Our Research

To make sure our pads are superior to the competition, we put them to the test. We worked with The UC Davis Veterinary School of Medicine and The Racing Surfaces Laboratory in Lexington Kentucky to quantify the effect of our pads on horses.

For generations, leather has been the traditional go-to material for horseshoe rim pads. It’s common, familiar, and available in any farrier's trailer. But when it comes to the extreme athletic demands of modern performance horses, tradition doesn't equal protection.

Rigorous mechanical testing simulating real equine forelimb loading—ranging from shifting weight to intense galloping forces—shows that leather falls short exactly where our advanced 3D-printed materials excel.

If you are looking for true shock absorption and structural durability to safeguard your horse's limbs, it is time to upgrade to Comfort-Flex (TPU65) and Sport-Flex (TPU80). Here is what the laboratory data proves:

1. Superior Shock Absorption (Less Rebound)

The job of a rim pad is to act as a buffer between the ground and your horse's foot. When a pad bounces back immediately, it fails to dissipate energy, forcing the horse's joint structures to take the hit.

  • The Problem with Leather: Leather shows a higher energy return than our advanced TPU formulas. Even worse, after sustained standing pressure (creep testing), leather’s energy return degrades by 8%, compounding the problem.
  • The TPU Solution: Comfort-Flex and Sport-Flex exhibit the lowest overall average energy return of all tested materials. This means they possess the maximum capacity for shock absorption, capturing the impact force so your horse's limbs don't have to.

2. Defending Against "Creep" and Permanent Deformation

When a horse is standing in the cross-ties or a trailer, its pads are subjected to a constant load over time—a phenomenon known as "creep". A quality pad should resist packing out permanently.

  • The Problem with Leather: Leather suffered the most severe permanent structural breakdown under creep testing, leading to the worst residual strain and permanent deformation of all materials evaluated. Once leather packs out and flattens, its protective qualities disappear.
  • The TPU Solution: Comfort-Flex and Sport-Flex strongly resist permanent flattening. They maintained excellent structural memory, ensuring they won’t stop deforming or pack out after a long day on hard surfaces.

3. Stability and Stress Recovery

Performance shouldn't change halfway through a ride. A reliable rim pad needs to rebound and recover its original supportive state as soon as the hoof leaves the ground.

  • The Problem with Leather: Under sustained pressure, leather's strain energy increased by an alarming 70%. If a material's internal profile alters drastically under pressure, it can introduce dangerous inconsistencies to the hoof's balance and shock distribution.
  • The TPU Solution: Comfort-Flex is exceptionally stable, keeping a consistent profile that remains largely unaffected by sustained pressure or changes in speed and pace. Furthermore, Sport-Flex and Comfort-Flex recovered the highest amount of stress post-unload, proving they bounce back to active protection mode the instant the foot is lifted.

Step Into the Future of Hoof Care

The data is clear. Leather packs out, deforms permanently, and offers inferior shock mitigation under load.

Whether your goal is maximum therapeutic relief and a kinder impact on the leg with Comfort-Flex, or rugged, high-performance impact distribution with Sport-Flex, you are choosing an engineered solution backed by modern biomechanical research.

Don't let yesterday's materials compromise your horse's joints. Upgrade to scientific protection today.