Kozzy Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Haven't figured out how to phrase this right so bear with me. I want to do a small display for the local agricultural museum I work with that takes a little different view of those old horseshoes that are dug up by the dozens on just about every local farm. The goal of this is to aim at kids and get them to think about the story the shoe can tell. Kids dinking around their farm are always finding old shoes and I'm hoping I can get some to take a second look at their rusty find to think about the life of the animal it was on decades ago. Mostly we're talking about work horse/mule shoes but sometimes an average shoe has a bit of a story too. This is not so much about the nuts and bolts but things like being able to tell from the wear that this horse did a lot of heavy pulling or the heavy rear caulks tell of a horse that the farmer was afraid would slip down hills under the loads it was pulling--then puff that a bit to be more story-like in the telling. I was hoping to find an old-school "seen it all" farrier who had the kind of passion for shoes that they could help find the story in older unique shoes. I've gathered a few shoes but am searching out a few more. I just need help from the kind of person who looks at a shoe and sees the horse and it's life, not just whether the shoe was a bad fit. Maybe you know a name at one of the farrier schools where this kind of shoe-king works so I can contact them--maybe you are this kind of farrier. The local farriers are young guys who focus on saddle horses. They're more oriented on fit and finish than seeing the story a shoe might tell (and are busy making a living). The old museum guys are "tractor focused" and shoes are just old backyard rust to most of them. Again, it's about the story the shoe can tell, not just the nuts and bolts of a shoe. I'm willing to send off a few rusty shoes that I have to look at and start building a bit of a story on. I can send photos of what I have also but that's not the same as feeling the wear and seeing the horse. I'm not even sure it can be done adequately at this point. I can also use some interesting shoes you may have found that tell a story to add to the display if someone happens to want to pass them on. Hope that makes sense. It's only an idea at this point but I'm hoping enough can be gleaned from some unusual shoes to put a bit of a horse's life in a one to two liner story-form that gets 4th graders (give or take 90 years of age) thinking about the life behind that old shoe they discovered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Acualy posting pictures is a good idea, as it will allow those of us here who shoe to combine our experiance. We are an international forum, so that "old" shoe may be the same "new" shoe we are using today, horses haven't changed all that much, and ones that do an honest day's work face the same isues. I would like to see the shoe, ground serface up, posably ground serface down, and both sides, preferably ground serface down on a flat serface (edge of a table or desk) this will let us gage the type of shoe as well as the wear. We may also be able to see detailes such cast iron hard facing or mower blade forge welded into the calks. As found as well as cleaned up. I drive as well as shoe heavies, so I know a bit about working horses and mules, as well as oxen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Without pictures? Aw heck without pictures you don't need a farrier just someone creative, I'll be happy to start making things up if you'd like. Kids like a good yarn you know. Why boys and girls this here shoe was from a New York police horse You can tell by these nicks on the ground surface. They're caused by chasing crack heads. Running makes crack head heads crumble from the vibration and stepping on the pieces nick the horse's shoes! Don't mess with crack kids it's bad for you and messes up horse shoes! Every story you tell children should have a moral. Doesn't need to be truthful if it has a good moral you know. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soupyjones Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 That is a fantastic tale Frosty. Not helpful but fantastic nonetheless. The drawback being that crackheads are known to be far too soft to damage a shoe. Honestly one would think you have done no research at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 No research, none what so ever, that just came out of my brain damaged memory in a matter of seconds. Speaking of research are YOU sure running away from the authorities, vibration crumbled crack head head pieces are too soft to nick, that brand horse shoe? They were the extra grippy for running on pavement soft aluminum horse shoe. The brand name is "Super Gripparoo Shoe." Goodness, don't you Canuks(sp?) now anything? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soupyjones Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Super gripparoo makes a fine product. Science has proven that crack softens the bones to the point that they could not even chip the most delicate of ceramic equine footwear. Now I must invite you to stick that in your proverbial pipe. (Did you get the subtle crack reference in that one?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Subtle? What a coc aine bull pun, it's a mere sham of word play. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soupyjones Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 I got a pretty good snort out of that one. Sorry my last pun wasn't cut fine enough. I shall try to ensure my word play is more pure next time. Deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 17 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said: Acualy posting pictures is a good idea, as it will allow those of us here who shoe to combine our experiance. I'll try and post a few photos tomorrow. The shoes are at home right now. I figured that most people would see it as a bit of a flood of photos on a very narrow subject and consider it a bit annoying. Again, not sure that much can be gleaned--trying to find the kind of shoes where one might be able to tell a bit of a story *if possible*. We'll give it a shot and thanks for any help you can give. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Glenn opened a farrier section just for this reason. Horseshoeing is a specialized branch of blacksmithing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 15 hours ago, Soupyjones said: I got a pretty good snort out of that one. Sorry my last pun wasn't cut fine enough. I shall try to ensure my word play is more pure next time. Deal? Oh it wasn't a bad pun it was just that you seemed to think I needed it pointed out that cut a crinkle in my brow. I'm always up for word play and I'm sure you're Top's so please roll on! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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