Safety device for use with stirrups

Abstract

 A stirrup guard 10 for use in preventing riders foot passing entirely through the stirrup comprises a cover 14 attachable to the stirrup typically by means of a lug 20 on the base 12 of the cover 14 that locates in a slot of the stirrup foot rest and a hole 30 in its roof through which the stirrup head or straps pass.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a safety device for use with stirrups.

[0002] Though minor mishaps are a fairly common occurance while horse riding, much more serious accidents can occur if the rider is not wearing the correct type of riding boot, in particular if the footwear worn has a flat sole, such as a training shoe. When wearing proper riding boots the riders foot is held secure in the stirrup by the heel of the boot resting against the base of the stirrup. With footwear without a heel, however, should the rider fall or lose balance, his foot could slide through the stirrup and be trapped, leading to the rider being dragged along by the horse.

[0003] It is an object of this invention to provide a safety device for use with stirrups that reduces the possibility of the foot of a rider slipping through the stirrup and being trapped thereby.

[0004] According to this invention there is provided a safety device for use with a stirrup comprising a cover for attachment to the stirrup, which cover limits forward movement of a foot so that the foot cannot pass entirely through the stirrup.

[0005] The cover of the invention preferably comprises a base part and a roof part which parts may be integrally formed or separately formed and then attached to each other. The roof part may be reinforced by an additional layer of material, preferably on its outer surface, which may also enhance its visual appearance. The two parts together provide an opening for insertion of a foot and a closed end for limiting forward movement of the foot.

[0006] It is preferred that the inside surface of the base part of the cover be of uneven or ribbed construction so as to provide as firm a grip as possible on the sole of the riders footwear.

[0007] The cover itself may be made from plastics, rubber or any other suitable material and be manufactured by moulding or otherwise possibly from one or more pieces joined by, for example, welding, stitching or adhesive.

[0008] It is envisaged that the cover will be secured to the stirrup by attachment thereto via a hole accommodating the stirrup and/or its strap and a lug under the base part for location in the stirrup base say through a hole or slot therein. The lug will preferably have a lip around at least part of its perimeter to a retention thereof in the hole or slot of the stirrup base. Alternatively, it may be possible to incorporate the stirrup into the cover of the invention, say as part of a moulding operation or by any other suitable means.

[0009] Specific implementation of this invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a stirrup;

Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of the invention.

[0010] In Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, a stirrup guard 10 for use in preventing a riders foot from slipping through a stirrup has a base 12 and a roof part 14 that provide an open end 16 for insertion of a foot and a closed end 18 that limits forward movement of the foot. The guard 10 is made from rubber, though it will be appreciated that other lightweight materials may be used such as certain types of plastics.

[0011] The base 12 is integral with the roof 14 and has a lug 20 located or formed thereunder. The lug is flanged at 21. The upper surface of the base 12, has ridges 25 to grip the riders footwear. In fact, any form of unevenness on the upper surface would probably be sufficient to ensure a good non-slip area.

[0012] A hole 30 is located in the roof 14, approximately above that part of the base 12 below which the lug 20 is situated. The hole 30 is for location of the stirrup strap 50 therethrough and is strengthened around its edges by a metal (though other strong materials may be used) ring 31.

[0013] The stirrup guard can be fitted to a stirrup 40 (shown in Figure 1) by placing the lug 20 through the space 42 in the stirrup base 41 and threading the stirrup strap 50 through the hole 30 in the guard. The lug 20 is retained by means of its flange 21 and the stirrup guard will then be held firmly in place to allow riders to use virtually any type of footwear with a greatly reduced chance of their feet being trapped accidently by the stirrup.

[0014] Turning to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings, a stirrup guard 14 is shown that in most respects the same as the guard of Figures 2 and 3 and so like parts have been given the same reference numeral for ease of reference and will not be described in detail. The main difference between the embodiments of Figures 2 and 4 is that the upper surface of the guard roof 14 has been strengthened in the Figure 4 embodiment by the addition of a layer of material 60 thereon. The additional layer of material 60 also enhances the visual appearance of the stirrup guard 14.

[0015] Finally, in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings a stirrup guard 70 is illustrated that includes its own metal stirrup 72. Thus, the stirrup 72 is moulded into the edge of the guard 70 at its open end when the guard itself is formed. The stirrup 72 has a slot or hole 74 at its apex for attachment of stirrup straps in the usual way.

[0016] The actual guard 70 itself is similar to the guard of Figure 4 in having a floor 78 and a roof 80, the roof 80 being reinforced by an additional layer of material 82 on its outer surface.

Claims

1. A stirrup guard comprising a cover attachable to the stirrup, which cover limits forward movement of a foot so that the foot cannot pass entirely through the stirrup.

2. A stirrup guard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover has a base and a roof forming an enclosure having an open end for insertion of the foot.

3. A stirrup guard as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base and roof are formed integrally.

4. A stirrup guard as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base and roof are formed separately and connected to form the cover.

5. A stirrup guard as claimed in claims 2, 3 or 4, wherein the base has an uneven or ribbed upper surface.

6. A stirrup guard as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the roof is reinforced.

7. A stirrup guard as claimed in claim 6, wherein the roof has an additional thickness of material.

8. A stirrup guard as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the cover has a hole in its roof for accomodating the stirrup and/or its strap.

9. A stirrup guard as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the base has a lug for location in a hole or slot of the stirrup foot rest.

10. A stirrup guard as claimed in claim 9, wherein the lug has a lip around at least a part of its perimeter.

Drawing