A cushioned horseshoe for attachment to a hoof of an animal by a plurality of nails having heads, comprising:
- a U-shaped hoof contacting plate comprising:
- a first branch and a second branch connected by a toe portion, the first branch and second branch each comprising a side portion adjacent the toe portion, and a quarter portion adjacent the side portion;
- a top surface which contacts the hoof;
- a bottom comprising an integrally formed raised portion at each of the first and second branches, the raised portions having tapered ends extending away from the bottom surface and toward each other;
- and
- a plurality of nail holes-extending through the hoof contacting plate and having a predetermined size smaller than a size of horseshoe nail heads such that the horseshoe nail heads securely fasten the hoof contacting plate to the hoof;
- a U-shaped ground contacting plate comprising:
- a first branch and a second branch connected by a toe portion, the first branch and second branch each comprising a side portion adjacent the toe portion, and a quarter portion adjacent the side portion;
- a top surface comprising a recessed portion formed at each of the first and second branches and positioned to receive respective raised portions of the hoof contacting plate, each recessed portion having tapered ends that extend toward each other while extending into the top surface of the plate, the tapered ends formed at an angle to be parallel with the tapered ends of the respective raised portions of the hoof contacting plate,
- a bottom surface that contacts a ground surface, and a plurality of holes aligned with the nail holes in the hoof contacting plate, the plurality of holes extending through the ground contacting plate and having a size larger than the predetermined size of the holes through the hoof contacting plate such that the horseshoe nail heads pass unobstructed therethrough;
- and
- a pad of resilient material substantially shaped the same as the top surface of the ground contacting plate, the pad including a first surface bonded to the bottom surface of the hoof contacting plate with a rubber-tearing bond and a second surface bonded to the top surface of the ground contacting plate with a rubber-tearing bond, and a plurality of holes aligned with the plurality of holes of the hoof contacting plate and the plurality of holes of the ground contacting plate, the plurality of holes having a size the same as the ground contacting plate holes such that the horseshoe nail heads pass unobstructed therethrough, the pad being formed to a predetermined thickness such that the distance between the hoof contacting plate and the ground contacting plate is greater than a height of the horseshoe nail heads to prevent the horseshoe nail heads from contacting the ground contacting plate.