A horseshoe for flexible and/or mouldable engagement with a hoof is provided. Also provided is a horseshoe attachment for engagement with a horseshoe. The horseshoe and the attachment will have respective bodies comprising a bridge connecting two legs. The horseshoe and the horseshoe attachment may each be of unitary construction. The horseshoe and the horseshoe attachment may each be formed of polyurethane, or a material comprising polyurethane. Methods of shoeing a hoof using the horseshoe and/or attaching the horseshoe attachment to a horseshoe are also provided.

A horseshoe having a front end and a back end includes a main body, a pair of side branches coupled to opposing ends of the main body, a heel wedge coupled to the main body, and a cushioning base coupled to the main body, the cushioning base including at least two layers of different stiffnesses.

A horseshoe having a front end and a back end includes a main body, a pair of side branches coupled to opposing ends of the main body, a heel wedge coupled to the main body, and a cushioning base coupled to the main body, the cushioning base including at least two layers of different stiffnesses.

A hoof shoe or hoof shoe insert for a hoofed animal. An object is to relieve the pressure on the foot of a hoofed animal, in particular of a horse, on a hard ground surface. This may be achieved by a foamed plastics cushion which is arranged between the hoof of the animal and the ground surface and which is composed of a closed-cell plastics foam having a thermoplastic or elastomeric matrix with a density of between 100 and 400 all and which, at 50% compression, has a compressive stress of 150-280 kPa.

A hoof shoe or hoof shoe insert for a hoofed animal. An object is to relieve the pressure on the foot of a hoofed animal, in particular of a horse, on a hard ground surface. This may be achieved by a foamed plastics cushion which is arranged between the hoof of the animal and the ground surface and which is composed of a closed-cell plastics foam having a thermoplastic or elastomeric matrix with a density of between 100 and 400 all and which, at 50% compression, has a compressive stress of 150-280 kPa.

There is disclosed a securing strap for an equine hoof boot, the strap being configured for securing the boot to the hoof at a location above a horses coronary band and for fixing to the boot at generally central locations on the front and rear of the boot, wherein the strap has two sections, each section extending either side of the horses pastern bone, the two sections coming together at a location above the horses coronary band for securement to the hoof.

There is also disclosed an equine boot comprising such a strap extending between ventral and dorsal positions of the boot to secure the boot to the hoof.

Animal hoof protector, comprising a base (1) coupled onto the animal hoof, having a supporting sole (4); a rear shield (2) closing the base at the back; a protecting skin (3), attached and fixed onto the inner surface of the rear shield; and means for pivotally connecting the rear shield (2) to the base (1),

Animal hoof protector, comprising a base (1) coupled onto the animal hoof, having a supporting sole (4); a rear shield (2) closing the base at the back; a protecting skin (3), attached and fixed onto the inner surface of the rear shield; and means for pivotally connecting the rear shield (2) to the base (1),

A horseshoe having a front end and a back end includes a U-shaped rigid body having an upper surface and a lower surface, the rigid body being closed adjacent the front end and open adjacent the back end, the rigid body defining two arms spaced from one another at the back end, a pair of cuffs disposed on the upper surface of the rigid body, each of the pair of cuffs having an inner surface configured and arranged to contact a hoof of an animal, and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, each of the pair of cuffs being coupled to a respective one of the two arms of the rigid body adjacent the back end, a pair of side supports coupled to the outer surface of each of the pair of cuffs, each of the pair of side supports defining a window, and a platform disposed on the upper surface of the rigid body at locations where the pair of cuffs are not present.

A horseshoe having a front end and a back end includes a U-shaped rigid body having an upper surface and a lower surface, the rigid body being closed adjacent the front end and open adjacent the back end, the rigid body defining two arms spaced from one another at the back end, a pair of cuffs disposed on the upper surface of the rigid body, each of the pair of cuffs having an inner surface configured and arranged to contact a hoof of an animal, and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, each of the pair of cuffs being coupled to a respective one of the two arms of the rigid body adjacent the back end, a pair of side supports coupled to the outer surface of each of the pair of cuffs, each of the pair of side supports defining a window, and a platform disposed on the upper surface of the rigid body at locations where the pair of cuffs are not present.