Patent Application
20080060323
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following description, given with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
Although the invention is more particularly intended to be fixed to the head of a horse, it will be noted that it could equally be used for other dressage animals belonging to the Equidae family.
There is described hereinafter a horseriding bridle 1 in its normal position in which it is fixed to the head of a horse. The terms “upper” and “lower” therefore refer to a bridle 1 in the position of use, as represented in
In the embodiment represented, the leverage effect bit is a curb bit 5.
The horseriding bridle 1 represented in
When the bridle 1 is fixed to the head of a horse, the headband 2 passes over the nape, behind the ears of the horse, the browband 12 passes across the forehead of the animal, the throatlatch 19 passes under the lower jawbone, and the noseband 18 is placed over the nose, above the nostrils, in order to prevent the horse from opening its mouth and thereby attempting to rid itself of the curb bit 5 or the snaffle bit 15. Thus the bridle 1 is firmly held onto the head of the horse.
The cheekpieces 3, 3′ extend on either side of the head of the animal, connect the crownpiece 2, the browband 12 and the noseband 18 and are also used to attach the curb bit 5 and the snaffle bit 15.
Each cheekpiece 3, 3′ includes two superposed strips 26, 27 connected to each other in the upper portion 9 of the cheekpiece 3, 3′. In the lower portion of the cheekpieces 3, 3′ each strip is divided into two straps 16, 17, 20, 21. Thus the lower portion of the cheekpiece 3, 3′ includes four straps 16, 17, 20, 21 extending its upper portion 9.
The first strap 20 is used to fix the throatlatch 19. The throatlatch 19 is a strap associated with the first strap 20 by means of an adjuster 22 for example. The second strap 21 is used to fix the noseband 18. The noseband 18 is also associated with the second strap 21 by means of an adjuster 23.
Finally, the third strap 16 and fourth strap 17, known as the bridle cheekpiece 16 and the snaffle bridle cheekpiece 17, are respectively provided with fixing means 4 for the curb bit 5 and fixing means 14 for the snaffle bit 15. The third strap 16 and the fourth strap 17 are also equipped with an adjuster 24.
The adjusters 22, 23, 24 are buckles, for example.
In the embodiment represented, the fixing means 4, 14 of the curb bit 5 and snaffle bit 15 consist of a perforation at the end of the bridle cheekpiece 16 or the snaffle bridle cheekpiece 17 and adapted to be disposed around a stud attached to said cheekpiece 16, 17 to form a loop around the ring of the curb bit 5 or the snaffle bit 15.
In an embodiment represented in
The elastic return means 6 are housed inside the sleeve 8 and have a first end 7 fixed to a first cheekpiece 3 and a second end 7′ fixed to a second cheekpiece 3′. The elastic return means 6 take the form, for example, of a strip of elastic fabric that is sewn to the upper portion 9, 9′ of the cheekpieces 3, 3′.
The tension of the elastic return means 6 is chosen so that they stretch if the force applied to the fixing means 4 of the curb bit 5 is above a loading threshold and remain in their initial position if the force is below said threshold. Thus if the curb bit 5 is loaded violently by the rider, the elastic return means 6 stretch to absorb the force exerted on the nape of the horse whereas if the curb bit 5 is loaded to a lesser extent, the force is transmitted to the mouthpiece of the curb bit 5 so as to control the horse.
In one particular embodiment, the elastic strip is sewn between the two superposed strips forming the upper portion 9 of the cheekpiece 3, 3′.
To limit rubbing of the cheekpieces 3, 3′ on the animal, the upper portion 9, 9′ of the cheekpieces 3, 3′ is also partially housed in the sleeve 8. Said upper portion 9, 9′ of the cheekpieces is therefore mobile in translation inside the sleeve 8 if the elastic return means are stretched and then return to their initial position.
In one embodiment, the sleeve 8 is formed by two superposed strips fixed to each other at their lateral edges 11, 11′. The strips can in particular be strips of leather sewn together.
The sleeve 8 has two lateral portions in which are housed the upper portions 9, 9′ of the cheekpieces 3, 3′ and a median portion 24 in contact with the nape of the animal. In order to enhance the distribution of the forces exerted on the nape, the median portion 24 is wider than the lateral portions.
The sleeve 8 is equipped with stop means 10 for defining a stable position of the first cheekpiece 3 and the second cheekpiece 3′ in the sleeve 8. These stop means 10 limit the displacement of the cheekpieces 3, 3′ toward the interior of the sleeve 8. Thus if a higher force is exerted on one side of the curb bit 5, the opposite cheekpiece 3, 3′ does not slide inside the sleeve 8. Consequently, an asymmetric force exerted on the curb bit does not cause any imbalance of the bit.
The stop means 10 are formed by reducing the size of the interior space of the sleeve, for example.
In the embodiment represented in
In the embodiment represented, the browband 12 is a strap including at each of its ends loops 13 associating it with the cheekpieces 3, 3′. Said association loops 13 are arranged so that the cheekpieces 3, 3′ slide in said loops 13 if the elastic return means 6 are stretched or return to their initial position. Thus the browband 12 remains substantially immobile on movement of the elastication means 6, which contributes to good retention of the bridle 1 and limits rubbing of the bridle 1 on the animal.
The noseband 18 also consists of a strap, which runs around the nose of the horse and also includes adjuster means 25 in order to be adapted to the morphology of the animal.
It will be noted that the bridle 1 can be made from any appropriate material such as leather or nylon.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0607846 | Sep 2006 | FR | national |
