Safety device for reins

A safety connector for use with control lines for guiding a horse, the control lines including at least a first control line and a second control line, the first control line having a head portion, the second control line having a head portion, the first control line being usable for guiding the horse to one of the left and the right directions, the second control line being usable for guiding the horse to the other of the left and the right directions, the safety connector comprising:

• a swivel having a first ring and a second ring;
• a first strap portion attached to the first ring;
• a second strap portion attached to the second ring;
• a first portion of hook-and-loop fastener attached to said first strap portion, said first portion of hook-and-loop fastener being in the form of a panel lying flat against one side of said first strap portion;
• a complementary portion of hook-and-loop fastener adapted for attachment to a third strap portion, said complementary portion of hook-and-loop fastener being complementary to said first portion of hook-and-loop fastener, the third strap portion being operably connected to one of the head portion of the first control line and the head portion of the second control line, said complementary portion of hook-and-loop fastener being in the form of a panel that can lie flat against one side of the third strap portion when said complementary portion of hook-and-loop fastener is attached to the third strap portion;
• and
• at least one keeper attached to said first strap portion such that, when said complementary portion of hook-and-loop fastener is attached to the third strap portion and said first portion of hook-and-loop fastener is fastened to said complementary portion of hook-and-loop fastener, the third strap portion can extend through said at least one keeper,
• wherein, when said complementary portion of hook-and-loop fastener is attached to the third strap portion and said first portion of hook-and-loop fastener is fastened to said complementary portion of hook-and-loop fastener, a threshold tensile force required to separate the first strap portion and the third strap portion is lower than the tensile force that would be placed on the control lines for guiding a horse if a rider or driver entangled in the control lines for guiding a horse were to be dragged on the ground by the horse or a horse drawn vehicle.

A safety device for use with control lines for guiding a horse, the control lines including at least a first control line and a second control line, the first control line having a head portion, the second control line having a head portion, the first control line being usable for guiding the horse to one of the left and the right directions, the second control line being usable for guiding the horse to the other of the left and the right directions, the safety device comprising:

• a first strap portion operably connected to one of the head portion of the first control line and the head portion of the second control line, said first strap portion having a first end and a second end, said first strap portion being operably connected to the one of the head portion of the first control line and the head portion of the second control line through said first end thereof, said second end of said first strap portion defining a tip of said first strap portion;
• a second strap portion operably connected to the other of the head portion of the first control line and the head portion of the second control line, said second strap portion having a first end and a second end, said second strap portion being operably connected to the other of the head portion of the first control line and the head portion of the second control line through said first end thereof, said second end of said second strap portion defining a tip of said second strap portion;
• a first portion of a hook-and-loop fastener attached to said first strap portion, said first portion of said hook-and-loop fastener being in the form of a panel lying flat against one side of said first strap portion, said first portion of a hook-and-loop fastener having a length;
• a second portion of a hook-and-loop fastener attached to said second strap portion, said second portion of said hook-and-loop fastener being in the form of a panel lying flat against one side of said second strap portion, said second portion of a hook-and-loop fastener having a length;
• and
• at least one keeper received for sliding movement on one of said first strap portion and said second strap portion, wherein when said first portion of said hook-and-loop fastener is fastened to said second portion of said hook-and-loop fastener, at least a portion of said one of said first strap portion and said second strap portion on which the keeper is received and the other of said first strap portion and said second strap portion extend through said at least one keeper,
• wherein a threshold tensile force required to separate the first strap portion and the second strap portion is lower than the tensile force that would be placed on the control lines for guiding a horse if a rider or driver entangled in the control lines for guiding a horse were to be dragged on the ground by the horse or a horse drawn vehicle, and
• wherein said keeper is movable by sliding along a length of said first strap portion and said second strap portion corresponding to at least a portion of the length of one of said first portion of a hook-and-loop fastener and said second portion of a hook-and-loop fastener to thereby allow the threshold tensile force for disengaging said first strap portion from said second strap portion to be adjusted to suit a user's needs or preferences by varying the position of said keeper along said length of said first strap portion and said second strap portion.