IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES
Year: 1885

page_text: I JOHN WHEELER, of Wote Street, Basingstoke in the County of Hants,
Saddler, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SADDLES "to be as follows:-
The primary object of my invention is to prevent side saddles galling the back
of the horse. With side saddle trees as ordinarily constructed, if the rider sits
towards the near side the saddle is pulled over, gets out of balance and con-
sequently chafes or galls the horse at two points viz: at the front and back of the
off side of the saddle. Now I so construct the tree that in whatever position
the rider sits the balance of the saddle is not affected and therefore all tendency
to chafe or gall the horse is prevented. For this purpose instead of making the.
side bars of the tree rigid as usual, I construct them so that they have a certain
amount of flexibility which enables them to yield or give under the pressure of
the weight of the rider. The manner in which I prefer to carry my invention
into effect is to divide each side bar transversely at or about its middle and to
connect the two parts so divided by leather or other suitable material which while
possessing a certain degree of rigidity is sufficiently flexible to yield to the riders
weight. Thus when the rider sits towards the near side the back half of the near
side bar will be depressed without pulling over the saddle or altering its position
or balance. Another advantage gained by my invention is that my flexible side
bars enable the saddle tree to adapt itself to the shape of any horse's back whether
straight-backed or hollow-backed thus obviating the necessity for any blocking or
stuffing to make the saddle fit a particular horse.
My invention further consists in applying india rubber sponge directly to the
under side of the side bars of the tree, the elasticity of this sponge assists the side
bars in adapting themselves to the shape of the horse's back and adds to his
comfort. The sponge is covered with an ordinary numna or cloth, and panels are
unnecessary.
Although specially intended to apply to side saddles my invention is also
applicable to gentlemen's saddles.
•

page_text: I, JOHN WHEELER, of Wote Street, Basingstoke, in the County of Hants,
Saddler 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:-
The primary object of my invention is to prevent side saddles galling the back
of the horse. With side saddle trees as ordinarily constructed, if the rider sits
towards the near side the saddle is pulled over, gets out of balance and con-
sequently chafes or galls the horse at two points, viz:-at the front and back of
the off side of the saddle. Now I so construct the tree that in whatever position
the rider sits the balance of the saddle is not affected and therefore all tendency to
chafe or gall the horse is prevented. For this purpose instead of making the side
bars of the tree rigid as usual I construct them so that they have a certain amount
of flexibility which enables them to yield or give under the pressure of the weight
of the rider. The manner in which I prefer to carry my invention into effect is to
considerably reduce the thickness of or to divide each side bar transversely at or
about its middle and to strengthen or connect the bars at the thinned or divided
part by leather or other suitable material which while possessing a certain degree
of rigidity is sufficiently flexible to yield to the rider's weight. Thus when the
rider sits towards the near side the back half of the near side bar will be depressed
without pulling over the saddle or altering its position or balance.
advantage gained by my invention is that my flexible side bars enable the saddle
tree to adapt itself to the shape of any horse's back whether straight backed or
hollow backed thus obviating the necessity for any blocking or stuffing to make
the saddle fit a particular horse.
b
Another
- 2 of
The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention. Figure 1 is a plan of a
side saddle tree embodying my improvements. Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal
section on the line 1-1 and Figure 3 a cross section on the line 2.
Figure 1. a, a are the two side bars. Each of these bars is considerably reduced
in thickness at the part 6 (see Figures 2 and 3); such reduction extending entirely
across the bar. In the recess formed by the reduction I insert a filling piece c of
leather or other suitable material and then above and below the bar at and
adjoining the thinned part I apply pieces d, d of leather or other suitable material.
These pieces are secured in place by glue, and by stitching and rivetting as shown.
It will readily be understood that the thinned and strengthened portion of the
bar will constitute a sort of joint which enables it to yield or give under the
pressure of the weight of the rider and to return to the normal position when such
pressure ceases.
If preferred, instead of merely reducing the thickness of the bars at the point b
they may be completely divided there, the parts being then connected by pieces
of leather or other suitable material similar to the pieces d, d but in practice I have
found that it is better not to entirely divide the bars.
Although specially intended to apply to side saddles my invention is also
applicable to gentlemen's saddles. For side saddles it may be thought sufficient

page_text: to apply my invention only to the side bar on the near side as it is towards this
side that the rider generally sits. if she does not sit in the middle.
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
1. Constructing the side bars of saddle trees with a certain amount of flexibility
as and for the purpose set forth.
2. Reducing the thickness of or dividing transversely the side bars of saddle
trees at or about their middle and strengthening or connecting the bars at the
thinned or divided part by leather or other suitable material substantially as and
for the purpose hereinbefore described.