Protective device for the leg of a horse

Claim 1

A PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR THE LEG OF A HORSE COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED MEMBER FORMED OF PLASTIC HAVING A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL SPACED-APART LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING LATERALLY DISPOSED RIBS INTEGRALLY FORMED THEREON FOR ABSORBING AND UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTING EXTERNAL IMPACTS, AND HAVING UPPER AND LOWER OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE PORTIONS OPPOSITELY DISPOSED AND INTEGRALLY CONNECTED AT EACH END OF SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER; RESILIENT BACKING MEANS SECURED TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER TO FORM A COMPRESSIBLE INNER LINING FOR SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER, THE LINED U-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES EXTENDING THROUGGH BOTH THE PLASTIC MEMBER AND SAID RESILIENT BACKING MEANS FOR VENTILATION PURPOSES; AND ATTACHING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER FOR DETACHABLY HOLDING SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER TO THE SIDES AND REAR PORTIONS OF THE LEG OF A HORSE, SAID BACKING MEANS CONFORMING TO THE CONTOUR OF SAID LEG, SAID UPPER FLANGE PORTION EMBRACING THE BACK PORTION OF THE KNEE OF SAID LEG AND SAID LOWER FLANGE PORTION EMBRACING THE REAR PORTION OF SAID LEG AT THE FETLOCK.