Improvements Applied to Saddles for Ladies.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1893-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements Applied to Saddles for Ladies.
I, MATTHEW HORACE HAYES, of 34 Montpelier Street, Brompton Road,
London, in the County of London, Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary
Surgeons, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements applied to saddles for ladies and it
consists in giving to that portion of the leaping head which receives the pressure of
the left leg of the rider such form and position with reference to the flap of the
saddle and to the direction of the stirrup leather under the pressure of the foot of
the rider, that the flat of the knee will naturally be directed towards the flap of
the saddle instead of being carried away from the side of the horse as is the case
with the ordinary leaping head, a great defect of which is that when the leg is
pressed against it the curvature of the leaping head necessarily directs the knee
away from the saddle flap the effect being that the rider's seat is rendered insecure,
and a corresponding tendency is given to her right shoulder to become more
advanced than the left shoulder which tendency militates against a graceful and
square seat in the saddle; these drawbacks are so to say automatically obviated
by my improvement.
"
I may apply my invention to saddles already in use by removing the ordinary
leaping head and fixing my improved leaping head into its socket plate, in which case I
make my leaping head with a long arm to receive the pressure of the leg and a
short arm or flange for attaching same to the socket plate, or with an analogous
arrangement whereby I may raise that part of my leaping head against which the
leg presses to a height and relative position to the crutch in conformity to that of
the leaping head which it replaces, the long or projecting arm of my leaping head
being always set at such an angle to the flap of the saddle as to direct the knee
towards the same when under pressure.
When applying my invention to a saddle under manufacture I may secure iny
leaping head in a socket plate fixed onto the head of the tree in such a position that
the leaping head will project therefrom at a suitable height to receive the pressure
of the leg and at a suitable angle to direct it towards the saddle flap, no short arm
or plate being required us in the case of the adaptation of my invention to existing
saddles.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements Applied to Saddles for Ladies.
I MATTHEW HORACE HAYES, of Esher, Surrey, Fellow of the Royal College
of Veterinary Surgeons, late of 34 Montpelier Street Brompton Road London 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:—
My invention relates to improvements applied to saddles for ladies' use, and it
consists in giving to that portion of the leaping-head which receives the pressure of
the left leg of the rider such form and position with reference to the flap of the

page_text: saddle that when pressure is applied to the leaping head by the left leg, the flat of
the knee of the left leg will be naturally directed towards the flap of the saddle
instead of being carried away from it as would be the case with the ordinary
leaping-head.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood reference is had to the
accompanying sheet of drawings upon which :-
:-
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a leaping-head iron constructed according
to my invention.
Figure 2 being a front view of the same.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation showing. the method of attaching same to socket
plate.
Figure 4 illustrates a side elevation of a saddle showing position of slit and
opening for head of screw.
Figure 5 represents a saddle with leaping head secured thereto.
The curve of the leaping-head to which my invention especially relates may
vary within considerable limits, but it is distinguished from the curve of those in
general use by the fact that when pressure is applied to the leaping head by the
riders leg, the inner face of the knee of the rider will be directed inward or to the
flap of the saddle instead of being driven in an outward direction. For this
purpose that portion B, of the leaping head which receives the pressure of the leg.
is curved downwardly and has its point of contact with the flap of the saddle some-
what higher than usual. The precise form or curve which in practice I find most
advantageous is shewn in Figure 1. The inner end of the leaping-head iron is bent
back to form a short arm or flange C for attachment to the socket-plate D: I
make the framework of my leaping-head of any suitable material, preferably of
steel. I attach the short arm or flange C of the leaping-head A preferably by a
separate screw E which passes through a hole F cut in the short arm or flange C,
into the socket-plate D. Before connecting the leaping head to the socket-plate in
this manner I preferably pass the end of the short arm or flange C through a slit
or hole G cut at a convenient distance above the screw hole H of the socket-plate D
in the flap I of the saddle, so that the short arm or flange C is more or less covered
by the flap of the saddle. When adopting this method, I give the slit or hole G
in the saddle flap such a shape and position that when the leaping-head is attached
to the saddle, that portion of the leaping-head which is intended to receive the
pressure of the leg can be maintained in the correct or desired position with
reference to the leg, more or less "play," one way or the other, being given if
required.
By this means it is impossible for my leaping-head to assume (as might happen
with the ordinary leaping-head in the event of its becoming accidently unscrewed
too far) an uncomfortable or dangerous position, the edges of the slit G in the
flap I acting as a guide to restrict the self-adjusting motion of the leaping-head
within safe limits.
In the case of the short arm or flange C being placed as I prefer under the
saddle flap I make in the saddle flap immediately over the screw-hole of the socket-
plate D, a hole:H large enough to receive the head of the screw E so that the head
of the screw may remain flush with the saddle-flap I or slightly below its surface.
The short arm or flange C may have one or more holes in it for the reception of
the screw so as, if required, to alter the height of the leaping-head.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my.said,inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to, be performed, I declare that what. I
claim is :-
:-
1. Leaping-head irons of such curve as will direct pressure from the rider's knee
in an inward direction or towards the saddle-flap.
2. Leaping-head irons of the form illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying
drawings.
3. Leaping-head irons furnished with a return arm or flange C for attachment

page_text: by a screw, or screws to the socket-plate D of the saddle as described and
illustrated in Figures 1. 2 and 3.
4. Saddles with a flap furnished with a slit for the insertion of the inner end of
a leaping iron, and the control of its play as described and illustrated in Figures 4
and 5.
Dated this Twenty-second day of September 1893