Stirrup, combination of stirrup and leather, and use thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a stirrup (1), comprising a curved upper part (2) shaped to fit fully or partially around the sides and over the forefoot or boot of the rider, and a in substance straight tread (3) for supporting the sole of the forefoot or boot of the rider, wherein the stirrup comprises two or more separate structures or one single structure. The stirrup is distinguished by comprising two suspension structures (4, 5) arranged apart along the curved upper part, for arranging leather (8) for suspending the stirrup in a saddle in the respective suspension structures, wherein a medial suspension structure (4) is arranged a medial distance (14) from a vertical axis (12) through a centre point (15) of the tread (3), with the tread as oriented horizontal, of at least one third the length (13) of the tread, and wherein a lateral suspension structure (5) is arranged at or near a top point of the upper part, where the vertical axis (12) through a centre point of the tread crosses the upper part, with the tread as oriented horizontal, in horizontal direction within ⅕ of the tread length. The invention also provides a combination of the stirrup of the invention and a leather, and use thereof.

Claims

1. A stirrup comprising: a curved upper part shaped to fit fully or partially around sides and over a forefoot or boot of a rider, and a in substance straight tread for supporting a sole of the forefoot or boot of the rider; two or more separate structures or one single structure; two suspension structures arranged apart along the curved upper part for arranging leather for suspending the stirrup in a saddle in the respective suspension structures; wherein a medial suspension structure is arranged a medial distance from a vertical axis through a centre point of the tread, with the tread as oriented horizontal, of at least one third a length of the tread; wherein a lateral suspension structure is arranged at or near a top point of the curved upper part, where the vertical axis through a centre point of the tread crosses the curved upper part, with the tread as oriented horizontal, in horizontal direction within ⅕ of the length of the tread; wherein the medial suspension structure is arranged in an arm of the stirrup medial to a horse, at a distance from the top point, along the arm, of at least one third of an arm length; and wherein the medial suspension structure is arranged in an arm of the stirrup medial to the horse and measured along a vertical distance from the tread to an upper point of the curved upper part, wherein a distance of the medial suspension structure is less than two thirds the distance of said vertical distance.

2. The stirrup according to claim 1, wherein the lateral suspension structure and the medial suspension structure, when riding, are on either side of a resultant force vector down from a foot of the rider, as seen vertically down along a gravity vector.

3. The stirrup according to claim 1, wherein the medial suspension structure is arranged in the arm of the stirrup medial to the horse, the distance from the top point, along the arm, of at least half the arm length.

4. The stirrup according to claim 1, wherein the medial suspension structure is arranged in the arm of the stirrup medial to the horse and measured along the vertical distance from the tread to the upper point of the curved upper part, wherein the distance of the medial suspension structure is less than half the distance of said vertical distance.

5. The stirrup according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the two suspension structures comprises a locking knob or a locking pin to fix the leather to the at least one of the two suspension structures.

6. The stirrup according to claim 1, wherein each of the two suspension structures comprises two slots in the curved upper part, at least the medial suspension structure comprises a locking pin for fastening the leather for support adjustably.

7. A combination of a stirrup according to claim 1 and a leather, wherein: the leather comprises two separate strands or a looped leather that can be arranged as two strands, wherein one strand is arranged to the medial or inner suspension structure and the other strand is arranged to the lateral suspension structure, the lateral suspension structure is arranged laterally outside to the medial suspension structure and at or near a top point of the curved upper part of the stirrup, further comprising structure for adjusting at least one of the length of each strand and structure for fixing at least the medial strand to the medial suspension structure, wherein a rotation of the stirrup is adjustable, discrete or in steps, or continuous or step less, for rotation about an axis in substance parallel to a length axis through a horse on which the combination is arranged; and wherein the stirrup comprises a locking dog for locking, in the medial suspension structure and in the lateral suspension structure, the locking dog is arranged on a pin between two slots of each suspension structure, and the leather is a looped leather arranged through the two slots of each suspension structure, wherein the leather has openings for the locking dog at distances apart and in sections convenient for locking a controlled rotation of the whole stirrup.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a preferable embodiment of a stirrup of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(2) Reference is made to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, illustrating an embodiment of a stirrup 1 of the invention. The stirrup 1 comprises a curved upper part 2 shaped to fit fully or partially around the sides and over the forefoot or boot of the rider, and a in substance straight tread 3 for supporting the sole of the forefoot or boot of the rider. In the illustrated embodiment the stirrup is one single structure. In other embodiments, the stirrup can comprise two or more separate structures joined together. The stirrup comprises two suspension structures 4, 5 arranged apart along the curved upper part, for arranging leather 8 for suspending the stirrup in a saddle, wherein an inner or medial suspension structure 4 medial to the horse as seen with the stirrup oriented for riding, is arranged a medial distance 14 from a vertical axis 12 through a centre point 15 of the tread 3 of at least one third the length 13 of the tread, with the tread in horizontal orientation and the axis 12 vertically up from the midpoint of the tread. In FIG. 2, the medial direction is illustrated with an arrow and an M, whilst the lateral direction is illustrated with an oppositely directed arrow and an L.

(3) Accordingly, the medial distance 14 from the vertical axis 12 through the centre point 15 of the tread 3 as oriented horizontal, is at least one third the length 13 of the tread. Or with other definition: the length of 14≥⅓ x the length of 13.

(4) The illustrated stirrup comprises two suspension structures; an upper or outer or lateral suspension structure 5, preferably at or near a top point of the upper part when the stirrup is suspended, and an inner or medial suspension structure 4 in an arm of the stirrup facing the horse, medial to the horse. The stirrup can comprise more than two suspension structures, such as three, four or five suspension structures, improving the versatility for different riders.

(5) The curved upper part 2 can be assumed to have two arms, above a horizontal tread; a medial arm medial to a top point and a lateral arm lateral to the top point. The inner suspension structure 4 is then preferably arranged in the medial arm, a distance from the top point, along the arm, of at least one third of the arm length, preferably about equal to or longer than half the arm length. In FIG. 2, the upper suspension structure 5 is at the top point of the upper part when the stirrup is suspended, and an inner suspension structure 4 in the medial arm of the stirrup facing the horse. The full length along the arm medial to the horse, is the distance along the arm from 5 to 11. Accordingly; in terms of distance along the arm 5 to 4 is longer or equal to ⅓ of 5 to 11. Or the distance 5−4≥⅓ x the distance 5-11.

(6) Preferably, when riding, the upper suspension structure and the inner suspension structure are on either side of a resultant force vector down from the foot of the rider, as seen vertically down along the gravity vector, preferably at least one third the length of the tread or width of foot or sole of the forefoot apart, for a comfortable force distribution. It is remarked that during riding with stirrups of the invention, the right foot stirrup typically rotates slightly clockwise and the left foot stirrup rotates slightly anticlockwise, as seen from behind the horse or horse simulator. The lateral or upper suspension structures can be arranged slightly medial, that is within ⅕, ⅛ or 1/10 tread length, to the top point right above the center of the tread as oriented horizontal, where the vertical axis 12 crosses the upper part 2, but due to said rotation, still lateral to said force vector.

(7) The tread 3 can be horizontal in a symmetrical stirrup about a vertical axis normal up from a center point 15 of the tread to a top point of the upper part 2. However, the tread can be rotated slightly clockwise, for the right foot stirrup as seen from behind in the normal direction of riding. Unlike prior art stirrups, the rotation about the normal riding direction, termed x, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the horse, will not self-rotate about x to a position eliminating any momentum forces. The suspension structure, with properly adjusted leathers, ensure a controllable rotation about x. The suspension structure can be slots, hinges, bolts, ears or other structure for attaching and optionally fixing the leather or strand.

(8) The inner suspension structure 4 is arranged in an arm of the stirrup medial to or facing the horse and measured along a normal axis 12 from the tread 3 to an upper point 5 of the curved upper part, the distance of the inner suspension structure is preferably less than two thirds, preferably about half, more preferably less than half the distance of said normal distance. The elevation of 4 along the axis or line 12 from the tread 3 is <⅔ x the distance from 3 to 5.

(9) At least one of the suspension structures comprises a locking knob 6, locking pin, locking dog or other equivalent structure to fix the leather to said suspension. The locking pin 6 can be arranged through a hole 7 of the leather for fixing the leather to the suspension point.

(10) Each of the illustrated suspension structures comprises two slots in the upper part, at least the inner suspension structure comprises a locking dog or locking pin for fastening a leather for support adjustably.

(11) The leather 8 comprises two separate strands or a looped leather that can be arranged as two strands, wherein one strand 9 is arranged to the inner (more medial) suspension structure and the other strand 10 is arranged to the outer (more lateral) suspension structure, the outer suspension structure is arranged laterally outside to the inner suspension structure and preferably at or near a top point of the curved upper part of the stirrup, further comprising structure for adjusting the length of each strand or/and structure for fixing at least the inner strand to the inner suspension structure, wherein the rotation of the stirrup is adjustable, discrete or in steps, or step less or continuous, for rotation about an axis in substance parallel to a length axis through the horse.

(12) The stirrup preferably comprises a locking dog 6 or similar structure for locking, in the inner suspension structure and optionally in the outer suspension structure, the locking dog is arranged on a bar between two slots of each suspension structure, and the leather is a looped leather arranged through the slots of each suspension structure, wherein the leather has openings 7 for the locking dog or pin at distances apart and in sections convenient for locking the controlled rotation of the whole stirrup.