For optimal health and performance, a horse's hooves must be properly cared for. Many varieties of horse shoes are available for protecting the hooves during normal use. However, if a hoof is injured, it is necessary to cover some or all of the hoof to protect it and allow healing. It may also be necessary to use a covering capable of holding medication in contact with the bottom of the hoof. The horse's hoof consists of a central fleshy portion called a frog and a surrounding bony horn. Following an injury, either the frog or the horn itself may require a covering.
Typically, a reusable boot made out of leather, rubber, plastic or cloth is placed around the hoof so that it covers the frog and the horn and extends upwardly to the lower portion of the horse's leg. These reusable boots are typically secured in place using separable hook and loop fastener material, cable wires, belts, and/or laces. Some of these reusable boots are capable of protecting the hoof when the hoof is used on hard surfaces by acting as a plastic shoe or covering for the hoof. Therefore, the horse may be ridden or used while wearing one of these reusable boots. The reusable boot may also be used to retain a gauze or poultice between the boot and the hoof for treatment of the injured hoof. Some examples of reusable boots are shown in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 330,241 to Keagle; U.S. Pat. No. 630,310 to Agnew; U.S. Pat. No. 2,163,361 to Ford et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,048 to Hanson; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,885 to Chamberlain. These reusable boots suffer from the drawback that they are costly and must be thoroughly cleaned between uses to prevent the spread of infection or disease. The boots may also be heavy and uncomfortable for the horse and often do not stay in place while on the horse's hoof. If the boot slips off or dislodges, the horse may be injured.
Often, the horse is not ridden while the hoof is healing and therefore a bulky reusable boot is not necessary or desirable. What is needed is a simple, less bulky covering for the hoof. Current practice when an injured horse is to be stabled is to wrap the hoof with adhesive veterinary wrap or duct tape to cover the hoof and to hold medication. The procedure is illustrated in the March 1998 issue of Practical Horsemen Magazine, page 42. This approach is messy, time consuming, and the tape is difficult to remove. The horse may find the wrapping and removal process irritating and there is a danger that the horse may kick during the process. Therefore, there is a need for a simple, disposable hoof covering. It is also desirable that such a hoof covering be inexpensive.
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