Various synthetic materials which are similar to the substance of the hoof in terms of its physical properties and bind to the hoof due to their highly adhesive nature. These materials are used mainly to repair or cover defects of the hoof wall. The most frequently encountered products include thermosetting polymers such as epoxy resins and polyurethanes. The expression composites refers to the fact that these substances are all stored as 2 components which are then mixed to produce the final material; during solidification, heat is emitted (thermosetting).

Square or rectangular extension of the anvil level with the face, used primarily to hold the horseshoe in an ideal position to draw the clip. 

Horn is the substance from which hooves, horns, finger and toe nails and the beaks of birds are made. Horn is created when the germinative (reproducing) cells of the epidermis undergo keratinisation (a.k.a. cornification), a process by which the cells are completely filled by keratin filaments to make them hard.

The process by which the germinal cells of the epidermis divide and are converted to horny tissue (cornification); this results in the growth of horn. The maximum rate of horn growth in hooves is approx. 8 mm per month (the hoof wall).

A type of cylindrical horn structure found in the horn of the hoof. It represents the horn that is grown from the epidermis of the papillae on the corium of the hoof wall and the sole. Microscopically a small medullary cavity is visible in the centre of the tubule - this is caused by the lack of germinative cells at the very tip of the papilla.

A type of horn which is extremely solid. The majority of the hoof capsule consists of hard horn (the stratum medium of the hoof wall as well as the sole), whereas the frog and the bulbs consist of soft horn.

Horn that retains a considerable degree of elasticity. The horn of the frog and the bulbs are examples of soft horn. Soft horn contains a higher percentage of water than hard horn.

A thickened area of skin as a result of increased pressure and wear, caused by a cornification of the epidermis in a location which would not usually be cornified.

Morphological appearance of the horn in inner most layer of the horn capsule: the stratum lamellatum. It describes the presence of the lamella that are typical of this segment of the horn capsule.

The horn in the region of the sole.

Tubular horn that is produced by the terminal papillae of the dermal lamellae of the inner hoof wall (stratum internum or stratum lamellatum). Terminal horn fills the 'gaps' between the horny lamellae between the end of the dermal lamellae and the solar surface of the hoof and, therefore, forms a part of the white line. The striations visible in the white line are caused by alternating leaflets of lamellar horn and terminal horn.

The type of horn from which the majority of the hoof capsule is made. It consists of many elongated cylinders of horn (horn tubules) lying parallel to each other and running continuously from the coronary band to the bearing edge, the horn tubules are grown from the epidermis of the coronary papillae. Between these tubules lies strong intertubular horn which forms a matrix in which the tubules are embedded, this is grown from the coronary epidermis between the papillae.