LEATHER-LIKE HOOF PAD OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL
This invention is a hoof pad (10, 20) adapted for attachment between the hoof (32) of a horse and a horseshoe (34). The hoof pad (10, 20) is made of a leather-like composite material having a substantially continuous web portion impregnated with a binder composition. The web portion of the composite material is made of a particulate, matrix forming material, preferably a natural or synthetic fibrous material. The binder composition binds the particulate, matrix forming material in the web and imparts resiliency and water resistance to the composite material. Preferably, the binder composition is a natural or synthetic rubber latex. The hoof pad (10, 20) can be a full pad (20) or a rim pad (10), and is sized to fit between a horse's hoof (32) and a horseshoe (34) with a peripheral portion shaped substantially the same as the arcuate portion of the horseshoe (34).