Field of the Invention
[0001] This invention relates to numnahs, i.e. to saddle-cloths for placing on the backs
of horses beneath the saddles.
[0002] A known form of numnah, i.e. that described in British Patent Specification No. 2
280 345, to which reference should be made, is in the form of a mat which comprises
a layer of foamed polyvinylchloride at least one face of which has a smooth surface
which, in use, is disposed in frictional engagement with the horse's back to prevent
substantial slipping of the saddle on the horse's back.
[0003] When this known form of numnah is in use, the back of the horse tends to sweat, as
is evident from the formation of a "wet patch" on the back of the horse, which is
readily visible when the numnah is removed from the back of the horse.
[0004] The presence of this layer of sweat on the back of the horse is something which causes
discomfort to the horse and it is accordingly an object of the present invention to
provide improved designs of numnah which will not cause any discomfort to the horse.
Summary of the Invention
[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a numnah in
the form of a layer of foamed plastic material having a first face for engagement
with the back of the horse and a second face for engagement with the underside of
the saddle, characterised in that the first face has a repeated curvate or undulating
profile.
[0006] The repeated profile may be of sinusoidal form and is preferably defined by two transversely
intersecting waveforms. For example, the waveforms may intersect at an angle of the
order of 80°, i.e. at an angle of between 75° and 85°.
[0007] The numnah may be produced from a sheet of closed cell foamed plastic material, e.g.
foamed polyvinylchloride, of the order of 20 to 30 mm. in thickness, the sheet being
split in two down the middle to produce two numnahs each having a surface of the required
profile cut across the closed cell foam. In use, the area of the surface of the numnah
in contact with the back of the horse is increased as compared to a numnah formed
from a flat sheet of foamed plastic material, and the majority of said surface is
constituted by the spaces between the cell walls, i.e. there are a large number of
small air pockets in contact with the back of the horse. As a result, when the numnah
is removed from the back of the horse, the horse's back is not covered in sweat.
[0008] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a numnah
in the form of a layer of foamed plastic material having a first face for engagement
with the back of the horse and a second face for engagement with the underside of
the saddle, characterised in that the foamed plastic material is an open-celled plastic
material having a non-permeable skin which forms the second face of the numnah.
[0009] The foamed plastic material may be a polyurethane.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0010]
Figure 1 is a plan view of a numnah,
Figure 2 is a schematic view showing a numnah beneath a saddle,
Figure 3 is an underneath plan view of a first form of numnah,
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line 4 - 4 of Figure 3, and
Figure 5 is a sectional view of a second form of numnah.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
[0011] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a typical numnah 10 is shaped so as to fit beneath the
saddle 11 of a horse and includes a central portion 12 which is of greater length
(in the direction of travel of the horse) than two side portions 13 and 14. The configuration
of the numnah 10 will, of course, depend on the type of saddle 11 which is being used
and, if appropriate, could be of rectangular form in plan view.
[0012] The form of numnah 10 shown in Figures 3 and 4 is produced by taking a sheet of a
closed-cell foamed plastic material, such as foamed polyvinylchloride, or other foamed
material having the appropriate strength and resilience characteristics, and splitting
it down the middle to produce two numnahs 10 each having a regular, undulating, curvate
profile, as indicated in Figure 4. Thus, each of the two numnahs 10 formed in this
way has a flat face 15 which will contact the underside of the saddle 11 and a face
16 of undulating, sinusoidal profile. The troughs 17 of the sine waves are shown in
Figure 3 and, as will be seen, there are two sets of sine waves which intersect one
another transversely at angles of the order of 80° to one another so that the visual
appearance of the face 16 of each numnah 10 corresponds somewhat to that of a quilt.
[0013] Starting with a sheet of foamed plastic material of, for example, 25 mm. in thickness,
it is possible to produce two numnahs 10 each having a minimum thickness of about
5 to 7 mm. and a maximum thickness of about 18 to 20 mm. The height of each of the
sine waves will thus be within the range of from 11 to 15 mm. and the spacing between
adjacent peaks or troughs in each of the sine waves will typically be about 25 mm.
[0014] In another example, starting with foamed plastic sheet having a thickness of 21 mm.,
the separation between the waves was again 25 mm. and the peak height was 11 mm. Thus,
each numnah 10 had a minimum thickness of 5 mm. and a maximum thickness of 16 mm.
[0015] Thus, as an approximation, each of the numnahs 10 will have a minimum thickness which
is approximately a quarter of the thickness of the original sheet of foamed plastic
material, and a maximum thickness which is approximately three quarters of the thickness
of the original sheet of foamed plastic material.
[0016] When one of the numnahs 10 is placed on the back of the gorse with the undulating
profle face 16 in contact with the back of the horse, the surface area of the numnah
10 in contact with the horse is increased as compared to thatobtained with a flat
surface, thereby increasing the frictional hold of the numnah 10 on the back of the
horse.
[0017] The differing pressure caused by the undulating profile allows any sweat to be removed
from the horse's back. This keeps the horse dry and comfortable and maintains the
adhesion of the numnah 10 to the back of the horse. Thus, upon removing the saddle
11 and the numnah 10 after riding a horse, the back of the horse will be found to
be dry and not covered in sweat. The fact that the cell structure has been cut also
assists in avoiding the creation of sweat in that it creates a very large number of
very small air pockets in the surface of the numnah 10 in contact with the back of
the horse.
[0018] The alternative form of numnah 20 shown in Figure 5 is formed from a layer of an
open-celled foamed plastic material, as opposed to a closed-cell foamed plastic material.
One example of a suitable material is a foamed polyurethane, and the method of production
of the foam is such as to obtain the structure shown in Figure 5. Thus, one face 21
of the numnah 20 comprises a non-permeable skin and this is the surface of the numnah
20 which will be in contact with the saddle.
[0019] Adjacent the skin forming the face 21 there is a permeable layer 22 of progressively
reducing density which merges into a porous layer 23, the exposed face 24 of which
contacts the back of the horse. It will be appreciated that Figure 5 is purely illustrative
and that there will, in fact, be no clearly defined boundaries between the different
layers forming the numnah 20.
[0020] The face 21 is not plate-finished and the skin which provides said face 21 (which
will be in contact with the saddle) is produced solely by appropriate control of the
foaming procedure. The face 24 of the numnah 20 which contacts the back of the horse
is extremely porous so that any sweat produced on the back of the horse will soak
away into the interior of the numnah, thereby ensuring the comfort of the horse. The
non-porous skin which provides the face 21 will prevent the sweat from reaching the
interface between the numnah 20 and the saddle, thereby ensuring effective frictional
contact of the numnah 20 with the saddle.
[0021] The foamed plastic material from which the numnah 20 is formed can be of any desired
colour and, if desired, the face 24 of the numnah 20 which contacts the back of the
horse can be profiled, as described above with reference to Figures 3 and 4, as opposed
to being flat. The thickness of the foamed plastic material can be varied in dependence
on the requirements of the horse and rider. For example, the thickness may be from
5 to 35 mm. with a numnah of lesser thickness being used for dressage and a numnah
of greater thickness being used for cross-country riding.
1. A numnah in the form of a layer of foamed plastic material having a first face for
engagement with the back of the horse and a second face for engagement with the underside
of the saddle, characterised in that the first face has a repeated curvate or undulating
profile.
2. A numnah as claimed in Claim 1, in which the repeated profile is of sinusoidal form.
3. A numnah as claimed in Claim 1, in which the repeated profile is defined by two transversely
intersecting waveforms.
4. A numnah as claimed in Claim 3, in which the waveforms intersect at an angle of the
order of 80°.
5. A method of making two numnahs, each as claimed in any one of the preceding claims,
which method includes taking a sheet of closed cell foamed plastic material and splitting
the sheet in two down the middle to produce two numnahs each having a surface of the
required profile cut across the closed cell foam.
6. A numnah in the form of a layer of foamed plastic material having a first face for
engagement with the back of the horse and a second face for engagement with the underside
of the saddle, characterised in that the foamed plastic material is an open-celled
plastic material having a non-permeable skin which forms the second face of the numnah.
7. A numnah as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in that the first face has a repeated
curvate or undulating profile.