Horse hoof measuring and shoeing template
AssigneeEagle's Eye, LLC
InventorPhillip Ross
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A template and method for sizing horseshoes. The template includes a plate against which ground-contacting portion of a horse's hoof is placed. The plate has a plurality of adjustment members thereon. Each adjustment member is individually movable from a first position remote from a perimeter of said hoof, to a second position adjacent the perimeter. When the adjustment members are all in the second position, they are locked into position. The adjustment members define a region that is generally shaped to conform to the perimeter of the horse's hoof. The farrier works a horseshoe until the shoe is able to be received within the region defined by the adjustment members. The worked horseshoe may then be nailed to the horse's hoof.
Claims16
A template for sizing horseshoes comprising:
- a plate adapted to be positioned in abutting contact with a ground-contacting portion of a horse's hoof;
- a plurality of adjustment members disposed on the plate, each adjustment member being individually movable from a first position remote from a perimeter of said hoof, to a second position adjacent the perimeter, and when said adjustment members are all in the second position they define a region that is generally shaped to conform to the perimeter of the horse's hoof;
- wherein each adjustment member is a pin that is disposed at right angles to the plate and the adjustment member is movable between a locked condition and an unlocked condition;
- the adjustment members are placeable into the locked condition when in the second position to retain the shape of the region, and the plate defines a plurality of slots therein;
- and each of said pins is engaged in one of the slots.
A method of sizing a horseshoe comprising the steps of:
- positioning a ground-contacting surface of a horse's hoof against a first surface of a template;
- moving a plurality of adjustment members on the template into contact with a perimeter of the horse's hoof;
- wherein moving the adjustment members includes the steps of rotating a base portion of each adjustment member in a first direction to place that adjustment member in an unlocked condition, sliding the adjustment member alone a slot in the template until the adjustment member abuts the perimeter of the horse's hoof;
- and rotating the base portion of the adjustment member in a second direction to place the adjustment member in a locked condition;
- locking the adjustment members in position on the template;
- wherein the adjustment members define a region on the template that is conformed to the general shape of the perimeter of the horse's hoof;
- removing the plate from engagement with the horse's hoof;
- selecting a stock horseshoe size and comparing the stock horseshoe with the region on the template;
- and,
- working the stock horseshoe using cold or hot shoeing techniques until the horseshoe is receivable into the region formed by the adjustment members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.