The first time that I had really considered Plastic Heart Bar pads
was during a clinic featuring Myron McLane as the guest speaker.
Since then, there are times when I have used his pads,
and others in order to give the horses what they need.

I use steel heartbar shoes mostly, which includes,
purchased Heartbar shoes, handmade,
as well as a welded insert applied to an open shoe.

The shoe below would be one of the welded inserts.
(Yes the frog support looks kinda funny,
but that was the Bi-level shape of the frog and
I achieved the much needed and advised
zero pressure applied to the frog)


After viewing Ricks photo of an application that he had done . . .
(Thanks Rick for letting me use your photo as a plastic application example)


. . . I got to thinking about the need for the
FULL CONTACT yet ZERO PREASURE application of a Heartbar shoe,
And wondered if the plastic version really delivers.

Being that the frog support plastic pad, is not absolutely ridged,
When a horse foot steps on a large stone
and it is central between the actual shoe,
and the only contact is with the frog support,
then would there not be an extreme amount of pressure on the frog?

Conversely, if the foot was to come to rest
where the ground was in contact with the shoes perimeter,
but there was a hollow in the ground
right where the frog support was
would the support then, not be doing its job?
(I can see that in Ricks photo,
the rear of the pad between the heels of the shoe
there is a pretty solid suport,
but not forward of that.)

I am not an advocate for any of the heartbar choices, necessarily,
And Impression material or other fillers aside . . .

. . . Some may think that, maybe I'm splitting hairs,
But as the thought occurred to me,
I figured it might be worth exploring
and asking all of you, for your respected opinions.

PS. As Rick suggested to me . . .
. . . "Lets include aluminum Heartbar shoes in this discussion."

everyhorseisapersontoo wrote:
It is OK to float a heel after burning the shoe in place,

But there needs to be Zero Pressure while applying the shoe,
otherwise the foot will likely go lame.

Loading the frog, is what Burney Chapman did
when he first started using the shoe and he found
he was lameing horses, so opted for a ZERO PREASURE application,
and there after had great success.

Back To;

Steel Heartbar Shoes vs. Plastic Heartbar Pads

If you apply a heartbar shoe with no pressure, you are in essence leaving afine amount of space between the bar and the frog. ~ How then do you account for no pressure when you return at the end of the cycle to reshoe and find fine mud, suck, manure, dirt, sand, silt... etc having filled that void?

What about the frog growing down and making contact?

Is it that in the beginning of the cycle there is clearance and the horse has time to recoup from the inflammation that is occurring, then as the cycle progresses, ( fills up with ???) the horse gets uncomfortable or not? Hence that sortened length of some horses shoeing cycles?

Thoughts?
Tony

THamilton wrote:
Sorry Tony, and anyone else
But as a teacher, I am sure, you have had times, trying to keep your students on topic.

Why Don't you start a thread called
"How Should I Apply a Heartbar Horseshoe?"
or
"Help Me Understand Heartbar Horseshoes"
or
"My Esoteric Thoughts on The No Pressure Application of a Heartbar Horseshoe"

This Thread is called
"Steel Heartbar Shoes vs. Plastic Heartbar Pads"

vs. would indicate a single topic with a comparative aspect.

Since I did not have a comparitive aspect, but rather an aspect that fit both types of shoes, What exactly is being discussed? Tha pro's and con's of each?

Tony

THamilton wrote:Applied with no pressure? Loaded, or unloaded? And it will lose it's effect , as the hoof capsule ,deforms. The Heart -Bar was the first ,frog stimulating ,supporting, shoe to be applied , in a long time. Now Rick Redden, Gene O, and Vettec ,have come out with some great products,to make up for our lack of skills . They all have been mis-applied at times , and have all been put under close scrutinity. But they all are doing the same thing, I think. The Impression material, makes up for lack of skill, and is more fogiving , if misapplied. But both have great uses and potential -of -helping horses-to be sound. In short , I use both. P.S. Impression material ,and frog support pads are great, but a heart -bar will support the coffin-bone weather the animal is laying-down, or not.