Shoes - Soft Heel Bar Pads

[Jim Holland <lanconn@tds.net>]

I am looking for a place to purchase a shoeing product called "Soft Heel
Bar Pads". Would appreciate it if anyone familiar with this product
could point me to a distributor who sells this product and/or a
site/phone number where I can get information regarding them.  I have
been unable to track them down.

A post at horsehoes.com described them as follows:

"Approximately 1" is cut from each side of the steel shoe. The pad,
which covers the whole foot, THICKENS TO SHOE-WIDTH where the shortened
shoe ends. In effect, the rear half or so of the pad substitutes for
the missing inch of the shoe as well as the "bar." When the horse clips
his own heel, the pad flips down until the rear toe clears it, then
flips back into place instantly. Kinda like wearing a slipper... 
Although the pad is extremely tough (you cannot bend it away from the
heel with your bare hands) it gives where steel or aluminum will not. 
My little man has not pulled a shoe since he's worn these new pads. I
can't believe how well they work! They even have a hole around the frog
so it gets air and can be cleaned regularly. Most amazing of all,
despite extremely sharp lava rock *everywhere* except the arena and his
stall, the darn plastic they're made from holds up for two shoeings."



Jim Holland AERC 4074