GB2449260A

GB2449260A - Method for Making Bespoke Equine Foot Pads

Info

Publication number: GB2449260A
Application number: GB0709302A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Susan Dorothy Frances Dewar-Finch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-05-15
Filing date: 2007-05-15
Publication date: 2008-11-19
Also published as: GB0709302D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of making bespoke equine foot pads. The foot pads are formed in a mould made from a cast of the underside of the equine foot. The cast encompasses the whole of the sole 6, white line 5, bars 4, sulci 3 and frog 1 and extends beyond both buttress points 2 to a line 8 partway up the heel 9. The method of making the pads preferably comprises the steps of a) cleaning the unshod foot, b) making a cast of the whole of the underside of the foot using a quick setting casting material by holding the equine's foot in a raised position and using a piece of card in place of the ground, c) placing the foot back on the ground just before the casting material sets d) removing the cast, and making a mould using a fine cement, acrylic, silicone, rubber, or plastics material, e) and then making the foot pad from silicone, rubber or plastics.

Description

1 2449260

DESCRIPTION

METHOD FOR MAKING BESPOKE EQUINE FOOT PADS

This invention relates to a method and process of producing and manufacturing removable replaceable and reusable bespoke equine foot pads.

BACKGROUND

Pads of various kinds and types have been placed under the feet of equines for centuries.

Their purpose is to provide protection, support, cushioning and comfort to the equine foot, especially when the equine is to move on hard or stony surfaces.

Conventionally the pad is either; a) a piece of leather, plastic or similar material placed over the underside of the equine foot before the shoe is nailed or glued on, sometimes the equine's foot is further cushioned and supported by the use of a substance or compound such as silicone between the pad and the foot; or b) the pad is made by the application to the underside of the foot of a substance or compound which adheres to the foot and sets to form a single use pad which stays in place for a period of time which could be weeks; or c) the pad is a piece of cushioning material pie-cut to the approximately the required shape and placed inside the sole of one of the hoof boots now available.

PROBLEMS WITH THE CONVENTIONAL METHODS

The above mentioned conventional methods of producing such a pad can lead to situations where the underside of the equine's foot is prevented from accessing the air or from being cleaned for prolonged periods of time.

Some of the conventional methods of pad production involve the use of substances which become more solid upon or after application to the equine's foot or which rely upon the equine placing weight on the foot to produce the fit'. A problem with such methods is that as the equine bears weight on it's foot it also displaces space between the underside of it's foot and the ground, thus any non solid or even slightly flexible substance would in part be squeezed out from under the foot if it had not completely solidified before the equine placed weight upon it thus the usefulness of the pad is to a greater or lesser extent, lost or reduced With those methods that involve the application and adhesion of a substance to the underside of the equine's foot the pad that is made when that substance sets can only be used once, it cannot be replaced or reused once it has been removed.

A further problem with conventional methods of equine foot pad production is that in order to avoid damage to the equine foot it might only be possible to employ such a method relatively infrequently.

The pre-cut or ready made equine foot pads do not provide an exact fit to any particular equine's foot, nor do they necessarily fill the whole of the space between the underside of an equine's foot and the ground.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

To overcome the above problems the present invention proposes a method of making bespoke equine foot pads in a mould taken from a cast of the underside of the equine foot, see figure one, where the shaded area is the area of which a cast is taken. As figure one shows the cast area encompasses the whole of the sole (6) white line (5) bars (4) sulci (3) and frog (1) extending beyond both buttress points (2) to a line (8) partway up the heel 9. Figure one also shows that the area cast is bounded by the waIl (7). The shaded area in figure one is also the area that is covered by the bespoke equine foot pad once it is made in a mould taken from the cast..

Bespoke equine foot pads made using the process to which this invention relates also (because they are made in a mould taken from a cast of the whole of the underside of the equine's foot (see figure 1) and the cast itself is taken when the equine's foot in question has no or very little weight upon it) occupy the whole of the space between the underside of the equine's foot and the ground without any loss of usefulness caused by being compressed when they were setting or curing.

METHOD OF MAKING BESPOKE EQUINE FOOT PADS

1. The equine's unshod foot is prepared by being thoroughly cleaned, washed and trimmed as necessary.

2. A cast ("the cast") is then taken of the underside of the foot (as described in figure one) of the particular equine for which the pad is to be made using a suitable very quick setting casting material. When making the cast it is very important that the whole of the underside of the equine's foot up to a line drawn partway up the heel (see 8 on figure one) is filled with the casting material so that it is level and forms a complete cast of the whole of the space between the whole of the underside of the equine's foot and the ground.

3. A proper cast can best be achieved by holding the equine's foot up, filling the underside of the sole with casting material and then (with the equine's foot still held up) placing stout card (or similar) where the ground would be until the casting material is set. It is important that the equine bears no weight (or as little weight as possible) on it's foot whilst the cast is being made. Figure 2 shows the equine foot (1) held up with a piece of stout card or similar (2) held across it where the ground would be if the equine foot were in contact with the ground.

4. Immediately before the casting material is fully set the eauine foot is alaced on the around and the castina material orotrudina out of the back of the foot is fashioned to form a tidy straight line (8 on figure one) across the heel of the foot between the heels. Figure 3 shows at the shaded area (1) casting material that has been so fashioned.

5. The cast is then removed from the equine's foot and a mould ("the mould") is then made of the cast using a suitable material, eg a fine cement, or acrylic or rubber, or plastic etc. 6. A bespoke equine foot pad is then made in the mould using a suitable substance which will set to form a bespoke equine foot pad of the particular resilience needed for the particular equine in question. Many substances that are potentially suitable for moulding a bespoke equine foot pad already exist, eg silicone, rubber and plastics etc. 7. When the moulding substance has fully set the bespoke equine foot pad is removed from the mould.

8. It is important when making the cast and the mould and the bespoke equine foot pad itself to ensure that suitable barrier materials, eg a petroleum jelly, are used to ensure that the equine foot does not stick to the cast, nor the cast to the mould, nor the mould to the bespoke equine foot pad itself.

HOW BESPOKE EQUINE FOOT PADS ARE USED ON THE UNSHOD EQUINE.

1. The underside of equine's unshod foot is cleaned using a hoof pick and brush and water if necessary to ensure that there is no dirt or other foreign body present which could become trapped between the bespoke equine foot pad and the underside of the equine's foot.

2. The bespoke equine foot pad is, with the foot held up, placed over the underside of the equine's foot and secured in place (if necessary) with tape or adhesive bandage.

3. A hoof boot (of which there are many available) or other protective covering is then placed over the equine's foot so that it covers both the hoof and the bespoke equine foot pad.

HOW BESPOKE EQUINE FOOT PADS ARE MADE FOR THE EQUINE SHOD

WITH TRADITIONAL NAIL ON SHOES.

A bespoke equine foot pad made according to this method can be used with the traditionally shod equine. If this is intended then the equine must be wearing a nail on shoe when the cast is made and when in use the pad must be held in place either with adhesive tape or a suitable removable plate fixed to the ground side of the nail on shoe.

The inventive step is the production of a bespoke pad for a foot of a particular equine in a mould made by using a cast of the whole of the underside (see figure one) of the particular equine's foot in question.

Claims

CLAIMS METHOD FOR MAKING BESPOKE EQUINE FOOT PADS

1. A method of making bespoke equine foot pads in a mould taken from a cast of the underside of the equine foot which cast encompasses the whole of the sole white line bars sulci frog extending beyond both buttress points to a line partway up the heel.

2. Method for making bespoke equine foot pads that according to claim 1 are individual to and purpose made for the equine that they are intended to be used upon.

3. Method for making bespoke equine foot pads which according to claim 2 are removable from the equine and replaceable upon that equine.

4. Method for making bespoke equine foot pads according to claim 3 that fill the whole of the space between the underside of the equine's foot and the ground.