IMPROVED ATTACHMENTS TO SADDLES TO SECURE A MAN'S SEAT ON HORSEBACK
Year: 1885

page_text: I NICHOLAS ROBERT ROSKELL of The Studio N° 1B Warwick Road Kensington
in the County of Middlesex Esquire do hereby declare the nature of my inven-
tion for IMPROVED ATTACHMENTS TO SADDLES TO SECURE A MAN'S SEAT ON
HORSEBACK to be as follows:-
This invention, which is analogous to the near crutch of the pommel of a side-
saddle, consists in a new or improved apparatus to be attached to men's saddles so
that the rider's thighs can be held under curved plates of metal to prevent his
being thrown forward or unseated; and the apparatus being so attached that it is
not rigidly fixed, the rider can disengage himself without difficulty in the event of
the horse falling.
According to my invention I attach two thin curved plates or strips of steel or
other metal (hereinafter referred to as "cratches") one on each side of a saddle,
passing diagonally accross the stirrup-leather and between it and the saddle-flap.
Each crutch, which somewhat resembles a hook in form, is about thirteen inches
in length, three quarters of an inch in width and one sixteenth of an inch in
thickness.
The upper or hook end of each crutch is so curved outward as to lie flat round
to about the middle of the rider's thigh, and the lower or shank end follows the
curve of the saddle-flap.
I attach each crutch by means of a small strap passing through the stirrup-bar
or stirrup-buckle, twice round the underneath part of the stirrup-leather and
through a couple of holes in the upper part of the shank of the crutch, thus neither
causing a projection at the side of the rider's thigh nor interfering with the
facilities for heightening or lowering the stirrup. And I connect the ends of the
shanks of the crutches by a girth-strap, which, to avoid galling, should rest on
the outside of the saddle-girth. By these means the crutches are retained in
position.
.
Several modifications of this apparatus can be adopted with regard to the form
and dimensions of the crutches, the material of their construction and the mode of
attaching them.

page_text: I NICHOLAS ROBERT ROSKELL of The Studio N° 1B Warwick Road Kensington
in the County of Middlesex Esquire do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention, which is analogous to the lower crutch or leaping-head of a side-
saddle, consists in a new or improved apparatus to be attached to men's saddles so
that the rider's thighs can be held under curved plates of metal to prevent his
being thrown forward or unseated; and the apparatus is so attached that the rider
can disengage himself without increased difficulty in the event of the horse falling.
In order that the invention may be more readily understood I have illustrated
it in the accompanying drawings and will proceed to describe it with reference
thereto.
Figure 1 represents the apparatus and the means of attaching it. Figure 2
represents the apparatus as attached to an ordinary man's saddle.
According to my invention I attach two curved plates of steel or other material
of sufficient strength (hereinafter referred to as "crutches") one on cach side of an
ordinary man's saddle.
Each crutch, which somewhat resembles a hook in form, is about thirteen inches
in length, three quarters of an inch in width and one sixteenth of an inch in
thickness. I do not however. bind myself to these dimensions which are only
approximate and may be altered according to circumstances.
At about the centre of each crutch are cut two oblong holes or slots, in the
positions hereinafter referred to, of sufficient size to admit of the insertion of small
leather straps for the purpose of attaching the crutches to the saddle as hereinafter
more particularly described. The relative positions of these slots should be as
represented in Figure 1, so as to admit of the crutches hanging in the required
oblique position. And at the end of the shank of each crutch is cut a horizontal
slot B² (see Figure 1) through which is securely sewn one end of a leather strap D,
the other or tongue end of which has perforated holes in it for the purpose of
fastening to the buckle of the girth-strap hereinafter referred to.
The upper or hook end of each crutch is so curved outward as to lie flat round
to about the middle of the rider's thigh. And the lower or shank end follows
the curve of the saddle-flap so as to lie obliquely accross it undernoath the
stirrup-leather.
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The hook end of each crutch, or that part which lies over the rider's thigh, may
be made circular instead of flat, in which case it should be half an inch in diameter,
more or less.
The crutches or parts of them may be covered with leather or india-rubber or
some other suitable material.
I attach each crutch at about the centre by means of a small leather strap A
which I wind twice round the stirrup-leather, alternately passing it through the
two vertical slots B and B¹ and¸ ultimately passing it through the bar or through

page_text: the buckle of the stirrup-leather and then making it fast to the other end of the
small strap A by means of the buckle C.
This means of attaching the crutches neither causes a projection at the side of
the rider's knee, nor interferes with the facilities for heightening or lowering the
stirrup.
To further retain the crutches in position I connect them together by means of a
narrow girth-strap at oither end of which is a buckle E to each of which I attach
one of the straps D, D.
The girth-strap should rest on the outside of the saddle girth, so as to avoid
galling the horse; and is prevented from slipping out of position by means of
the running loop F (see Figure 1.) through which is passed the outer or top
saddle-girth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The construction and application of the new or improved attachments to saddles
to secure a man's seat on horseback substantially as represented by the drawings
hereto annexed and described in the context.
T
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