Improvements in Riding Saddles.
Year: 1895

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Riding Saddles.
I, JOHN ALLEN METCALF, doing business at 114 Dearborn Street, Chicago,
Cock County, Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturer do hereby
declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My improvements have more particular reference to riding saddles that are used
by jockeys in races, in which the lightest and easiest construction, or that least
calculated to hinder, annoy or impede the horse in his movements, is desired,
though my improvements are also applicable to all riding saddles; and my
invention consists in the features and details of construction hereinafter described.
and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan view of the tree detached from the saddle;
Fig. 2 a plan view of the web portion stretched across the opening and secured.
to the tree;
Fig. 3 a plan view of my preferred form of pneumatic cushion;
Fig. 4 a plan view of the entire saddle, looking at it from the top;
Fig. 5 a transverse section, taken on the irregular line 5 of Fig. 4 looking in the
direction of the arrow; and
Fig. 6 a transverse section of the saddle taken on line 6 of Fig. 4.
In constructing a saddle with my improvements, I make a saddle frame or
tree, A, which may be made of any desired material, though I prefer to use for
that purpose wood or indurated fibre. The saddle frame is provided with what I
term an interior, central opening, a, which serves to lighten the frame as much as
possible and allows the desired resiliency for the pneumatic cushion hereinafter
described. Stretched across this opening, and secured to the under side of the bars
of the saddle tree, is a web, B, preferably formed of leather; and, as shown in
Fig. 2, provided with notched portions, b, which are bent under the saddle tree and
tacked or otherwise secured to the bar portion of such tree.
Secured to the under portion of the tree is the ordinary padded or felt
cushion, C, which prevents chafing of the horse's back and allows the saddle girth
or surcingle to be tightened as desired. The method of fastening the saddle and
its frame to the body of the horse is not shown in my drawings, but as it is very
old in the art and any ordinary method can be used, I deem it mere surplusage to
show or describe the same; for, as above stated, it is well known to all skilled in
the art and would not add materially to the illustration or description.
To attain the desired resiliency for my saddle and minimize the irregularities of
the rider's position when seated in the saddle or standing in the stirrups, I provide
a rubber bag, D, which is adapted to be filled with air through the valve, d, and be
inflated to any desired extent, thus forming a pneumatic cushion. This cushion is
secured to the saddle tree in any desired manner-preferably by notching its thin edges
at d', and tacking the same to the under side of the saddle. This cushion is secured
to the saddle tree or frame above the web portion, B, and rests primarily on such
web portion, thus preventing the cutting of the cushion by rubbing against the
tree; while the web portion-which is stretched across the central opening of the
tree-adds still further to the resiliency of the saddle seat. Thus, when the rider
is seated in the seat of his saddle and his weight bears directly on the cushion, the

page_text: irregularities of his motion are absorbed to a great extent by the cushion, and are
not communicated to retard or disturb the horse's motion. The pneumatic cushion
is provided with a central opening, d2, which allows the sides to be inflated to the
greatest extent, as they are the portions which the rider more directly contacts,
thus forming a better seat. The web portion, B, is notched at, b, and the pneumatic
cushion at d³, to allow a place for the stirrup straps to pass through, which are
hereinafter described.
To sustain the weight of the rider while standing in the stirrup, I provide a
stirrup strap, E, which is passed directly across the front portion of the pneumatic
cushion, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This stirrup strap is preferably made in two
portions, the lower portion, E', passing through a ring, e, in the upper portion and
around the bar of the saddle tree, to the lower end of which is secured the ordinary
or usual stirrup, E2. The reason why I make the stirrup strap in two portions is
that, should for any reason the upper strap, E, become broken, the lower portion-
which is passed around the bar of the saddle tree and buckled at e-would drop
down and be supported by the bar of the saddle tree, thereby minimizing any
danger of throwing the rider. It will thus be seen that when the rider is standing
in the stirrups and leaning forward to urge his horse onward, all his weight bears,
through the stirrup straps, directly on the pneumatic cushion, so that his irregu-
larities of motion are again absorbed by this pneumatic cushion.
To protect the pneumatic cushion from wear by the stirrup strap or by the
rider, I provide a flap portion, G, which is interposed between the pneumatic
cushion and the stirrup strap-see Fig. 5. This flap is preferably formed of leather,
and is slotted at, g, to permit the lower portion of the stirrup strap to pass around
the saddle tree bar and contact the outer surface of the flap. This flap is sufficiently
long to extend down below the saddle portion-as shown in Fig. 4-and prevent
the horse's body from being chafed or worn by the action of the stirrup strap.
The stirrup strap is secured to the flap at, 92, preferably by sewing-see Fig. 4-so
that it is prevented from shifting from one side to the other.
To still further enclose and protect the different parts of the saddle from con-
tacting the rider's clothing and from the elements, as well as to present a neat
appearance from the outside, I provide a skirt portion, H, which is secured to the
saddle tree bar on the under side and has the depending portions, H', at the forward
portion of the saddle, free and of sufficient length to hang down-as shown in
Fig. 5 and cover the side portions of the stirrup strap and saddle tree bar.
This invention differs from the ordinary cushioning or pads which are secured to
the saddle frame and interposed between the saddle frame and the horse for the
protecting the horse's body, in that the tightening of the surcingle or girth in
while ordinary saddles compresses the cushion and destroys much of its resiliency;
in this invention the pneumatic cushion acts as a support for the weight of the
rider, and not as a pad for the saddle frame.
The advantages of my improved saddle over those now in use are, that the saddle
frame, with its pads and different parts, are combined with a pneumatic cushion,
and so arranged with regard to each other that the frame may be secured to the
horse's body independent of the pneumatic portion, so that when the weight of the
rider is placed in the saddle, the tightening or loosening of the surcingle or girth
has no effect whatever on the pneumatic cushion. This pneumatic cushion is so
arranged on the saddle frame and secured to it in such a manner that the stirrup
strap may be passed over it, or may be secured to it and thus support the weight of
the rider at all times, whether he is seated in the saddle or standing in the stirrup,
and minimize the irregularities of his position or the effect of his different positions
upon the horse's back.
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. In saddles, the combination of a frame portion, means for securing the frame

page_text: portion to a horse, and a pneumatic cushion secured to the saddle frame above such
frame and adapted to support the weight of the rider independent of the frame,
substantially as described.
2. In saddles, the combination of a frame portion consisting of a tree provided
with an interior central opening, a web portion stretched across such opening and
secured to the tree, a pneumatic cushion secured to the tree above the web, and
means for securing the frame portion to a horse, substantially as described.
3. In saddles, the combination of a frame portion provided with an interior
opening, means for securing the frame to the horse, a pneumatic cushion secured to
the frame of the saddle above such opening, and a stirrup strap passed over such
pneumatic cushion to support the weight of the rider while standing in the stirrups,
substantially as described.
4. In saddles, the combination of a frame portion provided with pads and an
interior opening, means for securing the frame portion to a horse, a leather web
stretched across the frame portion to cover the opening in the frame and secured to
the frame, a pneumatic cushion secured to the saddle frame above such web
portion, and a stirrup strap passed over such pneumatic cushion to support the
weight of the rider independent of the frame while standing in the stirrups,
substantially as described.
5. In saddles, the combination of a frame provided with a central opening, a
pneumatic cushion secured to the saddle frame over such opening and interposed
between the horse and the rider above the frame, a stirrup strap passed across the
pneumatic cushion and bearing thereon under pressure of the stirrups to support
the weight of the rider independent of the frame, and means for preventing
the shifting of the stirrup strap from one side to the other, substantially as
described.
Dated this 18th day of December 1801
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.