Title: Flexible horseshoe

What is claimed is:

1. A horseshoe comprising:

a generally U-shaped body of a resilient, flexible material;

a pair of toe portions at the forward end of said body and formed by the body;

toe support surfaces on the undersides of said toe portions each providing an area of ground contact;

heel portions at the trailing ends of said body; and

heel support surfaces on the undersides of said heel portions providing areas of ground contact;

said shoe, when undeformed, having fore to aft arched portions in the legs of said U-shaped body generally centrally of each of said toe portions and one of said heel portions to enable flexing thereof.

2. The horseshoe defined by claim 1 wherein:

said body is of reduced thicknesses in the arched portions thereof.

3. The horseshoe defined by claim 1 wherein:

said trailing ends rearward of said heel support surfaces curve upward when undeformed.

4. The shoreshoe defined by claim 1 wherein:

there is a laterally arched region in between said toe portions.

5. The horseshoe defined by claim 1 including:

a series of nail holes around said U-shaped body;

an enlarged recess around each of said nail holes;

a complementary metal plate received in each of said recesses;

each of said plates having a central tubular extension received in one of said nail holes.

6. The horseshoe defined by claim 1 including:

spaced metal wear plates attached to the underside of said body in said toe portions and heel portions.

7. The horseshoe defined by claim 1 including:

a plurality of cleats protruding from the underside of said body.

8. The horseshoe defined by claim 1 including:

a resilient pad secured to the upper surface of said body.

Other info:


Inventors: Mennick, Paul E. (693 Woodbine Dr., San Rafael, CA, 94903)

Application Number: 06/154113
Filing Date: 1980-05-28
Publication_date: 1982-06-08
Assignee: Mennick, Paul E.

Primary Class(es): 168/24
Other Classes: A01L5/00; A01L1/02
US Patent Ref:

0952208	March, 1910	Myer	168/24
0980655	January, 1911	McDermott	168/24
1612577	December, 1926	Hall	168/12	Horseshoe
3494422	February, 1970	Clark	168/DIG.1	PLASTIC HORSE SHOE AND METHOD OF APPLYING TO HOOF
4116278	September, 1978	Spencer	168/4	Horseshoe manufacture

Other Refs: GB1299836

December, 1972

168/DIG.1

Primary Examiner: Hirsch, Paul J.
Assistant Examiner: Swiatek, Robert P.
Attorney: Stidham, Melvin R.