Lunging Girth With Transverse Back Support and Withers Recess
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lunging belts restrict a horse's freedom of movement by pressing on cartilage or bones, making muscle movements difficult due to their design, which limits the distribution of forces and stresses the withers and shoulder cartilage.
Innovation Solution
A lunging belt with a back support that extends transversely to the longitudinal direction, featuring a central recess for the withers and a gullet plate for improved rigidity, along with adjustable screw connections and additional weights for force distribution and adaptation to the horse's anatomy, ensuring minimal disruption to the horse's mobility and allowing for various rein arrangements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional lunging belt is used, then the belt can be secured on the horse's torso, but it restricts the horse's freedom of movement by pressing on cartilage or bones
Solution Approach 1:
The back support is divided into multiple segments including a first support portion, a second support portion, and a connection portion. This segmentation allows the belt to conform to the horse's anatomy while distributing pressure across multiple points, preventing concentration of force on sensitive areas like cartilage and bones.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the back support have different structural characteristics optimized for their specific functions. The first and second support portions extend laterally to provide stability, while the connection portion bridges them to distribute loads. This local differentiation ensures that each area provides the appropriate level of support without restricting movement.
2Force
If the back support extends on both sides transversely, then force distribution is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The back support integrates multiple functions into a single continuous structure that extends laterally on both sides and connects through the middle portion. This merging of support elements creates a unified force-distribution system that spans across the horse's back, effectively dispersing loads without requiring multiple separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The back support transitions from a simple longitudinal strap to a three-dimensional structure that extends laterally in the transverse direction. This dimensional expansion allows forces to be distributed across a broader area of the horse's back, reducing pressure concentration while maintaining structural integrity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a recess for the withers is provided, then stress on the withers is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
A recess is extracted from the back support structure at the location corresponding to the horse's withers. This removal of material creates a clearance zone that prevents the rigid back support from directly contacting and stressing the withers, allowing natural movement while maintaining support in other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The recess is pre-formed in the back support during manufacturing to anticipate and prevent withers stress before the belt is applied. By preparing this anatomical accommodation in advance, the design eliminates the need for complex adjustments or custom fittings, reducing the impact on manufacturing precision requirements.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the gullet plate is added for rigidity, then the back support stability is improved, but the weight of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gullet plate is constructed from composite materials that provide high rigidity and structural stability while minimizing weight. This composite construction allows the plate to maintain the back support's geometric integrity and resist deformation under load without adding excessive mass that would burden the horse.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a lungeing girth (1) for horses (90). The lungeing girth (1) comprises a webbing (2) that can be secured to the body (91) of a horse (90) and a back support (3) extending transversely to both sides of the webbing (2), which has a central, one-sided open recess (4) for the withers (92) of the horse (90) on one side of the webbing (2). This recess is spanned by a headplate (5) attached to the back support (3) on both sides of the recess (4), and the back support (3) has a higher stiffness than the webbing, at least away from the central area (6) in continuation of the recess (4). Rings (7) for attaching and/or guiding auxiliary reins and/or lunge lines are provided on both the webbing (2) and the back support (3) away from the webbing (2).