1. Technical Field
This invention relates to horse hoof protection, and more particularly to improved methods and products for the cushioning of the horse's hoof and the blocking of ingress of harmful debris into the sensitive frog portion of the hoof.
2. Related Art
Webs of leather, plastic or rubber, called pads, attached to the hoof wall, and sized to extend across the hoof sole and cover the frog portion of the hoof are sometimes inserted under the horseshoe to protect the sensitive areas of the hoof. Moisture or debris sometimes work their way into the open volume defined broadly by the hoof bottom wall comprising the hoof sole and frog, causing discomfort or harm to the animal. Efforts to fill the volume have involved adding resins to the sole and covering with the web. These expedients have not proved successful because of difficulties in handling the resins, available resins having too high viscosity to permit readily filling into the horse hoof volume, persistent resin tackiness, lack of fill of all interstices or voids within the volume, and undue final hardness of the resin. Further, known resins do not adhere to the web used to cover the hook frog, leaving space between the resin mass and the web or pad for incursions of debris.