text: 1. Field of the Invention
  This invention relates to saddle pads for horses and more particularly, to an inflatable support apparatus which fits between the saddle and a horse to effectively fill the "hollow spots" gaps, or voids between the saddle and horse and efficiently disperse and distribute the weight of the rider and the saddle throughout the bearing surface of the saddle. The inflatable saddle support apparatus is characterized in a first preferred embodiment by a selectively inflatable, sealed saddle bladder which may be positioned between the horse and saddle. In a most preferred embodiment of the invention the saddle bladder is more particularly located between a saddle blanket position on the horse and a felt pad, which saddle blanket is then folded over the felt pad and receives the saddle. The saddle bladder can be inflated by the rider without the necessity of dismounting, by pressurizing an inflation bulb communicating with the primary inflation chamber of the sealed saddle bladder, to effect the desired degree of pressure equalization between the saddle and the horse.
  2. Description of the Prior Art
  The fitting of a saddle to a horse has, at best, been an indefinite and unexact practice over a long period of time. Since various types of saddles are manufactured with multiple types and shapes of supporting saddle trees and padding and since horses are of varying size and shape, the saddles many times fit very poorly on the animals. The degree of fit can be determined by sweat marks which show superficial areas of improper fit, but these sweat marks do not reveal the amount of pressure applied by the saddle tree, saddle and rider to the horse. An early attempt to rectify this problem included the use of blankets which were used to protect the sheepskin or leather lining on the underside of the saddle. The effort was designed to at least partially fill in the inverted "V" characterized by the saddle tree, wherein the widest part of the saddle tree rests on the horse. Downwardly-extending sides of the saddle tree become the weight-bearing surfaces of the tree, while the narrower top keeps pressure from the sensitive withers and spinal area of the horse.
  Problems with saddle fit may originate from several sources: first of all, the saddle tree itself and the quality of the saddle tree construction are primary factors. A poorly constructed saddle tree is usually found in very low-line saddles and very seldom adequately fits any horse's body. Furthermore, a saddle can be damaged and the tree even broken, for example, in western saddles or shifted stuffing can be the problem in English saddles. If the saddle fits and is relative comfortable on the horse, then the next consideration is the amount and type of padding which may be used to increase the comfort of the horse during riding. Various types and shapes of pads have been developed over the years for this purpose. An "ULTRASOFT" (trademark) gel saddle pad is advertised in the June 1994 issue of "Western Horseman" and includes a saddle pad which is filled with a gel material and is said to be covered by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,252,373. 226,239, dated Apr. 6, 1880, to H. C. Marsh, details an "Air-Pad For Harness" which includes a generally rectangularly-shaped, inflatable pad that fits beneath the saddle tree of a saddle for padding the saddle against the horse. U.S. Pat. No. 532,419, dated Jan. 8, 1895, to J. B. Haines, Jr., details a "Riding Saddle" which is pneumatically inflated to pad the horse. A "Harness Pad" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 539,709, dated May 21, 1895, to J. T. Short. The harness pad is provided with an inflatable bladder and a valve for inflation purposes, to pad the horse while pulling loads. U.S. Pat. No. 550,380, dated Nov. 26, 1895, to E. Plumhoff, details a "Pneumatic Gig Pad". The gig pad is provided with inflatable bladders for inflation to a specified pressure to pad the horse. A "Saddle Pad For Harness" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 578,575, dated Mar. 9, 1897, to W. Mathis. The saddle pad is fitted with multiple inflatable tubes for padding the horse while pulling loads. U.S. Pat. No. 709,930, dated Sep. 30, 1902, to H. R. Rensman, details a "Pneumatic Saddle Pad" which fits between the saddle and the horse and includes an inflatable, tube-like member for cushioning the saddle against the horse. U.S. Pat. No. 852,593, dated May 7, 1907, to R. J. Benbo, details a saddle cushion fitted with multiple, concentric, inflatable tubes for cushioning the saddle against the horse. U.S. Pat. No. 910,689, dated Jan. 26, 1909, to J. M. Kelly, et al, details a "Pneumatic Pad for Harness", which includes an S-shaped, inflatable bladder for fitting beneath the saddle and padding the saddle against the horse. A "Saddle-Cushion Assembly" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,338, dated Sep. 26, 1967, to W. J. K. Stubben. The cushion includes a pair of inflatable bladders fitted over the withers of a horse beneath the saddle, to pad the saddle against the horse. A "Riding Saddle" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,097, dated Jul. 5, 1977, to Michael Petit. The saddle has a seat formed by two inflatable cushions disposed on each side of the medium plane of the saddle. A pommel constituted by an upwardly-projecting, inflatable, curved element is assembled with the front edge of the cushions. An inflatable cantle is also assembled with the rear edge of the seat. U.K. Patent No. 2,090,512, dated Jul. 14, 1982, to H. C. Schaupp, details "Saddle Numnahs" for placing on a horse's back beneath the saddle. The devices include an air cushion inserted in a pocket in a main body portion of each numnah. The air cushion has a mouth-inflatable valve and is bonded around its edge and along bond lines which divided into multiple air compartments intercommunicating by means of gaps in the bond lines. German Patent No. 2428852 details a device designed to protect a horse from injury and includes a pneumatic tube fitted with valves in the form of a cushion which, when inflated, is arch-shaped to fit over the back of the horse under the saddle to pad the saddle against the horse. These devices have a common goal of padding the saddle, with no particular regard or concern for filling the voids or gaps between the horse and the saddle.
  It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved inflatable saddle support apparatus which is designed to fill the voids existing between the saddle tree or padding of a saddle and a horse and more evenly distribute the pressure of the saddle against the horse.
  Another object of this invention is to provide an inflatable saddle support apparatus which is characterized by a shaped saddle bladder which is inflatable by means of a connecting inflation bulb and is designed to fill the voids between the saddle and a horse, to distribute the pressure of a rider and saddle on a horse in a more optimum manner.
  Still another object of this invention is to provide an inflatable saddle support apparatus which compensates for the difference in size and shape of a horse and is characterized by a sealed saddle bladder fitted with at least one shaped inflation chamber that is inflatable by means of a connecting inflation bulb and is designed to fill the gap or voids between the saddle tree or pad and the horse, to better distribute the weight of the rider and saddle on the horse.
  A still further object of this invention to provide an inflatable saddle support apparatus which includes a saddle bladder having a primary inflation chamber and multiple rear inflation chambers, with a flat, non-inflatable area at the front of the saddle. Further included is a valve stem inflation tube and inflation bulb for inflating the primary inflation chamber and forward inflation chambers, to fill the gaps or voids between the saddle tree or padding and the horse and distribute the pressure of a rider and saddle on the horse in an optimum manner. The saddle bladder may be sewn or removably connected to a felt pad and sandwiched between the folds of a saddle blanket to support a saddle.