Equine blanket and adjustable blanket system

Abstract

An equine adjustable blanket system for a horse having a neck, a back, a barrel, a dock, a withers, a chest, a mane, at least one shoulder, a point of said at least one shoulder, a forearm, and at least one scapula is disclosed. The equine adjustable blanket system has a horse blanket and a yoke device. The horse blanket is disposable upon and in contacting engagement with the back of the horse and the yoke device is disposable upon and in contacting engagement with the chest of the horse. The yoke device and the horse blanket being mutually and matingly couplable to each other to form the equine adjustable blanket system.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present disclosure relates to specialized equipment (e.g., blankets and such) for covering and protecting animals such as horses (Equus ferus caballus). More particularly, the present disclosure provides for a newly developed equine blanket and an adjustable blanket system suitable for use with Equus ferus caballus. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The horse (Equus ferus caballus) is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus. It is an odd-toed ungulate mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. Horses in the subspecies caballus are domesticated. There is an extensive, specialized vocabulary used to describe equine-related concepts, covering everything from anatomy to life stages, size, colors, markings, breeds, locomotion, and behavior.[0003]Horses' anatomy enables them to make use of speed to escape predators and they have a well-developed sense of balance and a strong fight-or-flight response. Related to this need to flee from predators in ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present patent provides for a horse blanket that has a back portion, side portions, and a neck portion. The blanket also includes a first gusset that splits the front portion into a neck portion and a scapula portion. This feature improves the fit and comfort of the blanket on the horse. Additionally, the patent describes an equine adjustable blanket system that combines a horse blanket and a yoke device to adjust the size of the blanket. The system allows for customization to the horse's size and ensures a snug fit.

Problems solved by technology

One of skill in the art will readily recognize that current blanket designs are difficult to fit and indeed do not provide a good fit for most horses.

However, these blankets really do not provide a good fit because they do not take the previously mentioned factors into account when undergoing the blanket design process.

Further, these horse blanket designs do not provide an effective seal to prevent cold air from passing between the neck opening formed by the blanket and the neck.

However, these designs are considered to be the most difficult to provide a proper fit for any particular horse because there is no ability to adjust the blanket.

Conventional horse blankets can cause wear to occur on a horse's mane and tail.

Such webbing may be abrasive and rub off the hair where there is pressure.

Wherever there is such a pressure applied to the horse, the constant rubbing causes hair to wear off and cause chafing which in turn can result in the development of edema.

Thus, current blankets are not really capable of keeping a horse clean, especially the belly.

Further, the movement of an ill-fitted blanket can cause a great deal of rubbing on the chest, shoulders, and forearms of the horse disposed underneath the blanket and result in chafing, hair loss, and eventual edema.

Edema is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the interstitium, located beneath the skin and in the cavities of the body, which can cause severe pain.

However, the placement of these gussets within the side portions of the blanket do not alleviate the chafing / friction burn issues observed on the chest, shoulders, and forearms of the horse.

This tension in the blanket having such vertically-oriented gussets still causes a great deal of rubbing on the chest, shoulders, and forearms of the horse.

The rubbing is not cured by the presence of any of the currently provided gussets disposed within the side portions of the horse blanket.

Images