METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF HORSESHOES

Abstract

Horseshoe comprising two legs connected by a bridge (3), characterized the bridge (3) comprises physical markers (1, 2) provided directly opposite one another in both a support surface (5) and a ground surface (4), wherein said physical markers (1, 2) function as a guide for cutting through the bridge (3) of the horseshoe.

Claims

1-21. (canceled)

22. A shoe configured to be attached to a hoof of an ungulate, the shoe comprising: a support surface facing the hoof when attached directly thereto; an exposed ground-facing surface facing a ground surface when the support surface is attached to the hoof; two legs, each of the two legs having a plurality of holes arranged in a recess on the ground-facing surface; and a bridge between the two legs and connecting the two legs, the bridge having a first groove on the support surface and a second groove directly opposite the first groove on the ground-facing surface, the bridge further having two free sides, each of the first groove and the second groove extending across the bridge from an outer circumference of the bridge to an inner circumference of the bridge between the two free sides thereof such that the bridge has a reduced thickness between the first and second grooves, the first groove and the second groove being in a center of the bridge, the first groove having an initial depth, the shoe having a first configuration in which the shoe is a single unitary piece having the first and the second grooves, the shoe having an intermediate configuration in which the shoe is unattached to the hoof, the first groove having a depth that is deeper than the initial depth, the shoe having a final configuration in which a gap is present in the bridge at the location of the first groove and the second groove, forming two halves to permit lateral and medial movement of the shoe while attached to the hoof, and the shoe being composed of a material including a metal or a polymer or a combination thereof.

23. The shoe of claim 22, wherein the depth of the first groove in the intermediate configuration is at least twice as deep as the initial depth.

24. The shoe of claim 22, wherein a depth of the first groove is maximally 60% of the thickness of the bridge and the second groove is maximally 15% of the thickness of the bridge, or vice versa.

25. (canceled)

26. The shoe of claim 24, wherein a depth of the second groove is maximally 60% of the thickness of the bridge between the two legs in the intermediate configuration.

27. The shoe of claim 24, wherein a depth of the first groove is maximally 60% of the thickness of the bridge between the two legs in the intermediate configuration.

28. The shoe of claim 22, wherein the width of the bridge between the two legs is uniform in the first and intermediate configurations.

29. The shoe of claim 22, wherein a minimal of shoe material is present between the first and the second groove in the intermediate configuration while the shoe remains a single, unitary piece.

30. The shoe of claim 22, wherein the final configuration permits the hoof to become wider on the ground surface when stressed and compressed between the ground surface and a weight of the ungulate to which the shoe is attached.

31. The shoe of claim 22, the shoe being a horseshoe, the ungulate being a horse.

32. The shoe of claim 22, wherein the shoe includes a rigid material selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, titanium, copper, plastic, or an admixture thereof.

33. The shoe of claim 22, wherein a width of the bridge is constant between the two legs, and each of the first groove and the second groove extend over an entire width of the bridge.

34. The shoe of claim 22, a thickness of the bridge being uniform between the two legs except at the first groove and the second groove.

35. The shoe of claim 22, wherein the two halves in the final configuration are split in a center of the bridge.

36. The shoe of claim 35, wherein the two halves are two equal halves.

37. The shoe of claim 22, wherein the material in the bridge between the first groove and the second groove provides the shoe with rigidity to maintain the shoe's shape in the first configuration.

38. The shoe of claim 37, wherein the material also provides the shoe with rigidity to maintain the shoe's shape in the intermediate configuration.

39. A method comprising a step of providing a shoe including: a support surface facing the hoof when attached directly thereto; an exposed ground-facing surface facing a ground surface when the support surface is attached to the hoof; two legs, each of the two legs having a plurality of holes arranged in a recess on the ground-facing surface; and a bridge between the two legs and connecting the two legs, the bridge having a first groove on the support surface and a second groove directly opposite the first groove on the ground-facing surface, the bridge further having two free sides, each of the first groove and the second groove extending across the bridge from an outer circumference of the bridge to an inner circumference of the bridge between the two free sides thereof such that the bridge has a reduced thickness between the first and second grooves, the first groove and the second groove being in a center of the bridge, the first groove having an initial depth, the shoe having a first configuration in which the shoe is a single unitary piece having the first and the second grooves, the shoe having an intermediate configuration in which the shoe is unattached to the hoof, the first groove having a depth that is deeper than the initial depth, the shoe having a final configuration in which a gap is present in the bridge at the location of the first groove and the second groove, forming two pieces to permit lateral and medial movement of the shoe while attached to the hoof, and the shoe being composed of a material that includes a metal or a polymer or a combination thereof.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the shoe in the final configuration is nailed to the hoof.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein in the final configuration, the two pieces become two halves by sawing completely through the bridge along the second groove.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the material in the bridge between the first groove and the second groove provides the shoe with rigidity to maintain the shoe's shape in the first configuration and the intermediate configuration.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] With the intention to better indicate the characteristics the invention, the implementation form of this method is provided below as example, without any restrictive character, with reference to accompanying FIGS. 1 through 4 where:

[0037] FIGS. 1a and 1b: ground surface (4) and support basis (5) horseshoe FIG. 1a represents a one-piece horseshoe (10) according to the invention with physical markers (1) applied in the toe section (3) on the ground surface (4)

[0038] FIG. 1b represents a one-piece horseshoe (10) according to the invention with physical markers (2) applied in the toe section on the support basis (5)

[0039] FIGS. 2a and 2b: inner circumference (6) and outer circumference (7) horseshoe

[0040] FIG. 2a reflects the position of the physical markers (1 and 2) in the ground surface (4) and the support basis (5) with the inner circumference (6) of the one-piece horseshoe (10)

[0041] FIG. 2b reflects the position of the physical markers (1 and 2) in the ground surface (4) and the support basis (5) with the outer circumference (7) of the one-piece horseshoe (10)

[0042] FIGS. 3a and 3b: applied one-piece horseshoe 10) front and rear view

[0043] FIG. 3a reflects the position of the one-piece horseshoe (10) applied in the hoof by means of hoof nails, with cut groove (8) in the support basis (5), this cut groove (8) was cut with the reference of the physical markers (2) serving as guide grooves applied in the same support basis (5) as seen from the rear of the hoof

[0044] FIG. 3b reflects the position of the one-piece horseshoe (10) applied in the hoof by means of hoof nails, with cut groove (8) in the support basis (5), this cut groove (8) was cut with the reference of the physical markers (2) serving as guide grooves applied in the same support basis (5) as seen from the front of the hoof

[0045] FIG. 4a and 4b: applied two-piece horseshoe (11) front and rear view

[0046] FIG. 4a reflects the position of a two-piece horseshoe (11) on the hoof that originates after the horseshoe has been cut through, with the reference of the physical marker (1), serving as guide groove (9) applied in the same ground surface (4) as seen from the rear of the hoof

[0047] FIG. 4b reflects the position of a two-piece horseshoe (11) on the hoof that originates after the horseshoe has been cut through, with the reference of the physical marker (1), serving as guide groove (9) applied in the same ground surface (4) as seen from the front of the hoof

GENERAL LEGEND OF FIGURES

[0048] 1=physical marker in the ground surface

[0049] 2=physical marker in the support basis

[0050] 3=toe section of horseshoe

[0051] 4=ground surface of horseshoe

[0052] 5=support basis of horseshoe

[0053] 6=inner circumference of horseshoe

[0054] 7=outer circumference of horseshoe

[0055] 8=cut marker 2

[0056] 9=marker 1 cut through

[0057] 10=one-piece horseshoe

[0058] 11=two-piece horseshoe

[0059] FIG. 1 represents a horseshoe according to the present invention, the horseshoe comprising two legs connected by a bridge 3, the bridge 3 comprising physical markers 1 and 2 provided directly opposite one another in both a support surface 5 i.e. the surface of the horseshoe facing the hoof when in use and on the ground surface 4 facing away from the hoof when in use, wherein said physical markers 1, 2 function as a guide between an outer circumference of the bridge and an inner circumference of the bridge, for cutting through the bridge 3 of the horseshoe.

[0060] The horseshoe can be manufactured in amongst others, metal, steel, aluminum, titanium, copper, plastic or an admixture thereof.

[0061] Preferably the physical markers 1 and 2 comprise a groove depicted in FIG. 2. Alternatively a line can be used as physical marker on either the ground surface 4 and/or the support surface 5.

[0062] The physical marker 1, 2, here a groove preferably extends over the entire width of the concerning bridge 3 surface from an outer circumference 7 of the bridge and an inner circumference 6 of the bridge.

[0063] In case the physical marker is executed as a groove, it is important that the remaining material section of the bridge in the section of the physical marker provides sufficient strength and rigidity to the horseshoe such that during fitting the horseshoe does not break and yet remains it adapted form allowing easy fixation of the horseshoe on the concerning hoof.

[0064] The depth of the physical marker groove 1 in the ground surface 4 of the bridge is therefore preferably maximally about 60% of the thickness of the bridge 3 of the horseshoe, whereas the depth of the physical marker groove 2 in the support surface 5 of the bridge 3 is preferably maximally about 15% of the thickness of the bridge 3 or vice versa.

[0065] The horseshoe according to the invention can be easily fitted and attached to a hoof of an ungulate by the following method according to the invention, the method comprising the steps of: [0066] a. Fitting the horseshoe to a hoof and potentially adapting the horseshoe shape to the concerning hoof; [0067] b. Attaching the horseshoe to the hoof; [0068] c. Dividing the horseshoe in two parts by cutting through or sawing through the bridge 3 along the physical marker 1 in the ground surface 4 of the horseshoe.

[0069] Preferably, the method comprises the additional step a) of making a physical groove 8 or deepening the groove in the support surface 5 of the horseshoe using the physical marker 2 as a guide in between steps a) and b).

[0070] By applying this additional step a) after step a) wherein a certain rigidity of the horseshoe is required to avoid breaking thereof during fitting, the cutting through or sawing through of the bridge 3 after attaching the horseshoe on a hoof is made easier (FIG. 3) and hurting the animal or damaging the hoof can be avoided as the distance from the maintaining material to the hoof is enlarged.

[0071] As represented in FIG. 4, when completing the method according to the present invention, a horseshoe is obtained that is fixed to a hoof and comprises two separate parts divided by a cutting or sawing line 9. As such the horseshoe provides a solution to the abovementioned issues regarding the lateral and medial fixation of the foot, the hoof mechanism, the resilience of the hoof, the high degree of difficulty of the fabrication and the application of the pre-designed horseshoes to keep the hoof mechanism and the cushioning of the hoof as intact as possible.

[0072] Another advantage of the horseshoe and method for application thereof according to the present invention is that for a farrier this method hardly or even not comprises more effort for the farrier than when applying a traditional horseshoe that remains in one piece after application.

[0073] The farrier can fit the horseshoe as with traditional horseshoes, this can be done both warm and cold depending on the farriers' preference or the relevant horseshoe,

[0074] When the horseshoe is fitted using the traditional method, the farrier deepens the physical marking located in the support surface of the horseshoe, serving as guide grooves, until approximately 60% of the thickness of the horseshoe is as such that the shape of the appropriate horseshoe remains intact, but only a minimal of material is present between the grooves 1 and 8 in the bridge (FIG. 3).

[0075] After this operation, the horseshoe is further attached and finished on the hoof with the traditional method by means of hoof nails.

[0076] After the horseshoe is applied and finished traditionally, the farrier will cut the physical marker in the surface of the horseshoe, serving as guide grooves, the remaining thickness of the horseshoe, changing the horseshoe from a single element into a horseshoe made of two elements, which in turn can follow the lateral and media changes in the hoof, individually.

[0077] Reducing the fixation of the horseshoe to a minimum, results in a better operation of the hoof mechanism. This ensures that the blood circulation is better stimulated than with the usual traditional horseshoe.

[0078] Reducing the fixation of the horseshoe to a minimum ensures a better operation of the hoof mechanism, creating the pump effect in the hooves which encourages the blood circulation and has a supporting effect on the general blood circulation in the horse's body.

[0079] Reducing the fixation of the horseshoe to a minimum ensures a better operation of the hoof mechanism which, through the stimulation of good blood circulation, ensures a good supply and discharge of oxygen, nutrition and waste which benefits the performance, recovery and good hoof quality of the hooves.

[0080] Reducing the fixation of the horseshoe to a minimum enables the hoof to change shape and to be become wider on the ground when it is stressed and compressed between the weight of the horse and the surface over which the horse is moving, resulting in proper cushioning in the hooves and the legs of the horse.