Patent Publication Number: US-2012037089-A1

Title: Apparatus for promoting the healing of a hoof or leg injury or disease of an animal, particularly a horse

Description:
The invention relates to an apparatus for promoting the healing of a hoof or leg injury or of a hoof or leg disease of an animal, particularly of a horse, said apparatus having a girth to be placed about the body of the animal and a suspension system by means of which the girth can be pulled upward. 
     It is known to use such an apparatus to suspend horses completely or just to raise their forelegs off the ground in order to treat one foreleg or in order to keep weight off it for a period of time, e.g. after an operation. 
     The object underlying the invention is to open up a further possibility for exercising influence. 
     As claimed in the invention, this purpose is served by an apparatus of the aforementioned type where the girth is suspended from a support, which is freely movable in a two-dimensional manner in a horizontal plane, by means of a balancer. 
     Using the apparatus as claimed in the invention, an animal is able to have and should only have part of its weight supported, for example by 150, 200 or 250 kp, but for a lengthy duration. 
     The weight support is set at the balancer and is held by the balancer, regardless of the length of extension of a cable of the balancer. In this way, the animal is able to recline, even in an upright position, by bending in its legs. Having its weight supported allows it to maintain this position for a comparatively long period. Over and above this, having its weight supported facilitates standing upright and consequently reduces the risk of putting too much weight on the injured or diseased foreleg or hind leg. 
     In this case, a horse, for example, has the identical possibilities to move forwards and backwards, to both sides and to turn around which it also has in its box under normal conditions; it pulls the movable support along with it. It is simply not able to lie on its side. 
     In an expedient manner, the balancer is adjustable to a tensile force which lies between 50 and 250 kp. Supporting the weight by less than 50 kp is hardly worthwhile at any rate in the case of a horse—as a rule a horse weighs 500-600 kp. The horse is not able to tolerate more than 250 kp very well over longer periods. 
     The cable extended from the balancer can be lockable by removing the upwardly directed tensile force, in particular at a maximum, preferably adjustable length of stretch. By limiting the length of stretch, the animal can be prevented from lying down if this is necessary, for example, for its treatment. 
     In addition, it is conceivable to support the weight of the animal by several straps, which in each case are suspended by means of a balancer. If one balancer is provided in each case for the forequarters and for the hind quarters or for each leg of the horse, the respective weight supported is able to be adjusted in a more precise manner. 
     The aforesaid support has a carriage, for example, which is arranged on a running rail which is arranged and can be driven on two running rails which are oriented at a right angle to said first running rail. 
     As claimed in a further advantageous development of the invention, the running rails are arranged in a cuboid shaped or cube-shaped frame, wherein the last-mentioned two running rails are preferably fixed parts of the frame. 
     Depending on the conditions, e.g. in a veterinary/equine hospital, it is also possible, however, for the running rails to be attached to the ceiling of a stall, where applicable by means of spacers. 
     In an expedient manner, the girth is fastened by way of its two ends to sides of a downwardly curved or V-shaped crossbeam which are parallel to each other, said crossbeam being connected at or near to its centre to the balancer. 
     This means that the girth does not restrict the animal when its two ends are brought together. 
     The girth preferably consists of a number of individually tensile support straps with a common, preferably breathable, cushioning underlayer. 
     In an expedient manner, there are provided a holding strap which can be guided from the front about the animal and/or a holding strap which can be guided over the hindquarters of the animal, said holding straps being connected to the girth and preferably having adjustable lengths. 
     In one development of the invention, the girth includes support material which partially wraps around at least one leg of the animal, is to be arranged on the body of the animal and adapts to the shape of the body. In particular, when the weight of the forequarters and of the hindquarters of the animal or of the legs individually is supported by means of a balancer in each case, such a support material is suitable to transmit the weight-supporting forces onto the body of the animal. 
     In a further development of the invention, a power connection that is movable with the support is provided. Medical equipment for treating the animal, for example a cooling unit, an infusion machine or an infrared lamp can be supplied from above with power. It is not necessary to lay lines on the floor. In an expedient manner, the support and/or the crossbeam are set up as means for securing the medical equipment. The equipment no longer has to be set up close to the animal and does not disturb its freedom of movement. 
    
    
     
       The drawings reproduce exemplary embodiments of the invention, in which: 
         FIGS. 1 to 3  show a perspective view of apparatuses to support the weight of a horse and 
         FIG. 4  shows a schematic representation of an apparatus arranged in a trailer. 
     
    
    
     A substantially cube-shaped frame  1 , with the dimensions of, for instance, 3×3×3 m, consists of rectangular tubing  2  with the exception of three C-profiles  3  and  4 . 
     The two C-profiles  3  are fixedly incorporated into the welded assemblage of the frame  1 . They form two horizontal, parallel running rails for two carriages  5 , to which the C-profile  4  is attached. The C-profile  4 , which is provided on its back with reinforcement  6 , forms a running rail for a carriage  7 . 
     The carriage  7  is consequently movable in a two-dimensional manner in a horizontal plane. It has a support  8  for suspending a hook. 
     A balancer  10  is suspended from a support  8  by way of a hook  9 . The balancer could also be screw-connected in a direct manner to the carriage  7 , thus dispensing with the parts  8  and  9 . 
     A cable  11  of the balancer  10  is only extended a little in this case. A stopper  30  forms the start of the extendable cable, to which is connected a cable loop  12 . 
     The cable loop  12  is connected to a crossbeam  13  by means of a ball bearing swivel  31 . 
     The crossbeam  13  consists of a frame, for instance of the width of the horse, the connecting means  12 ,  31  cooperating with the centre thereof. Several eyes  14  are attached in each case on both longitudinal sides of frame and tension belts  15  are placed through said eyes. Support belts  18  and  19 , which are placed about the body of the horse, are connected with the aid of connecting members  17  to the tensioning belts  15 , which can be tensioned by means of turnbuckles  16 . A cushioning underlayer  20 , for instance 5 cm thick, is inserted under the straps  18  and  19 . Said underlayer is produced from fibers in the manner of a mattress in order to be breathable. 
     A belt  21  placed at the front about the body of the horse holds the entire girth arrangement connected to the forelegs of the horse; this means that it cannot slip rearward. 
     The sides of the frame are closed by timber panels  23 , for instance up to half the height of the horse. The timber panel  23  is removed on the inspection side. 
     The balancer  10  has been adjusted to a desired tensile force. The crossbeam  13  has been arranged at a suitable height by means of the tensioning belts  15 , which are tightened one after the other, with the cable  11  being removed from the balancer  10  in a corresponding manner. 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 2 to 4  where identical or equally acting parts are designated with the same reference number as in  FIG. 1  and a letter is added to the reference number concerned. 
     As produced from  FIG. 2 , a holding strap  24  can be provided placed about the hindquarters of the horse, said holding strap being connected to a support strap  19   a  by means of a tensioning strap  26 . Further straps  25 , which prevent the holding strap  24  slipping down, are provided on the hindquarters of the horse. The holding strap  24  prevents the straps  18   a ,  19   a  slipping forward. 
     The lengths of both a strap  21   a  and of the holding straps  24 ,  25  are adjustable so they can be adapted to the size of the horse. 
     As is shown in the embodiment in  FIG. 3 , the weight of the horse can also be supported by two balancers. Apart from a balancer  10   a , by means of which support straps fastened to the forequarters of the horse take the weight of the horse, a further balancer  10   a  is fastened to a carriage  7   a  above the hindquarters of the horse and a support cloth  22  is fastened to said further balancer by means of a support belt  32 . The support cloth  22  fits closely to the hind legs and a part of the body similar to a pair of pants. In this case it is provided in such a manner that no force bears against the soft parts of the horse when the support cloth  22  takes the load. The support cloth  22  is formed from a material that adapts to the shape of the body in order to obtain uniform distribution of the close-fitting force and to avoid pressure points. 
     In an embodiment not shown, a balancer is provided above the hindquarters of the horse in each case for each leg. Each balancer is connected in each case to one side of the support cloth. In this way, it is possible to adjust the weight support for each leg. In addition, it is also conceivable to provide a balancer and a corresponding support cloth in each case for each of the four legs. 
     A power connection  27  that can be moved with the support  8  is shown in  FIG. 2 . To this end, a spiral-shaped power cable  27  is fastened to the carriage  7  and to a corner post of the frame  1   a  by means of holders  28 . Medical equipment fastened to a crossbeam  13   a  can be supplied with power at the power connection  27 . Holders  33 , which are only shown here in a schematic manner, are provided on the crossbeam  13   a  for securing the medical equipment. 
     The apparatus as claimed in the invention can also be provided in a horse walker, in which the animal is walked in a motor-driven manner along a certain distance. The horse is made to move while the intended weight is supported. In an advantageous manner, this means that the healing process can be accelerated and the risk of illnesses occurring on account of the animal not being able to move adequately can be reduced. In addition, it is conceivable to arrange the apparatus as claimed in the invention above a moving walkway for animals. 
     In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , an apparatus as claimed in the invention is provided in a transport trailer  34  for horses. Straps  18   a ,  19   a  supporting a horse are connected to a cable  37 , which is guided by means of guide pulleys  35 ,  36 , by means of tensioning belts  15   a  and a crossbeam  13   a . The cable  37  is connected to a cable  11   a  of a balancer  10   a  which is fastened by means of a winch  38  to a fastening means  39  on the floor of the transport trailer  34 . The height of the crossbeam  13   a  can be adjusted by means of the winch  38 . A maximum length of stretch can be set at the balancer  10   a  such that, for example, the horse can be prevented from lying down in the transport trailer  34 .