USOO7836524B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7,836,524 B2 Muench (45) Date of Patent: Nov. 23, 2010 (54) EQUESTRIAN RIDING GARMENT 3,800,330 A * 4, 1974 Bowcut ......................... 2/227 4,506,391 A 3/1985 Rodman ........................ 2/227 (76) Inventor: Susan Marie Muench, 1 Bluegrass Ave., 4,843,654. A 7/1989 March ........................... 2/227 Ft. Wright, KY (US) 41011 5,033,124. A 7, 1991 Bucalo et al. .................. 2/227 D420,492 S 2/2000 Tannenbaum ................ D2/860 (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 126 days. * cited by examiner (21) Appl. No.: 12/002,450 Primary Examiner Gloria Hale (22) Filed Dec. 17, 2007 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm R. Christian Macke 1C ec. If (57) ABSTRACT (65) Prior Publication Data US 2009/O151038A1 Jun. 18, 2009 A lower body equestrian garment is provided. Sections of gripping, protective fabric are provided on the inner portions (51) E;3/02 (2006.01) of the legs extending from inner thigh to ankle. The gripping/ 52) U.S. C 2/227: 2A231: 2A232 protective fabric has flared sections near the bottom, and slots (52) ir grgrrr. s s for receiving and retaining spurs worn by the rider. Zippers (58)58) FieldField of Classification Search ..................... 2/227 s are provided on the outer legs allowing quick removal of the 2/228, 231, 232, 456, 455 lower body garment to improve comfort of the rider when not See application file for complete search history. riding. An adjustable waistband is provided to allow the lower (56) References Cited body garment to be adaptable to the differently sized indi viduals. U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 3,508,530 A * 4, 1970 Clawson ..................... 123,275 13 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets 66 68 60 U.S. Patent Nov. 23, 2010 Sheet 1 of 4 US 7,836,524 B2 Figure 1 PROR ART Figure 2 PROR ART 133 131 130 y" 152 140 142 Figure 4 34 PRIOR ART 124 Figure 3 PRIOR ART Figure 4B PROR ART U.S. Patent Nov. 23, 2010 Sheet 2 of 4 US 7,836,524 B2 FIGURE 4A Figure 5 PROR ART U.S. Patent Nov. 23, 2010 Sheet 3 of 4 US 7,836,524 B2 Figure 8A 140 Figure 9B U.S. Patent Nov. 23, 2010 Sheet 4 of 4 US 7,836,524 B2 SO \ 71 70 72 73 / 7 74 Figure 11 US 7,836,524 B2 1. 2 EQUESTRIAN RIDING GARMENT the half chaps from twisting around the rider's leg. Generally, the half chaps are made of leather and, similar to the breeches, FIELD OF THE INVENTION are used to protect the riders inner legs from blistering or chaffing caused by rubbing. This invention relates to an equestrian riding garment, and 5 The layer of the breeches and the half chaps makes the rider more particularly to a lower body garment combining uncomfortably hot and does not serve any purpose during the breeches and half-chaps. grooming and bathing of the horse. Since most modern eques trians do not have a groom to hot walk and bathe their horse BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION while they change into shorts and cool down, the equestrian 10 cares for the horse in his riding apparel, including the Horseback riding is both a popular past-time and competi breeches with leather lined inner legs and half chaps. It is thus tive sport, and it is desirable to construct apparel used for desirable to provide riding apparel that is easily put on or horseback riding to be both fashionable and utilitarian. taken off So that, particularly in warm weather, the rider can Depending on the nature of the riding, the clothing can take remove the outerprotective garments without ever leaving the decidedly different forms. For example, the apparel worn by 15 horse, then bathe the horse, and then perform other chores thoroughbred jockeys looks and performs differently from around the stables. apparel worn by working cowboys leading cattle drives The combination of the half chaps and breeches provide across the plains. Ease of movement and comfort for the long protection for the English rider's inner legs from thigh to term affect and reflect the different considerations for a wide ankle, but there are significant disadvantages to the prior art variety of different forms of horseback riding. The silks worn arrangement. For example, there are three separate items of by thoroughbred jockeys allow complete freedom of move apparel that must be put on and taken off by the rider; the ment and provide very little padding or protection for the leather lined breeches and the half chaps worn on each leg. rider, who will only be on the horse for a few minutes and will The breeches are pulled on, and the half chaps are Zipped on, be directing the horse to run at full speed with only a small usually up the side or back, over the portion of the breeches portion of the jockey's leg in contact with the horse. The 25 below the knee. Thus, there is significant time and effort cattle-driving cowboy, on the other hand, will be on the horse involved in putting these lower body garments on and taking for hours or days directing the horse to walk or gallop. As a them off. result, protection offered by heavy, rugged chaps which cover In addition, while the breeches provide the protection for substantially the entire legs of the cowboy and are constructed the inner knees and/or thighs, the lower portion of the from heavy, inflexible leather, are worn for that purpose and 30 breeches below the knees is tucked into and worn under the do not offer ease of movement for the rider. This is protection half chaps. However, while each of the half chaps has a strap from the elements, not necessary for the modern competing or extending under the boot to hold them down and prevent pleasure riding equestrian. twisting, the breeches have no such straps. The breeches, Another popular form of recreational and competitive because they are not held down, can ride up and get twisted on horseback riding is English, which in itself comprises a num 35 the rider's legs under the half chaps. ber of Subcategories. In English-style equestrian sports. Such Another disadvantage of the existing apparel is that the half as steeplechase and dressage, a rider guides a horse through a chaps often do not fit over the tops of the rider's ankle-high variety of maneuvers. In steeplechase, for example, a rider boots. Snugly fitting half chaps also do not fit over the tops of guides his horse through a series of jumps and hurdles, while a rider's heavy, winter work boots or cold weather riding in dressage riding the rider performs a series of graceful 40 boots, resulting in a situation where the rider must either buy dance-type maneuvers. The English rider will need to be free separate tall winter boots for riding, or bring two pairs of to move, while also needing to have fabric and provisions boots; first, a summer style boot that fits under the half chaps within the lower body garments to provide grip, Sufficient to ride, and, second, a warm, bulky, insulated boot to wear padding and protection between the rider and the horse. while caring for the horse and stable. The problems with such Another consideration for apparel worn by the modern day 45 an arrangement is that wearing the Summer style boot allows equestrian is the need to make such clothing easy to put on the rider's feet to get cold while riding, but the insulated boot and take off. Typically, the modern equestrian, in addition to is not compatible with the half chaps, and cannot be used riding, will be involved in grooming and bathing his horse and while riding. It is thus desirable to provide means for grip will also perform chores like mucking out the stall. For the ping, padding and protecting the rider that fits over any size English-style rider that is outfitted with functional apparel 50 boot, regardless of how thickly padded the boot is. One providing grip, padding and protection, the grooming and important feature to provide for Such is an adjustable strap bathing of the horse can be unpleasant, particularly in warm that goes under the rider's boot, regardless of the boot size. weather. Part of the performance of riding is the rider's use of spurs, English riders typically wear three articles of apparel worn on the rider's heels at ankle height, which direct the below the waist providing grip, padding and protection. 55 horse to turn right or left or speed up or lengthen his stride. Breeches, essentially pants extending from waist to ankle The spurs comprise metal frames worn over the rider's boots with sections of leather or Suede lining the inner legs from that have a short nub extending rearwardly from the rider's about the knee upwardly to the inner thigh, provide protection heel. The spurs are used by the rider to send an appropriate from blistering orchaffing for the rider on the upper portion of signal to the horseto, for example, move right or left, or speed his legs. On the lower portions of the legs, an English rider 60 up, by the rider turning his toe out slightly, and giving a tap or wears half chaps, which are essentially boot extensions that a series of taps to communicate with the horse.