Abstract: A new horseshoe has two legs connected by a bridge, the bridge having a pair of physical markers provided directly opposite one another in both a support surface and a ground surface, the pair of physical markers providing a guide for cutting through the bridge of the horseshoe. A method of applying the horseshoe includes fitting the horseshoe to a hoof, attaching the horseshoe to the hoof, and dividing the horseshoe in two parts by cutting through or sawing through the bridge along the physical marker in the ground surface of the horseshoe. A method of upgrading a horseshoe involves providing a pair of physical markers on a bridge of the horseshoe at positions directly opposite one another both on a ground surface and a support surface of the horseshoe.

Abstract: A horseshoe having adjustable flexibility 100 provides a body formed of left and right body portions 200, 300. In a preferred embodiment, forward ends of the body portions are connected by one of three or more alternative center pieces, each resulting in greater or lesser flexibility of the overall horseshoe. A rigid center piece 400 provides very little flexibility; a composite center piece 500 provides a greater degree of flexibility; and a flexible center piece 600 provides the greatest flexibility. The three may be easily interchanged. The horseshoe having adjustable flexibility 100 allows control over the degree to which a horse's hoof splays on impact, and other factors. A plurality of anti-splay flanges 700 allow control over the degree to which the hoof is allowed to splay or flex outwardly, by adjusting the rigidity of the connection to the horse's hoof. An elastic cross-member 800 may be attached between the rear end portions of the left and right body portions.

Abstract: The horseshoe assembly of the present invention comprises a base shoe which is detachably secured to the bottom surface of the horse's hoof. A strap is attached at its opposite ends to the opposite sides of the base shoe and extends over the front upper surface of the horse's hoof to detachably secure the base shoe to the bottom of the horse's hoof. Small screws extend through the base shoe and into the hoof wall of the horse's hoof, but these screws do not extend into the white line of the horse's hoof as with conventional horseshoe nails. A second shoe, pad, or plate may be detachably secured to the undersurface of the base shoe. Different types of pads, shoes and plates can be attached to the bottom surface of the base shoe for particular purposes, and can be removed without requiring the removal of the base shoe.

Abstract: Footwear (4) for hoofed animals has a hoof-covering part (11) which covers the hoof (1) and is at least partially closed underneath by a sole area (5). This is joined to a fetlock section (16) which extends upward and has holes (26) for fastening by a band (22' or 22"), so that fastening is effected not in the regions of the hoof (1), but in the regions of the fetlocks (2).