Heartbar shoes provide what benefit beyond protection?

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Heartbar shoes are designed to do more than guard the hoof; they actively protect the frog and redirect weight through it. By positioning a bar that makes contact with the frog area, the shoe helps transfer and share forces away from the coffin bone and sensitive lamina, improving load distribution and stabilizing the hoof during movement. This functional support aids healing in conditions like laminitis or other hoof issues, whereas cosmetic changes, increased speed, or lighter weight are not the main benefits.