Horseshoe and Fastening Mechanism, and Method of Use Thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a horseshoe assembly including a horseshoe, a fastening mechanism and a flowable shock absorber, the horseshoe defining at least one channel on a hoof engaging face of the horseshoe and at least one injection port on the ground engaging face of the horseshoe, and a method of using the horseshoe assembly.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A horseshoe attachable to a hoof of a horse and adapted to allow lateral flexing and widening of the hoof, the horseshoe comprising: a hoof engaging face and a ground engaging face, wherein the horseshoe is formed from a rubber or plastic material.

22. The horseshoe of claim 21, wherein the hoof engaging face and the ground engaging face are substantially U-shaped.

23. The horseshoe of claim 21, wherein the horseshoe is formed from polyurethane.

24. The horseshoe of claim 21, wherein the horseshoe comprises between 4 and 12 apertures extending through the ground engaging face and the hoof engaging face, said apertures located near to an outer edge of the horseshoe.

25. The horseshoe of claim 24, wherein the openings of the apertures on the ground engaging face are located in at least one channel that extends in an arc along the ground engaging face, wherein the channel has a depth of between 1 and 10 mm.

26. The horseshoe of claim 21, wherein the hoof engaging face comprises at least three raised outer rim or edge portions configured to abut against an upper hoof surface and facilitate in the fitting and positioning of the horseshoe on a hoof.

27. The horseshoe of claim 26, wherein two of the three portions are positioned to abut against the upper hoof surface towards a heel from a quarter portion of the hoof.

28. The horseshoe of claim 21, wherein the hoof engaging face comprises at least one channel to facilitate in the distribution of a chemical fastener and/or a flowable shock absorber between the hoof and the horseshoe, and at least at least one injection port accessible from the ground engaging for injecting chemical fastener and/or a flowable shock absorber into the at least one channel.

29. A horseshoe assembly comprising: a horseshoe attachable to a hoof of a horse and adapted to allow lateral flexing and widening of the hoof, said horseshoe comprising a hoof engaging face and a ground engaging face and being formed from a plastic or rubber material; and a fastening mechanism for fastening the horseshoe to at least a toe portion and a heel portion of the hoof, the fastening mechanism including mechanical fasteners and/or chemical fasteners.

30. The assembly of claim 29, wherein the horseshoe is formed from polyurethane.

31. The horseshoe assembly of claim 29, wherein the horseshoe comprises at least one channel on the hoof engaging face and at least one injection port on the ground engaging face in fluid communication with the at least one channel, and the assembly further includes a flowable shock absorber formulated to be injected into the at least one channel via the at least one injection port once the horseshoe has been fitted to the hoof.

32. The assembly of claim 29, wherein the fastening mechanism includes both mechanical fasteners and chemical fastener, and wherein the chemical fastener is formulated to be injected into at least one channel on the hoof engaging face via at least one injection port on the ground engaging face.

33. The assembly of claim 31, wherein the at least one channel extends at least partway along a length of the length of the horseshoe near or along an inner edge of the horseshoe such that the flowable shock absorber received in the channel can escape via the inner edge of the horseshoe.

34. The assembly claim 32, wherein the at least one channel extends at least partway along a length of the length of the horseshoe near or along an inner edge of the horseshoe such that chemical fastener received in the channel can escape via the inner edge of the horseshoe.

35. The assembly of claim 29, wherein the mechanical fasteners, in use, do not need to be clinched and do not emerge from an upper side of the hoof.

36. The assembly of claim 29, wherein each mechanical fastener includes a shank, an enlarged head at one end of the shank, a pointed end at an opposite end of the shank and at least one retention member extending from the side of the shank.

37. The assembly of claim 36, wherein the pointed end is sized and shaped to pass through an aperture of the shoe and be driven into the hoof; and the enlarged head is sized and shaped to abut against a ground engaging face of the horseshoe and retain the horseshoe against the hoof of the horse.

38. The assembly of claim 36, wherein the at least one retention member is in the form of a barb, spike or projection located at or near the pointed end of the mechanical fastener, wherein the barb, spike or projection expands from the pointed end of the mechanical fastener to a point that is rearwardly facing or at least orthogonally positioned relative to a longitudinal axis of the mechanical fastener.

39. A method of shoeing a horse, comprising the step of: fastening a horseshoe to at least a toe portion and a heel portion of a hoof of a horse, wherein a hoof engaging portion of the horseshoe is positioned against the hoof, and a ground engaging portion of the horseshoe is positioned opposite the hoof engaging portion, and wherein the horseshoe is adapted to allow lateral flexing and widening of the hoof and formed from a rubber or plastic material.

40. A method of shoeing a horse, comprising the steps of: (i) obtaining a horseshoe assembly including: a horseshoe attachable to a hoof of a horse and adapted to allow lateral flexing and widening of the hoof, the horseshoe comprising a hoof engaging face and a ground engaging face and being formed from a plastic or rubber material; and a fastening mechanism for fastening the horseshoe to at least a toe portion and a heel portion of the hoof, the fastening mechanism including mechanical fasteners and/or chemical fasteners; and (ii) fastening the horseshoe to at least a toe portion and a heel portion of a hoof of a horse, wherein the hoof engaging portion of the horseshoe is position against the hoof, and a ground engaging portion of the horseshoe is positioned opposite the hoof engaging portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0078] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

[0079] FIGS. 1A and 1B respectively show a ground-engaging surface and a hoof-engaging surface of a horseshoe according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0080] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a mechanical fastener according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0081] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a mechanical fastener according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0082] FIGS. 4A and 4B respectively show a ground-engaging surface and a hoof-engaging surface of a horseshoe according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0083] FIG. 5 is an X-ray image of a hoof of a horse fitted with the horseshoe, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and mechanical fasteners according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0084] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a horseshoe (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention for use with or when used with a nail (200; i.e., a mechanical fastener) as shown in FIG. 2, which is used to fasten the horseshoe (100) to the hoof of a horse.

[0085] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the horseshoe (100) has the shape of a conventional horseshoe, that is, a band of material in the form of an extended arc configured to be attached to an outer hoof wall of a horse at any one of a toe, quarter and heel portion of the hoof. The horseshoe (100) is formed from polyurethane, which, in addition to providing some shock absorption, advantageously allows the horseshoe (100) to, in use, flex with the natural lateral flexing and widening of the hoof when under load.

[0086] The horseshoe (100) has a ground engaging face (105; best shown in FIG. 1A), a hoof engaging face (110; best shown in FIG. 1B), and includes a plurality of apertures (115) spaced along a length of the horseshoe (100) for receiving nails for attaching the horseshoe (100) to a hoof.

[0087] The apertures (115) are aligned and spaced along the length of the horseshoe (100) in an arc with a degree of curvature similar to or the same as that of the horseshoe (100). The horseshoe (100) includes 10 apertures (115) positioned for attaching the horseshoe (100) to any one of the toe, quarter and heel portions of a hoof of a horse.

[0088] Each aperture (115) extends through both the ground engaging face (105) and hoof engaging face (110) of the horseshoe (100) and is defined by an entrance opening (117) on the ground engaging face (105) and a corresponding exit opening (119) on the hoof engaging face (110) of the horseshoe (100).

[0089] Referring to FIG. 1A, the apertures (115), in particular the entrance openings (117) of the apertures (115), are located within a fuller (120; i.e., at least one channel or trench), which is defined in and extends in an arc in the ground engaging face (105) of the horseshoe (100). The fuller (120) is 4 mm deep, which ensures the heads of the nails (not shown) used to attach the horseshoe (100) to a hoof of a horse at least sit flush with the ground engaging face (105).

[0090] The horseshoe (100) further includes three clips (125) configured to lie or abut against an upper hoof surface and facilitate in the fitting and positioning of the horseshoe (100) on a hoof. The horseshoe (100) includes a single clip (125) for engaging with an upper hoof surface above a toe portion of the hoof and two side clips (125) each for engaging with the upper hoof surface above the quarter portion of the hoof.

[0091] Referring to FIG. 1B, the horseshoe (100) further includes a channel (130) on the hoof engaging face (110) of the horseshoe (100) to facilitate in the distribution of glue (i.e., a chemical fastener) for use in conjunction with the nails for attaching the horseshoe (100) to a hoof of a horse and/or to facilitate in the distribution of shock absorbing gel (i.e., a flowable shock absorber).

[0092] The channel (130) extends across a substantial portion of the hoof engaging face (110) of the horseshoe (100), including the toe, quarter and heel engaging portions of the horseshoe (100). The channel (130) extends in an arc along a length of the horseshoe (100) with a degree of curvature similar to or the same as that of the horseshoe (100).

[0093] The channel (130) has a U-shaped profile or cross section with a depth of about 2 mm and a width at the hoof engaging face (110) of about 10 mm (excluding the portions of the channel that extend between the apertures (115) to an outer edge of the horseshoe (100)).

[0094] The channel (130) is in fluid communication with six injection ports (135) accessible from the ground engaging face (105) of the horseshoe (100). Each injection port (135) is for injecting glue and/or shock absorbing gel into the channel (130) once the horseshoe (100) has been fitted to a hoof of a horse. Each injection port (135) is adapted to receive glue or shock absorbing gel provided in a syringe dispenser.

[0095] Best shown in FIG. 1A, the injection ports (135) are located in the fuller (120) together with the entrance openings (117) of the apertures (115).

[0096] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a nail (200) according to an embodiment of the present invention for fastening the horseshoe shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B to a hoof of a horse.

[0097] The nail (200) is of a length and shape that, in use, does not need to be clinched and does not emerge from an upper side of a hoof of a horse. This advantageously allows the nail (200) to be used at a heel portion of the hoof. The nail (200) has a length of about 24 mm and is formed from steel.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 2, the nail (200) includes: a shank (205); an enlarged head (210) at one end of the shank (205); a pointed end (215) at the other end of the shank (205); a neck portion (220) adjacent the enlarged head portion (210), which tapers in thickness from the enlarged head portion (210) to the shank (205); and a pair of opposed barbs (225; i.e., retentions members) extending from opposite sides of the shank (205) at the pointed end (215).

[0099] In use, the pointed end (215) and the pair of opposed barbs (225) are sized and shaped to pass through an aperture of the horseshoe and be driven into a hoof of a horse. Likewise, the enlarged head (210) is sized and shaped to not pass through the aperture of the horseshoe but instead abut against the ground engaging face of the horseshoe to thus hold the horseshoe to the hoof of a horse. The neck portion (220) is configured to be wedged in the aperture of the horseshoe when the nail (200) is driven into a hoof of a horse.

[0100] Each barb (225) includes a rearwardly facing point (227) that, once the nail (200) is driven into a hoof of a horse, engages with hoof material thereby facilitating the nail (200) in at least resisting withdrawal or retraction of the nail (200) from the hoof. Advantageously, this holds the nail (200) in place and eliminates the need to clinch the nail (200).

[0101] As indicated above, the nail (200) is formed from steel. Specifically, the nail (200) is laser cut from plate steel of about 3 mm in thickness. Consequently, the nail (200) is substantially flat or planar in a first orientation with a thickness of about 3 mm. In this orientation, the nail (200) is characterised by the two opposed surfaces of the plate steel from which it is cut, which are substantially parallel to one another and interconnected by opposing edge portions (230). The edge portions (230) in a second orientation, when the nail (200) is rotated around its longitudinal axis relative to the first orientation (as shown in FIG. 2), define the shank (205), the enlarged head (210), the pointed end (215), the neck portion (220) and the pair of opposed barbs (225).

[0102] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the nail (200) in which the nail (200) includes a second pair of opposed barbs (225) located along the shank (205) of the nail (200) adjacent the first pair of barbs (225).

[0103] FIGS. 4A and 4B show another embodiment of the horseshoe (100), in which the horseshoe is formed from metal.

[0104] As with the previously described embodiment, the horseshoe (100) shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B has a ground engaging face (105; shown in FIG. 4A) and a hoof engaging face (110; shown in FIG. 4B).

[0105] Referring to FIG. 4A, the ground engaging face (105) of the horseshoe (100) defines a fuller (120) in which apertures (not shown) are located for receiving nails for attaching the horseshoe (100) to a hoof of a horse. The fuller (120) is 4 mm deep, which ensures the heads of the nails used to attach the horseshoe (100) to a hoof of a horse at least sit flush with the ground engaging face (105).

[0106] Adjacent the fuller (120) are located two injection ports (135). Each injection port (135) is for injecting shock absorbing gel into the channel (130) defined on the hoof engaging face (110) of the horseshoe (100) once the horseshoe (100) has been fitted to a hoof of a horse. Each injection port (135) is adapted to receive the shock absorbing gel provided in a syringe dispenser.

[0107] Referring to FIG. 4B, the channel (130) defined on the hoof engaging face (110) of the horseshoe (100) extends in an arc along a length of the horseshoe (100) with a degree of curvature similar to or the same as that of the horseshoe (100).

[0108] The channel (130) has a U-shaped profile or cross section with a depth of 2 mm and a width at the hoof engaging face (110) of 10 mm.

[0109] The channel (130) is in fluid communication with the two injection ports (135) accessible from the ground engaging face (105) of the horseshoe (100).

[0110] FIG. 5 is an X-ray image of the horseshoe (100) as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B nailed to a hoof of a horse with nails (200) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0111] In this embodiment, each nail (200) has a single barb (225) extending from a side of the shank (205).

[0112] The X-ray image shows that, advantageously, the pointed ends (215) of the nails (200) are clearly embedded in the hoof of the horse and do not penetrate or emerge from an upper side of the hoof.

[0113] A method of shoeing a horse using the horseshoe (100) is now briefly described.

[0114] Prior to shoeing a hoof of a horse, an old horseshoe if present is removed and the hoof is cleaned and trimmed. In particular, the outer hoof wall is trimmed back to a desired length.

[0115] The horseshoe (100) is then aligned to the outer hoof wall and fixed in place optionally by hammering one or more nails (200) through apertures (115) at the toe portion and the heel portion of the hoof.

[0116] If the hoof is of poor quality or quantity, glue and/or a shock absorbing gel can be injected by way of a syringe dispenser between the hoof and the horseshoe (100) via one or more of the injection points (135) located on the ground engaging face (105) of the horseshoe (100). The channel (130) on the hoof engaging face (110) of the horseshoe (100) facilitates in dispersing the injected glue and/or shock absorbing gel along the hoof engaging face (110) between the horseshoe (100) and the hoof.

[0117] The horseshoe (100) is then securely nailed in place by hammering one or more nails (200) in apertures (115) located at any one of the toe, quarter and heel portions of the hoof.

[0118] Advantages of the present invention as exemplified include: [0119] the nail, which is not driven through an upper surface of a horse's hoof, is not clinched and in no way damages the upper side of the hoof, which collectively, in turn, results in a healthier and stronger hoof for future reshoeing; [0120] as the nail is not driven through the upper surface of a horse's hoof, most damage caused by the nail is typically removed prior to the horse being reshoed when the outer hoof wall is trimmed back; [0121] additionally, as the nail is not driven through the upper surface of a horse's hoof, less hammering is required, which, apart from being beneficial for young, irregularly shod, injured or sensitive horses, also reduces the time taken to reshoe a horse; [0122] the nail, due to its shorter length, enables the horseshoe of the present invention to be fastened to a heel portion of the hoof, which, in turn, results in a horseshoe that is at one with the hoof and does not impede lateral flexing and widening of the hoof when loaded; and [0123] the channel and injection ports of the horseshoe allow the horseshoe to be used as a remedial horseshoe in which any hoof damage or imperfections can be corrected with glue and/or a shock absorbing gel dispersed via the injection ports and channel after the horseshoe has been fitted to the hoof.

[0124] In the present specification and claims (if any), the word comprising and its derivatives including comprises and comprise include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

[0125] Reference throughout this specification to one embodiment or an embodiment means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases in one embodiment or in an embodiment in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.

[0126] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims (if any) appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.