(With our thanks to Dr. Bryan Fraley, Lexington, KY)
The Series II shoeing system has recently experienced a much broader clinical acceptance and use particularly in and around the Lexington, KY area. The most frequent applications seem to be associated with, but not limited to, brood mares experiencing serious hoof issues. The veterinarians and farriers using this fabric-cuffed glue-on system have generated remarkable array of creative shoe shapes & applications to treat & resolve the hoof problems presented to them. As the clinicians have become more creative, the cuff / plate bonding system has encountered some performance challenges that test the TPU (thermo-plastic urethane) attachment strength. As of this date (September 2014) Sound Horse has undertaken changes that will significantly improve the strength and reliability of the cuff to plate bond. In the interim, we recommend the farrier or fabricator add several mechanical fasteners to assure the assembly meets & exceeds the performance, reliability & longevity expectations of the customer.
We suggest using sheet metal screws to fasten the heels & toe thru the rim pad to the plate:
Phillips flat head, self-drilling, zinc plated steel, size #10 x 1″ long.
This method is fast & reliable and the head will seat below the surface of the rim pad.
Note in the photo that the fabric cuff has been cut along the urethane rim pad for about ¾ to 1 inch toward the toe and the screw has been seated at that point where the fabric joins the cuff. This arrangement will significantly strengthen the heel attachment as the primary pull on the cuff’s trailing edge is located at the exact point where the fastener located. The rim pad bond extends the extra ¾ – 1 inch to add surface area for strength.
Two (2) additional fasteners have been added at the toe (pictured). These flat headed, #10 self-drill screws will capture the fabric embedded in the urethane cuff and can be seated below the surface of the resilient rim-pad.
