CaliforniaOkie

So sorry for no picture. This was my set up. I had a fire pit I cut a hole in the bottom of and attached a short piece of 2" pipe, then an elbow, and a pipe leading out that I used my wife's old hairdryer as a blower with. I stacked fire brick around the hole and set a grate between layers to keep the chunks of hardwood from falling in. So I did manage to get a cherry red on the horseshoe, I wouldn't say it was bright, but it was visible in daylight. About then I also noticed the bottom of the fire pit around the pipe connection was bright red. So I need a different forge. Thank you for all the suggestions and support. I'll post again when I have a better setup.

Really right now, I'm just trying to get get the metal got enough to forge. I may make a license plate holder. I got the horseshoes for 3 for a dollar.

Sorry if I'm asking a question that's already been answered. I am literally starting today. On my last trip to California, I talked my dads ferrier out of some horseshoes his apprentice had messed up on the cheap. I have an old fire pit I converted into a forge by lining with firebrick and adding a blower. I have hardwood for fuel. I want to know if I will be able to straighten one of the horseshoes with my cheap little setup, or am I just spinning my wheels? Should I see if I can get coal instead of using hardwood? Is horseshoe iron a decent material to practice on? Thanks for any advice, and sorry once again if I'm covering old ground.