Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
'778S3
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This invention relates to horse shoe~, and in
particular to methods of and apparatus for attaching horse
shoes to horses' hooves.
For several hundreds of years farriers have practised
the skill of shoeing horses with no substantial cha~ges i~
the techniques employed. ~he usual procedure of shoei~g
the horse is to trim the keratinous portion of the hoof to
the required length, and then an iron shoe is forged to match
` the trimmed hoof. Once cool, the shoe i8 attached to the
trimmed hoof by means of nails hammered through holes in the
shoe into the hoof so that the nails project through the
hoof wall part way from the bottom thereof~ ~he projecti~
nails are then cut off and cleated over as necessary.
The process described above is obviously in general
most satisfactory, for it has been practised for a ver~ lon~
~:
tim~. It does however have disadva~tages which can lead to
lameness in a horse. For example, if when shoeing a
nail penetrates the sensitive part of a foot or if a horse
casts off a shoe, leaving some nails projecting from the
bottom of the hoof and on which the horse subseque~tly
~` steps, acute problems can be caused. Furthermore, a horse
with brittle horn material ~ometime~ cannot be ~hod b~cause
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the nails would split the material, and similarly a horse
with slow-growing horn material can also be difficult to
shoe because the old nail-holes lead -to splits. A further
` disadvantage is that the process described is a skilled
art which cannot properly be practised by those not
previously trained as farriers.
It is a principle object of this invention to provide
a method of and apparatus for shoeing a horse which
overcome at least some of the above disadvantages of
conventional horse-shoeing techniques. A further object
is to provide a method of shoeing horses which is simple to
- use and may be practised by persons not possessing special
skills.
Another ob~ect of the invention is to provide a
-~ 15 method of attaching a plastics material horse shoe to a
- horse's hoof in such a manner as to give a reliable and
;~ secure bond of the shoe to the hoof. Yet another object
is to provide a shoeing technique which will allow a horse
to be used extensively on hard or metalled surfaces
without suffering from concussion of the foot.
... .
Other objects and advantages will become apparent
from the following detailed description of this
invention.
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In accordance wi-th these objects, this invention pro-
vides a method of attaching a plastics material horse shoe to a
horse's hoof, which method comprises the steps of initially ad-
hering a pre-formed strip of flexible material having an L-
shaped cross-section to both the wall and the peripheral region
of the sole of the hoof around the front and sides thereof, and
then adhering a pre-formed plastics material horse shoe to at
least the face of the pre formed strip opposed to the sole of
the hoof.
More specifically, in accordance with the invention,
the method comprises the steps of initially adhering a pre-
formed strip of a relatively resilient and flexible plastics
material having an L-shaped cross-section to both the wall and
the peripheral region of the sole of the hoof around the front
and sides thereof, and then bonding a shoe proper pre-formed
from a relatively hard plastics material to at least the greater
part of the face of the pre-formed strip parallel but opposed to
the sole of the hoof.
By the term "plastics material", as used herein, is
- 20 meant both synthetic and natural polymers and monomers, such as
rubber or cellulosic formulations and synthetic resins.
Clearly, in view of the large stresses imparted to a
horse's shoe when in use, the adhesives employed for adhering
the strip both to the horse's hoof and to the shoe must careful-
ly be selected so as to offer very high shear and peel strengths.
Also, the adhesive should display good flexural and impact pro-
perties, and good gap-filling properties are desirable. Tests
have shown that anaerobic
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~778~ii3
adhesives, such as cyanoacrylate adhesives, or acrylic
adhesives, with an ami~e initiator and possibly an accelerator
are useful. It is of course important that the adhesive
sets relatively quickly, for otherwise the bond may be
disturbed before setting is completed. To assist detection
of setting, the adhesive may incorporate a dye which changes
colour as the glue sets. This can then also be used to
detect if a pre-prepared quantity of the glue has 'set-off',
so that it should not be used for adhering the s-trip to a
hoof or shoe, and to indicate fresh adhesive should be used.
The setting of the adhesive may be accelerated further b~
using hot air draughts or heated blocks of material. The
strip employed in this invention must be flexible so that
it can be adapted to fit any particular horse hoof - for
the exact shape of a hoof varies quite considerably from
horse to horse, even for hooves of substantially the same
SiZ8. It is advantageous however for the strip to be pre-
formed 80 as to be generally in the shape of a horse's hoof
(when considered i~ plan), so that any flexing necessary
to make it fit a particular hoof is relatively minor. Any
flexing required can be taken up by providing regions of
reduced wall thickness in the part of the strip which is
adhered to the wall of the hoof. Instead, cut-out portions
or slits may be provided in the strip to accommodate
excessive flexing.
The attachment of the pre-formed s-trip to the hoof
may be improved by means of a strup connected to or formed
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: 1~77~353
integrally with the strip, which strap is passed around
the bulbs of the heel of the hoof. By providing two
enlarged portions, possibly concavely pre-shaped, in the
strap in which portions the two bulbs of the heel are
located, slippage of the strap can be resisted. Preferably
the strap is under tension when fitted over the bulbs of the
heel, either by stretchin~ elastically the strap, or by means
of a strap length adJuster incorporated therein.
It is found that horses shod in the conventional
manner with metal shoes can suffer damage to their feet if
they travel extensively on hard or metalled surfaces, on
account of the impact forces every -time the foot touches
the surface. In an attempt to alleviate the possibility
of damage, it is preferred that the generally ~-shaped strip
used in this invention has resilient properties as well as
being flexible. A preferred material for the strip is a
polyurethane elastomer, advantageously of Shore 'A' hardness
of from 82 to 88, though other plastics materials and o-ther
resiliences (or hardnesses) could be used.
~he shoe itself must be relatively hard and durable,
but also capable of being adhered sufficiently firmly to the
strip. The preferred plastics material is polyurethane
elastomer~ but of a greater hardness than the strip; typically,
a Shore 'A' hardness of from 95 to 99 is suitable. The shoe
is preferably preformed to the required shape and size -
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1~377~3~3
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and so it is envisaged that the shoes will be moulded in
a range of shapes and sizes. However, the shoe may easily
be trimmed once adhered to the strip to complete the shoeing.
To assist the location and attachment of the shoe to
the flexible strlp, it is prcferred for the shoe -to be
located on the strip by means of at least one projection
provided on one of the strip and the shoe and engaged with
-- a recess on the other of the strip and the shoe. The
pro~e~tion and corresponding recess advantageously are
provided on the toe portion of the strip and shoeO
To locate the rear part of the shoe and to resist
sideways movement thereof, it is preferred for there to be
a bar extending between the tips of the shoe~ which bar is
provided with a pair of upstanding pegs locatable one in
each gap of a hoof~ to both sides of the frog. By maki~g the
bar substantially rigid, the two tips of the horse shoe are
tied together and only by peeling both tips from the strip
can the shoe be removed. Also, the pegs engaged in the
V-shaped recesses (or gaps) of the hoof to each side of the
frog restrain sideways movement of the bar, and thus of the
shoe tips. The pegs preferably are tapered, so as to
correspond generally in shape -to the gaps. The strip may be
provided with a pair of flaps~ one on each free end thereof and
extending towards the other, which flaps also fit into said
gap, urged therein by -the action of the pegs on the bar o~ the
shoe.
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77~3~3
Ano~her possibility, which may ~e used in conjunction
wikh a bar and pegs, is for the free end tips of the shoe to be
attached mechanically to the strip to resist peeling of the shoe
from the strip. For instance, inter engaging lugs and channels
may be provided on the strip and shoe.
mis invention also extends to apparatus or attaching
a plastics material horse shoe to a horse's hoof, comprising a
strip of flexible material having a generally L-shaped cross-
section and pre-formed to fit against both the wall and peri-
.,
pheral region of the sole of a hoof around the front and sidesthereof and a pre-formed plastics material horse shoe adapted
for adherin~ to the pre-formed strip when the latter has been
adhered to a horse's hoo~.
' ~he flexible strip preferably is provided with a strap
which is arranged to pass around the bulbs of the heel of the
horse~s hoof when the strip is fitted to the wall and peripheral
region of the sole of the hoof. m e strap advantageously has
two broadened portions pre-shaped to present concave faces to
the bulbs of the heel, whereby slippage of the strap may be re-
sisted by the bul'bs. me strap can be formed separately, but
' conveniently is formed integrally with the flexible strip.
Also, the strap may be elastic or may be provided with a length
'adjuster, so that the strap can be passed over the bulbs of the
hoof under tension.
More specifically, in accordance with the invention,
the apparatus comprises a strip of relatively resilient and
.
flexible plastics material having an L-shaped cross-section and
; pre-formed to fit against bokh the wall and peripheral region
of the sole of a hoof around the front and ~ides thereof, and a
horse shoe pre-formed from a relatively hard plastics ma-terial
to be 'bonded to the pre-formed strip when the latte~r has been
. j,~,
': adhered to a horse's hoof.
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Preferred embodiments of this invention are shown in
the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a side view of a horse's hoof f'itted with
a horse shoe in accordance with -the method of this invention,
parts of the equipment being shown in section;
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the arrangement shown
in Figure 1, and taken on line II-II on that figure;
Figure 3 is a plan view of a second form of horse shoe
and strap f'or use in performing the method of this invention;
Figure 4 is a sec-tional view on line IV-IV on Figure ~;
Figure 5 is a plan view of a third form of horse shoe
for use in the method of this invention;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a second form of
strip and shoe for use in performing this invention; and
Figure 7 is a sketch showing the strip and shoe of
Figure 6 fitted to the horse's hoof.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown in outline
the structure of a horse's foot, which comprises a keratinous
material shell constituting the wall of' the hoof'. ~he hoof
10 includes~ in the region of the toe, a front wall ll which
merges with a side wall 12 extending round to the
heel l~. Between the 5ide walls 11 at the heel is the frog,
and the peripheral region of the sole is known as the
horn. The nails are driven in-to the horn
when fastening conventional metal shoes to the hoof
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~L~77~353
80 that the nails proaect out of the front and side walls
of the hoof, to be trimmed and then cleated over.
Figure 1 shows partly in section a plastics material
horse shoe 14 attached indirectly to the hoof 10 in
accordance with the method of this inventio~l by utilising
a pre-formed, generally L-shaped strip 15 adhered both to
the front and side walls of the hoof and to the peripheral
region of the sole of the hoof, the shoe then being adhered
to the strip 15. ~he generally L-shaped strip 15 is pre-
formed to have the general shape of a horse's hoof, and is
made of a flexible material so that it may be deformed
locally to fit closely to a particular hoof.
The selection of the materials for ma~ing the strip 15
and the shoe 14 is important in order to obtain the required
performance. The shoe 14 must be relatively hard and
resistant to abrasion, but must also be ame~able to attachment
to the strip 15 by ~lueing. ~he strip 15 must be flexible
so as to allow it to be fitted closely to the hoof 10~ and
. must allow glueing thereof both to the shoe 14 and to the
2~ keratinous material of the hoof~ It is also advantageous
for the strip 15 to display at least slightly resilient
properties, so as to allow a measure of shock absorption.
; This reduces the impact forces transferred to a horse'~ hoo~
when travelling on hard roads, and also helps to reduce the
~orces imparted to the glues used to hold the strip 15 to
the hoof~
Taking the above into account 9 it has been established
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377~353
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that different grades Oe pol~urethane elastorner are suitable
for both the shoe and the strip. Using this material, a Shore
'A' hardness of substantially 97 has been found appropriate for
the shoe and a Shore 'A' hardness of substantially 85 for the
strip.
!
Many types of adhesive could be used, but the required
properties inclu~e high shear, peel, flexural and impact
strength, and preferably a good gap-filling property.
Furthermore, because weight must be kept off the hoof whilst
the adhesive is setting, it is important that the adhesive
sets rapidly. Of course, the adhesive must be compatible
with the materials selected for the shoe and the strip, as
well as with the keratinous material of the hoof. Preferred
types of adhesive include anaerobic glues such as -the
cyanoacryla-te family, and acrylic grlues with an amine initiator
and possibly an accelerator to ensure rapid setting.
~ The wall thickness of the leg of the strip 15 which lies
i against the side walls of the hoof tapers so as to reduce the
likelihood of the strip being accidentally torn off.
~he strip 15 is provided with regions 16 of reduced wall
thickness, so as to allow local deformation of the strip without
causing buckling of the ma-terial away from the hoof wall.
Instead of said regions 16, slits extending from the top edge
of the strip may be provided, or cut-out portions in the side
wall of the strip.
- When using adhesives which set rapidly, it is important
that the shoe 14 is properly loca-ted on the c;trip 15 as the
- shoe is presented thereto, because movement of the shof3 may
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~L~7~1~S3
not be possible after a few seconds. To locate -the shoe,
the strip at the front thereof (i.e. by the toe) has a
recess 177 there being a corresponding projection 18 in
the toe of the shoe to fit in the recess 17.
~ocation of the rear of th~ shoe is effected by a
pair of pegs 19 upstanding from a bar 20 extending
between the rear tips 21 of the shoe, the pegs fitting within
the gaps present in a horse's hoof to each side of -the frog.
The bar 20 serves firmly to tie the two tips 21 together and
sideways movement of the tips is prevented by the engagemert
of the pegs l9 with said gaps. ~he pegs may be bifurcated,
to allow them to deform to fit closely within the gaps.
The front and back hooves of horses are in general of
two distinct shapes, though of cours~ there is a considerable
variation in size. It is envisaged therefore that the shoes
14 and strips 15 will be made in two distinct styles ~ one
for front hooves and one for back hooves. Each style will
be made in several sizes, to enable an appropriate ~-trip
i and shoe to be selected for any particular hoof of a very
wide range of horses. ~he strip can be deformed locally, as
described above, in order to fit closely against the wall
ard peripheral region of a hoof, and though the shoe cannot
easily be deformed - on account of its greater hardness
it can nevertheless be trimmed before or after being
adhered to the strip. By providing a relatively resilient
strip 15, strain thereon, when fittlng it to the hoof, is
avoided and a good foundation for a rs]atively hard shoe l~
is provided.
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~L~77~353
To change a shoe fitted in accordance with the
invention, the old shoe and part of the strip is removed
with a sharp knife or by using the usual tools for trimming the
keratinous material of a hoof. After cutting back the wall
of the hoof in the usual way because of the growth thereof,
the remaining part of the strip adhered to the side wall
can be removed with a rasp. ~his also has the effect of
helping to clean the slde wall to allow good adhesion thereto,
but chemical cleaners may be used as well. Next, the
selected strip has a coating of adhesive applied to its
; inwardly-directed faces, and -the strip is pressed on to the
front and sides of the hoof wall, as well as to the peripheral
region of the sole. Finally, the selected shoe is coated
with adhesive on its upper face, and then pressed on to the
strip, care being taken to locate the projection 18 in the
recess 17, whilst the pegs 19 will locate the rear of the
shoe by their engagement in the gaps in the hoof. Once
the adhesive has set, the horse may place weight on the
fitted shoe.
Figures 3 and 4 show an alternative arrangement; in
which no pegs 19 are employed and instead the rear tips 22
~` of the shoe 23 are attached mechanically to the strip 24~
As can be seen, the tips 22 are of reduced thickness, and
fit within channels 25 provided on the s-trip. ~his arrangement
is especially resistant to -the shoe 23 being peeled from the
,
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. 1~77~53
strip 24. ~he bar 26 of the shoe i5 also shaped to
protect the frog of the hoof, but in other respects this
arrangement~ and the method of using it, is similar to that
described above with reference to Figures l and 2.
Figure 5 shows another form of shoe, for use wi-th
the strips 24 of Figures 3 and 4. In this shoe, the bar is
absent, but ins-tead the shoe 28 is braced by elements 29.
This shoe offers considerable protection to the sole of a
hoof and is valuable if there are defects such as softness
in the keratinous material of the sole.
Figures 6 and 7 show another embodiment of strip 30
for attaching a plastics material shoe, such as that shown
in Figure 2, to a hoof. The strip 30 is in general similar
to that shown in Figure 1, but includes a strap 31 formed
integrally therewith and extending from the two sides 32
thereof; the strap is provided with two portions 33 of
enlarged width, intermediate its ends. The rear tips 34 of
the strip are provided with flaps 35 extending towards each
; other, pre-formed in shape, as shown.
In use, the strip 30 is coated with adhesive as with
the strip 15 described above, and is then pressed on to the
hoof. ~he strap 31 is stretched to pass around the heel
of the hoof~ the enlarged portions 33 being positioned over
the bulbs of the heel. The strap, if so positioned under
tension, forms itself around -the bulbs of the heel, to
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~L~77~53
prevent slippage of the strap. The tension also assists
the adhesive in holding the strip ~0 in place on the hoof.
The enlarged portions 33 of the strap may be arranged
to protect the bulbs of the front hooves against damage from
the back hooves. To this end, the enlarged portions 33 ma~
be of considerably greater extent than is shown in Figure 6,
or even may be provided with extra padding or cushioning.
When the shoe 14 is fitted, as described above, the
flaps 35 are pressed by the pegs 19 into the gaps in the
hoof, and thus the flaps serve to anchor the tips 34 of the
strip. This assists the action of the adhesive in holding
the strip in position.
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