Abstract
A headpiece for a bridlery item for use with a horse or other equine animal is disclosed, which provides for improved communication between a horse and a rider, and/or improved comfort for the horse. Such a headpiece is connectable to a browband and has a first side piece and a second side piece wherein the first and second side pieces are connected by an articulated linkage above a connection between the headpiece and said browband. Articulation provides a degree of freedom of movement so that the first side piece and second side piece may move relative to one another and in doing so reduce the amount of tension transmitted between them and thus between reins, in use.
Claims
1. A headpiece for a bridle (or the like), the headpiece connectable to a browband, the headpiece having a first side piece and a second side piece wherein the first and second side pieces are connected by an articulated linkage and wherein the articulated linkage is above a connection between the headpiece and said browband, in use.
2. The headpiece according to claim 1, wherein the articulated linkage comprises a first joint between the first side piece and a central piece and a second joint between the second side piece and the central piece.
3. The headpiece according to claim 2, wherein one or more of the joints comprises a ring or an elastic piece.
4. The headpiece according claim 2, wherein one or more rings are connected to the respective side piece and/or the central piece by way of a loop or loops formed in said piece.
5. The headpiece according to claim 3, wherein one or more of the rings is a D-ring.
6. The headpiece according to claim 2, wherein a portion of the central piece is formed of a flexible resilient material.
7. The headpiece according to claim 6, wherein the flexible resilient material is selected from leather, deer-skin, knitted material, woven material, suitable synthetic material.
8. A bridlery item comprising a headpiece, the headpiece adapted to be connected to a browband, the headpiece having a first side piece and a second side piece wherein the first and second side pieces are connected by an articulated linkage and wherein the articulated linkage is above a connection between the headpiece and said browband, in use.
9. The bridlery item according to claim 8, wherein the articulated linkage comprises a first joint between the first side piece and a central piece and a second joint between the second side piece and the central piece.
10. The bridlery item according to claim 8 having a sequence of: the first side piece, an articulated joint, a central piece, a further articulated joint, and the second side piece, the bridlery item further adapted for connection to a browband below the articulated joints, in use.
11. A kit of parts comprising a first side piece, an articulated joint, a central piece, a further articulated joint, and a second side piece, connectable to each other in sequence, and the first and second side pieces being connectable to a browband.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures in which;
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a conventional arrangement of a bridle including a headpiece;
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a headpiece according to the present invention in use on a horse's head, but without the other parts of a bridle shown to aid clarity;
[0032] FIG. 3 shows the headpiece of FIG. 2 in use, with a side piece in a different position;
[0033] FIG. 4 shows the headpiece of FIG. 2 in use, with both side pieces in a different position;
[0034] FIG. 5 shows an alternative arrangement of a headpiece according to the present invention in use on a horse's head, but without the other parts of a bridle shown to aid clarity; and
[0035] FIG. 6 shows a further alternative arrangement of a headpiece according to the present invention in use on a horse's head, but without the other parts of a bridle shown to aid clarity.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0036] FIG. 1 shows a conventional arrangement in which the horse (of which only, the head 10 is shown) has a bit 12 located in its mouth 32 between its teeth (with just the end of the bit being visible, therefore). Reins (not shown) are connected to the bit 12 via bit rings 14 and extend rearwardly to be held by a rider seated on the horse's back. Typically, there is a bit ring 14 at either end of the bit 12 and the reins are joined to the bit rings 14. Traditionally, the bit 12 is held in place and prevented from falling out of the horse's mouth by a bridle 16, which generally comprises a headpiece 18, a noseband 20a, 20b, a browband 22, cheekpieces 24 and a throatlash 26. The cheekpieces 24 extend generally upwards from the bit rings 14 on either side of the horse's head 10 alongside its cheeks 28, and are connected to or integral with the headpiece 18 that extends over the top of the horse's head 10 behind its ears 30. Thus, the bit 12 cannot fall downwards and out of the horse's mouth 32 while the cheekpieces 24 and headpiece 18 are in place. To keep them in the correct position, the browband 22 extends forward across the horse's brow from the junction 34 between the headpiece 18 and the cheekpieces 24, between the eyes 36 and ears 30. This prevents the bridle 16 from slipping backwards. Likewise, the throatlash 26 extends downwardly and rearwardly from the junction 34 between the headpiece 18 and the cheekpieces 24, and passes under the horse's throat, preventing forward movement of the upper part of the bridle.
[0037] Further stabilisation is usually provided by the noseband 20a, 20b, which passes around the horse's head 10 below the eyes 36 and in the vicinity of the bit rings 14; one or more nosebands 20a and 20b may be provided and are linked back to the junction 34 between the headpiece 18 and the cheekpieces 24 by noseband attachment straps 38, usually one on either side that run substantially alongside the cheekpieces 24. Having separate cheekpieces 24 and noseband attachment straps 38 allows the bit rings 14 and cheekpieces 24 to move forward and back relative to the horse's head 10 in response to pressure exerted on the reins by the rider.
[0038] FIG. 2 shows a headpiece according to the present invention, which may be used with a bridle substantially as described above or as shown in FIG. 1. The headpiece 18 is formed of an elongate looped central piece 40 having an upper loop portion 40a and lower loop portion 40b. The central piece 40 encompasses curved portions of two D-rings 42, 44, with a first D-ring 42 at a first end of the central piece 40 and a second D-ring 44 at a second end of the central piece 40. The D-rings 42, 44 are in turn connected to respective side pieces 46, 48: the first D-ring 42 is connected to a first side piece 46 and the second D-ring 44 is connected to a second side piece 48. The connections between the side pieces 46, 48 and the respective D-rings 42, 44 are made by a loop formed in each side piece which engages with a straight portion of each D-ring 42, 44. The side pieces 46, 48 may be connected to, extend into, or form part of the cheekpieces, throatlash and/or noseband. The lower portion 40b of the central piece 40 lies substantially flat on the horse's head 10, in use.
[0039] FIG. 3 shows the headpiece of FIG. 2, in a position where the first side piece 46 has been moved from its position shown in FIG. 2, shown as dashed lines 46a in FIG. 3. The change of position of the first side piece 46 is reflected in a rotation of the D-ring 42 with respect to the central piece 40, in that the straight portion of the D-ring 42 has not moved relative to the first side piece 46 but instead the curved portion of the D-ring 42 has been caused to slip within the looped central piece 40, so that the central piece 40 has not moved. Thus, while the first side piece 46 has been moved, the rest of the headpiece 18 has not moved: the central piece 40 remains in the same position in respect of the horse's head 10, as does the second side piece 48. The movement of the first side piece 46 thus has not transmitted tension to the second side piece 48 and, in turn, to an end of a bit (not shown) which may in turn be connected via components of the bridle (not shown) to the second side piece 48. The lower portion 40b of the central piece 40 remains lying substantially flat on the horse's head 10.
[0040] FIG. 4 shows the headpiece of FIG. 2, with the first side piece 46 in the same position as shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 4, the second side piece 48 has been moved from its position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, shown as dashed lines 48a in FIG. 4. The change of position of the second side piece 48 is reflected in a rotation of the D-ring 44 with respect to the central piece 40, in that the straight portion of the D-ring 44 has not moved relative to the second side piece 48 but instead the curved portion of the D-ring 44 been caused to slip within the looped central piece 40, so that the central piece 40 has not moved. Thus, while the second side piece 48 has been moved, the rest of the headpiece 18 has not moved from its position shown in FIG. 3: the central piece 40 remains in the same position in respect of the horse's head 10, as does the first side piece 46. The movement of the second side piece 48 thus has not transmitted tension to the first side piece 46 and, in turn, to and end of a bit (not shown) which may in turn be connected via components of the bridle (not shown) to the first side piece 46. The lower portion 40b of the central piece 40 remains lying substantially flat on the horse's head 10.
[0041] FIG. 5 shows a headpiece according to the present invention, which may be used with a bridle substantially as described above or as shown in FIG. 1. The headpiece 18 is formed of an elongate central piece 40. The central piece 40 has been folded back on itself and stitched at either end to form loops 50, 52 which encompass curved portions of two D-rings 42, 44, with a first D-ring 42 at a first end of the central piece 40 and a second D-ring 44 at a second end of the central piece 40. The D-rings 42, 44 are in turn connected to respective side pieces 46, 48: the first D-ring 42 is connected to a first side piece 46 and the second D-ring 44 is connected to a second side piece 48. The connections between the side pieces 46, 48 and the respective D-rings 42, 44 are made by a loop formed in each side piece which engages with a straight portion of each D-ring 42, 44. The side pieces 46, 48 may be connected to, extend into, or form part of the cheekpieces, throatlash and/or noseband. The central piece 40 lies substantially flat on the horse's head 10, in use.
[0042] FIG. 6 shows a headpiece according to the present invention, which may be used with a bridle substantially as described above or as shown in FIG. 1. The headpiece 18 is formed of an elongate central piece 40. The central piece 40 has joined to each end an elastic piece 54, 56 which is in turn joined to respective side pieces 46, 48. The side pieces 46, 48 may be connected to, extend into, or form part of the cheekpieces, throatlash and/or noseband. The central piece 40 lies substantially flat on the horse's head 10, in use.
[0043] It will of course be understood that many variations may be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention.
