Patent Application
20150375987
The described invention relates in general to devices and methods for guiding or handling animals, and more specifically to a color-coded instructional system for properly placing headgear on an animal such as a horse.
The safe handling of large animals such as horses and/or other livestock typically involves the use of a headgear assembly such as a halter or a bridle. While these devices are very common, proper placement of a halter or a bridle on the head of a horse is not intuitive and if not done correctly may result in injury to the animal, the person working with the animal, or both. Few educational devices or methods are available for providing would-be equestrians with effective training with regard to haltering and/or bridling a horse. Therefore, there is an ongoing need for an easy to use and easy to understand instructional system for accomplishing these or similar tasks.
The following provides a summary of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention. This summary is not an extensive overview and is not intended to identify key or critical aspects or elements of the present invention or to delineate its scope.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an instructional apparatus for placing headgear on a large animal, such as a horse, is provided. This apparatus includes an instructional headgear assembly, wherein the instructional headgear assembly is a horse halter or a horse bridle, wherein the headgear assembly further includes multiple interconnected structural components, and wherein the multiple interconnected structural components further include: a crownpiece; a first cheekpiece; a second cheekpiece; a noseband; a throatlatch; and a connecting strap disposed between the noseband and the throatlatch; a plurality of color-coded members releasably mounted on certain of the interconnected structural components, wherein each of the color-coded members is a sleeve, and wherein the color of each of the color-coded sleeves corresponds both to a predetermined location on the head of the horse and to a particular step in a predetermined sequence of steps for properly placing the headgear assembly on the head of the horse, and wherein the color-coded members are operative to teach proper and safe placement of the headgear assembly on the horse in accordance with the predetermined sequence of steps.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an instructional method for placing headgear on a large animal, such as a horse, is provided. This method includes providing a large animal, wherein the large animal is a horse; providing an instructional headgear assembly, wherein the instructional headgear assembly is a horse halter or a horse bridle, wherein the headgear assembly further includes multiple interconnected structural components, and wherein the multiple interconnected structural components further include: a crownpiece; a first cheekpiece; a second cheekpiece; a noseband; a throatlatch; and a connecting strap disposed between the noseband and the throatlatch; providing a plurality of color-coded members releasably mounted on certain of the interconnected structural components, wherein each of the color-coded members is a sleeve, and wherein the color of each of the color-coded sleeves corresponds both to a predetermined location on the head of the horse and to a particular step in a predetermined sequence of steps for properly placing the headgear assembly on the head of the horse, and using the color-coded members to teach proper and safe placement of the headgear on the horse in accordance with the predetermined sequence of steps.
In yet another aspect of this invention, an instructional method for placing headgear on a large animal, such as a horse (or other livestock), is provided. This method includes providing a horse; providing an instructional headgear assembly, wherein the headgear assembly is specific to a horse, wherein the instructional headgear assembly corresponds to headgear used on the horse for a predetermined purpose, wherein the headgear assembly further includes multiple interconnected structural components, and wherein the multiple interconnected structural components further include: a crownpiece; a browband; a throatlatch; a noseband; a first cheekpiece having a first bit ring attached thereto; a second cheekpiece having a second bit ring attached thereto; a first rein attached to the first bit ring; and a second rein attached to the second bit ring; providing a plurality of color-coded members releasably mounted on certain of the interconnected structural components, wherein each of the color-coded members is a sleeve, and wherein the color of each of the color-coded sleeves corresponds both to a predetermined location on the head of the horse and to a particular step in a predetermined sequence of steps for properly placing the headgear assembly on the head of the horse; and using the color-coded members to teach proper and safe placement of the headgear on the horse in accordance with the predetermined sequence of steps.
Additional features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments. As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, further embodiments of the invention are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and associated descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive in nature.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, schematically illustrate one or more exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention, and wherein:
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to the Figures. Reference numerals are used throughout the detailed description to refer to the various elements and structures. Although the following detailed description contains many specifics for the purposes of illustration, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many variations and alterations to the following details are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following embodiments of the invention are set forth without any loss of generality to, and without imposing limitations upon, the claimed invention.
A halter is typically used to lead or tie up livestock and other animals. This device fits behind the animal's ears and around its muzzle. A lead line or leash is typically attached to the halter and is used to lead or tie the animal. The purpose of a halter is to catch, hold, lead and tie an animal; however, a halter is not intended for use in riding an animal such as a horse. The primary difference between a halter and a bridle is that a halter is used by a handler on the ground to lead or tie up an animal, but a bridle is generally used by an individual who is riding an animal. Most if not all halters include a crownpiece; a throatlatch; at least two cheekpieces; a noseband; a tie ring; and various buckles and metal connecting rings that function as articulation points in most versions of the item.
With specific reference to
As previously indicated, the color of each sleeve corresponds both to a predetermined location on the head of the animal and to a particular step in a predetermined method for placing halter 100 on the head of the animal. Using the color-coded scheme described above, an exemplary method for placing halter 100 on the head of the animal includes a trainee executing the steps of: (i) standing on the left side of a horse, pony, or foal, unbuckle halter 100; (ii) placing the green sleeved portion in the right hand; (iii) the animal's mouth and nose go down and through so that the yellow sleeved portion fits over the nose; (iv) at the same time and with the right hand holding the green sleeved portion, sliding up the front of the animal's face, and pulling crownpiece 120 over behind ears; (v) engaging the clasp at the end of the grey sleeved portion; and (vi) attaching a lead rope to tie ring 144, which is located at the forward end of the orange sleeved portion. The red (right) and blue (left) sleeves mounted on the cheekpieces assist with proper orientation of halter 100 relative to the animal's head.
A bridle is used to direct a horse while seated on the animal. While there are a number of different configurations for a bridle, most horse bridles include a crownpiece that is placed over the horse's head just behind the animal's ears for holding the remaining parts of the bridle in place; at least two cheekpieces that attach to either side of the crownpiece and run down the side of the horse's face, along the cheekbone and attach to the bit rings; a throatlatch that runs from the horse's right ear, under the horse's throat, and attaches below the left ear for preventing the bridle from coming off over the horse's head; a browband that runs from just under one ear of the horse, across the forehead, to just under the other ear for preventing the bridle from sliding onto the animal's upper neck; a noseband that encircles the nose of the horse for keeping the animal's mouth closed; reins that attach to the bit, below the attachment for the cheekpieces; and a bit that goes into the horse's mouth, resting on the sensitive interdental space between the horse's teeth.
With specific reference to
As previously indicated, the color of each sleeve corresponds both to a predetermined location on the head of the animal and to a particular step in a predetermined method for placing bridle 200 on the head of the animal. Using the color-coded scheme described above, an exemplary method for placing bridle 200 on the head of the animal includes a trainee executing the steps of: (i) standing on the left side of a horse, pony, or foal; (ii) placing the green sleeved portion in the right hand and bringing bridle 200 up in front of horse's head/face; (iii) pulling bridle 200 up to the top of horse's head, placing and resting the right arm and hand between the horse's ears, giving the bridle slack and lowering it down; (iv) holding bit 264 with the left hand and guiding the bit into the horse's mouth; (v) orienting the orange sleeved portion behind the animal's chin and not in its mouth; (vi) while sliding bit 264 in the animal's mouth, at the same time pulling upward with the right hand on the green sleeved portion; (vii) pulling the green sleeved portion over and behind the ears, where it will rest; and (viii) buckling the grey sleeved portion. The red (right) and blue (left) sleeves mounted on the cheekpieces assist with proper orientation of bridle 200 relative to the animal's head.
While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of exemplary embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in certain detail, it is not the intention of the Applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to any of the specific details, representative devices and methods, and/or illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant's general inventive concept.
This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/212,059 filed on Jun. 23, 2014 and entitled “Bridle and Halter Instructional System”, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/208,492 filed on Aug. 12, 2011 and entitled “Bridle and Halter Instructional System”, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety and made part of the present patent application for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14212059 | Mar 2014 | US |
| Child | 14844568 | US | |
| Parent | 13208492 | Aug 2011 | US |
| Child | 14212059 | US |
