members are much less susceptible to heavy wear and tear, which leads to an increased lifetime of the saddle. 
     The seat  2  including pommel  4  are arranged over the silica gel seating element  40  and frame as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     The invention is not limited to the description, but is rather determined by the following claims.