IMPROVE- MENTS IN PADS FOR HORSES FEET
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ROBERT JAMES FORSTER of Rutland Cottage, Brixton Hill in the County of
Surrey Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PADS FOR HORSES FEET," to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a pad which can readily be inserted
into a horses shoe and securely retained there in order to form not only an elastic
pad to protect the foot from jars but also to prevent sharp stones nails or such like
from entering the frog of the foot and it may be also to form a roughing for.the
horse in slippery weather.
For this purpose I make a pad of a suitable thickness and formed to fit tightly
within the interior of a horses shoe and somewhat wider on its upper than on its
under side so that when inserted into the shoe it may be securely retained.
Across the pad I form a longitudinal vertical division and secure the upper face
of both halves to one piece of canvas or such like material which holds them
together and forms as it were a hinge joint on which the parts can turn.
To insert the pad into a horses shoe the pad is somewhat bent by turning the
two divisions upon the canvas joint which connects them so that the edges of the
pad may readily be inserted into the shoe-afterwards by pressing the centre of
the pad inwards the pad can be straightened out and its edges so forced firmly
against the inner sides of the shoe. In this way the pad will become securely
fixed within the shoe and will remain there without any further fastening.
The two divisions of the pad may be made of cork or such like elastic material
or they may be made with strips or bars of elastic material on their under side
whilst the remainder is formed of, more rigid material.
In slippery weather the pads may be formed with sharp roughened surfaces on
their under side to enable the horse to obtain a firm hold of the ground.
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page_text: I ROBERT JAMES FORSTER of Rutland Cottage Brixton Hill in the County of
Surrey Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to provide a pad which can readily be inserted
into a horses shoe and securely retained there in order to form not only an elastic
pad to protect the foot from jars but also to prevent sharp stones nails or such like
from injuring the frog or sole of the foot and it may be also to form a roughing
for the horse in slippery weather.
For this purpose I make a pad of a suitable thickness and form to fit tightly
within the interior of a horses shoe and somewhat wider on its upper than on its
under side so that when inserted into the shoe it may be securely retained.
Along the pad I form a longitudinal vertical division and secure the upper face
of both halves to one piece of flexible material which holds them together and
forms as it were a hinge joint on which the parts can turn.
To insert the pad into a horses shoe the pad is somewhat bent by turning the
two divisions upon the joint which connects them so that the edges of the pad may
readily be inserted into the shoe-afterwards by pressing the centre of the pad
inwards the pad can be straightened out and its edges so forced firmly against the
inner sides of the shoe. In this way the pad will become securely fixed within
the shoe and will remain there without any further fastening.
Each division of the pad may be made mainly of cork and the two divisions be
secured to a sheet of vulcanized india rubber or other such like elastic material, or
each division of the pad may be made with strips or bars of elastic material on its
under side whilst the remainder is formed of more rigid material.
In slippery weather the pads may be formed with sharp roughened surfaces on
their under side to enable the horse to obtain a firm hold of the ground.
Figure 1 shows a plan view. Figure 2 an underside view-Figure 3 a side
view and Figure 4 a transverse section of a pad formed in the manner I prefer for
carrying out my invention.
The pad shown is composed of an upper plate A of vulcanized india rubber or
leather or such like flexible material to the underside of which are secured two
pieces B of cork or other like elastic material one below one longitudinal half of
the plate A and the other below the other half. To the underside of the rear
portion of each piece of cork B are also secured pieces C of tough durable material
such as leather or dermatine so as to give additional pressure and protection to the
sole and frog of the foot.
The parts are preferably secured one to another by stitching as shown-headed
nails or screws with short stems may also be driven or screwed into the pieces C
around their edge to secure them to the pieces B and give to them a surface which
is not liable to become chafed or worn.
The flexible upper plate A of the pad may if desired be formed with side pro-
jections A¹ as shewn by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2 to increase the power of

page_text: the pad to remain in place within the interior of a horses shoe. The flexible
upper plate of the pad may also if desired be carried out to the size of the foot or
rather larger as shown at Figures 5 and 6 so that the pad can be nailed on with
the shoe and be removed whenever required by passing a knife around the inside
edge of the shoe.
The pad after being removed can be again put back into place or be again
removed as often as desired.
The pad also in place of being formed with one division along it may be divided
lengthwise by two or more divisions.
Pads formed as herein described are not only useful for horses when working on
roads but are also invaluable as an artificial stopping for horses feet when the
horses are resting in a stable as a constant pressure can so be kept on the sole and
frogs of the feet.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim is :-
1. The construction of a pad for horses feet in two or more parts with the
division or divisions between the parts running length wise of the pad and with
the parts jointed to one another where they meet by a flexible joint substantially
as described.
2. The construction of a pad for horses feet substantially in the manner herein
before described.