Abstract: An animal confinement system includes a building structure comprising a foundation, a floor supported by the foundation, an arched roof and side walls supported by the foundation and having a plurality of segmented, assemblable rib beam members. The structure also has a plurality of purlin members fixedly attached to the beam members, insulating material between the purlin members, and a polymeric covering fixedly attached to an exterior surface of the arched roof. An inflatable curtain system includes a curtain box supported by the side walls of the animal confinement system. The curtain box contains an inflatable curtain wherein the curtain is comprised of integrally molded, individual air chambers capable of being independently inflated. An air blower inflates the curtain through flexible tubing connecting the blower to the curtain. A wind-powered ventilator is also supported within the arched roof.

Abstract: A house for sheltering wild birds for use in an overall landscape or garden design including a tapered square column and a pyramidal roof member connected to form an obelisk-shaped main body portion. A floor surface is disposed within the square column to create a nesting cavity for accommodating a specific bird species. The main body portion may be releasably affixed to a mounting apparatus which is operable to stabilize and align the main body portion in the vertical plane. The mounting apparatus generally includes a square mounting plate releasably attached to a collar member which threadably engages a vertical support member.

Abstract: The invention provides an article for grooming an animal and comprising a grooming article of plastics material, the plastics material containing, over at least a portion thereof, at least one insecticide capable of blooming from the article onto the animal when the article is used. The article may be a brush or comb. If desired, only a portion thereof may contain insecticide.

Abstract: A farrier's equine hoof-sizer characterized by its adaptation to an equine's individual hooves for purposes of sizing in shoeing. The sizer is extensible to a straight line for portability. It is lightweight, durable and of such construction that in the sizing of hooves of various lateral configuration, the measurement may be sustained in semi-rigidity for comparative guidance in the farrier's shaping of the shoe. It is adaptable to either cold or hot shoeing.