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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A horse blanket 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, said horse blanket comprising:
 a) a back portion extending between a withers end and a dock end, said back portion having a longitudinal axis forming an axis of symmetry within said horse blanket;   b) a pair of opposed side portions each extending from said back portion on opposed sides of said longitudinal axis to a neck end configured to be disposed proximate to said neck of said horse, said neck end having a geometry configured to follow a shape of said neck of said horse, each of said side portions comprising a front portion, each of said front portions configured to overlay a respective shoulder of said horse when said horse blanket is disposed upon said horse;   c) wherein each of said front portions further comprises a first gusset disposed therein, each of said first gussets extending from a first end configured to be disposed within a respective front portion proximate to said longitudinal axis and proximate to a top of said at least one scapula when said horse blanket is disposed upon said horse to a second end disposed distal from said first end, said first gusset having a shape substantially parallel to said geometry of said neck end;   d) wherein each of said first gussets bifurcates said respective front portion into a neck portion and a scapula portion; and,   e) wherein said neck portion overlays said horse between said neck and said scapula when said horse blanket is disposed upon said horse.   
     
     
         2 . The horse blanket of  claim 1  wherein said front portions each further comprise a front edge, each of said front edges being positionable into mutual connective engagement. 
     
     
         3 . The horse blanket of  claim 1  wherein said first gusset is an articulable joint disposed within said front portion. 
     
     
         4 . The horse blanket of  claim 1  further comprising a second gusset, said second gusset being disposed between said front portion and said barrel portion. 
     
     
         5 . The horse blanket of  claim 1  wherein each of said pair of opposed side portions each further comprise a rear leg strap, each of said rear leg straps being extensible about a corresponding rear leg of said horse. 
     
     
         6 . The horse blanket further comprising a withers notch disposed in said back portion proximate to said longitudinal axis and between each of said front portions, said withers notch being disposed proximate to said mane when said horse blanket is disposed upon said horse. 
     
     
         7 . The horse blanket of  claim 6  wherein said withers notch does not cover said withers when said horse blanket is disposed upon said horse. 
     
     
         8 . The horse blanket of  claim 1  wherein said neck portion contacts said horse between said neck and said scapula when said horse blanket is disposed upon said horse. 
     
     
         9 . The horse blanket of  claim 1  wherein said first gusset comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a gathered material, a pleated material, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The horse blanket of  claim 9  wherein said first gusset is elasticized. 
     
     
         11 . The horse blanket of  claim 1  further comprising an aperture disposed in at least one of said pair of opposed side portions, said aperture providing communication between opposed sides of said horse blanket. 
     
     
         12 . The horse blanket of  claim 1  wherein said first gusset has a first portion disposed within said front portion, said first portion extending from said first end and configured to terminate at a point distal from said first end and proximate to said point of said shoulder. 
     
     
         13 . The horse blanket of  claim 12  wherein said first gusset has a second portion disposed within said front portion, said second portion configured to extend from said point distal from said first end and proximate to said point of said shoulder to said second end, said second end disposed within an edge of said front portion. 
     
     
         14 . The horse blanket of  claim 13  wherein said second end is configured to be disposed in front of said forearm. 
     
     
         15 . The horse blanket of  claim 13  wherein said first portion and said second portion are formed from line segments. 
     
     
         16 . The horse blanket of  claim 13  wherein said first portion and said second portion are formed from curvilinear segments. 
     
     
         17 . The horse blanket of  claim 16  wherein said first portion runs essentially parallel to the scapula and overlays the skin of the horse disposed between said at least one scapula and said neck. 
     
     
         18 . The horse blanket of  claim 1  wherein said second end of said first gusset is elasticized, said elasticized second end allowing for expansion and contraction of said first gusset. 
     
     
         19 . 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, said equine adjustable blanket system comprising:
 a) a horse blanket; and,   b) a yoke device; and,   c) wherein said horse blanket is disposable upon and positionable in contacting engagement with said back of said horse and said yoke device is disposable upon and positionable in contacting engagement with said chest of said horse, said yoke device and said horse blanket being mutually and matingly couplable to each other to form said equine adjustable blanket system.   
     
     
         20 . In a horse blanket 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, having a back portion extending between a withers end and a dock end, said back portion having a longitudinal axis forming an axis of symmetry within said horse blanket and a pair of opposed side portions each extending from said back portion on opposed sides of said longitudinal axis to a neck end configured to be disposed proximate to said neck of said horse, said neck end having a geometry, each of said side portions comprising a front portion and a barrel portion, each of said front portions configured to overlay a respective shoulder of said horse when said horse blanket is disposed upon said horse, and a vertically-oriented second gusset disposed between said front portion and said barrel portion, the improvement comprising:
 a first gusset disposed within each of said front portions, each of said first gussets extending from a first end disposed within said front portion proximate to said longitudinal axis and configured to be disposed proximate to said withers when said horse blanket is disposed upon said horse to a second end disposed distal from said first end, said first gusset having a shape substantially parallel to said geometry of said neck end, wherein each of said first gussets bifurcates said respective front portion into a neck portion and a scapula portion, wherein said neck portion is configured to overlay said horse between said neck and said scapula when said horse blanket is disposed upon said horse.