The first thing that I found when I just started metal detecting was a horseshoe! I have never really thought about the age of this horseshoe. That is why I did a little research.
Remarkably enough, I have gathered a lot of new insights. So I am here to tell you everything about the age of horseshoes. So how do I know the age of a horseshoe that I have found?
Horseshoes from the 10th century mostly had a bronze scalloped outer rim, 6 nail holes and uneven shapes because they were handmade. Horseshoes from the 13th and 14th century were wider and larger without a scalloped outer rim, they had 8 nail holes and they were made from iron.
Horseshoes from the 19th century had more homogeneous shapes because the machine was invented during the industrial revolution. Horseshoes from the 20th century were mostly made of steel and aluminium instead of iron.
In this article I will tell you all the characteristics of different time periods. After reading this article you will probably have a better indication of the age of your horseshoe.
A horseshoe is also known as something that symbolizes luck. In this article I will tell you why a horseshoe symbolizes luck. Furthermore, I will mention good places to find old horseshoes.
Determining the age of a horseshoe
It is really difficult to determine the age of a horseshoe, but there are some characteristics of a horseshoe that refer to a specific time period in history.
Around 400 BC
Back in the days, people used horses for everyday activities like transporting materials with a cart. Sometimes the hoofs of a horse got infected because they were damaged by stones or something. That is why people made their own horseshoes to protect the hoofs.
The most horseshoes were made of leather straps with woven plant material. The horseshoes didn’t contain iron, because this material was not known to these people.
The 10th century
During the 10th century people used the metal bronze for horseshoes. The most horseshoes during these time had a bronze scalloped outer rim. The horseshoes mostly had 6 nails holes during the 10th century.
The horseshoes were characterized by uneven shapes because they were handmade. This means that the shapes were not homogeneous in this time. The horseshoes were relatively light compared to later horseshoe versions.
The 13th / 14th century
In the 13th and 14th century, many people traded in horses. Especially the bigger horses were worth a lot of money. This led to the breeding of large horses. Bigger horses also meant bigger hoofs.
The horseshoes in this time were therefore wider and longer than horseshoes in the 10th century. The bronze scalloped outer rim also often disappeared in these centuries.
The metal iron became popular during this time, so the horseshoe was often made of iron. The horseshoes were therefore heavier than previous versions.
The horseshoes went from 6 to 8 nails holes because they were wider and larger. The horseshoes were still made by the hand, so they did not have homogeneous shapes.
End 19th century
A machine for making horseshoes was introduced during the industrial revolution in the 19th century. This means that the most horseshoes were no longer made by humans. This led to more homogeneous shapes.
The horseshoes were still very wide and large. They still had 8 nails holes the most of the time. The scalloped outer ring was still gone. They still had a heavy weight because they were made of iron.
The 20th / 21th century
The current horseshoes are a little different from the previous horseshoes. The most modern horseshoes have a toe clip unlike previous versions. They are also made from a different material: they are mostly made from steel and aluminium.
This means that they are less heavier than the previous horseshoes made from iron. The number of nails differ between the horseshoes and this depends on the size of a horse’s hoof.
The shapes of the horseshoes vary because they are based on the measurements of a horse’s hoof. The shape has no inequalities due to the good technological progress of machines.
Overview of the characteristics of a horseshoe
The table below gives you a little overview of the characteristics of a horseshoe that refer to a specific period in history.
| Time period | Characteristics of the horseshoe |
|---|---|
| ~ 400 B.C | – Leather straps – Woven plant material |
| ~ 10th century | – Scalloped outer rim shape – Bronze – Lightweight – 6 nail holes |
| ~ 13th / 14th Century | – Wider and longer shape – No scalloped outer rim – Use of iron – Heavier weight – 8 nail holes – Uneven shapes |
| ~ End 19th Century | – No scalloped outer rim – Use of iron – Heavier weight – 8 nail holes – More homogeneous shape because the machine was invented |
| ~ 20th / 21th Century | – Toe clip – Made of steel and aluminium – Lightweight – The amount of nail holes are based on the shape of the horse’s hoof – Homogeneous shapes |
Why does a horseshoe symbolize good luck?
The horseshoe symbolizes luck because blacksmith San-Dustan let the devil swore to never come near to a horseshoe again. Furthermore, the iron of the horseshoe was seen as a magical metal which could keep off ghosts and devils.
The blacksmith San-Dustan
The saying comes from the 10th century. There was a blacksmith named San-Dustan. On a day,the holy San-Dustan was visited by the devil. San-Dustan recognized the devil and pinched him in the nose with a forging tong. He also nailed the horseshoe in the devil’s foot.
He forced the devil to never come close again to a horseshoe. The devil swore he would never come near a horseshoe again. Since this moment, many people believed that horseshoes could keep the devil away.
The magical metal iron
There were also people who believed that the iron of the horseshoe was a magical metal. They thought that it was a magical metal because iron could be deformed when it is heated up. This was seen as a sort of sorcery. This could possible keep off ghosts and devils.
Witches also didn’t dare to come close to horses anymore. Last but not least, the most horseshoes have exactly 7 nails, which is a lucky number for a lot of people.
The open side of the horseshoe upwards
Many people believed that you should hang the horseshoe with the opening upwards. By doing this, the luck is captured from the air by the horseshoe. When someone hung the horseshoe reversed, the luck would literally fall on the ground.
Where can I find a horseshoe with my metal detector?
Good places for finding horseshoes are places where many horses were used back in the days. This could be near to old farms, old fields or old fight areas.
Old farms
Many people used horses for chores on the farm. Old farms are therefore really good places for finding old horseshoes. These old farms often had paths close to the farm.
This made it possible to transport raw materials and crops on a cart pulled by a horse. You will definitely have a good chance of finding a horseshoe in these areas.
Old fields
Back in the days, people used their horses for agricultural work. You have a good chance of finding an old horseshoe close to an old field. You can recognize these old fields by their current shape.
Old fields often have a different shape than the current, rectangular fields. You should look with a satellite view for fields with a remarkable shape.
Old fields are also good places for finding old coins. If you wan’t to know why this is, you should read my other blog!
Old fight areas
Horses were also used during fights between different people. Horses sometimes lost their horseshoes during these battles. You will have a good chance to find a horseshoe in these former fight zones.
Frequently Asked Questions
A horseshoe is made of iron, cast iron, aluminium or steel. Back in the days, people often use iron and nowadays people often use steel or aluminium. The front horseshoes are mostly made of aluminium, because this metal is lighter than iron. This makes it easier for the horse to keep balance.
A horseshoe is an iron protection for the hoof of a horse. It has some holes in it for the nails. A horseshoe avoids little damages of the hoof that can get infected.
Yes, the horseshoe is made of iron. If you use a correct discrimination function on your metal detector, you can definitely find horseshoes.
The most horseshoes are made of iron. When iron comes into contact with water and oxygen, it will oxidate. Your horseshoe will slowly fall into pieces.