I found this horseshoe today hiking in the Blue Ridge.  It was pretty well buried in the mud on the side of a mountain in a place I couldn't imagine a horse being (mule maybe but also unlikely).  Not knowing much about horseshoes was wondering if anyone could shed any insight as to age, etc.

Welcome from the Ozark mountains. I can't help with the shoe but we have some members who probably can. One explanation on where it was found, someone may have pitched it up there. I would say it is probably very old and hand forged.

Thanks for the input.  Grew up in Missouri so we'll acquainted with the Ozarks.  The area where I found it was ravaged by rain from TS Fred in August 21 so probably was uncovered from that.  It was a pretty rugged area so unlikely there was ever any type of community in the immediate area.

Possibly a shoe thrown from a draft horse of a logging crew a long time ago?

Welcome aboard TPS, glad to have you. If you put your general location in the header you'll have a better chance of meeting up with members living within visiting distance. Telling us once in a post won't stick in our memories after we open another post.

Looks like it's deformed, I'm not familiar with a horse that has hooves shaped like that. It looks like it was thrown or maybe partially thrown and got tossed off the trail by the rider or drover.

Frosty The Lucky.

Good morning,

I used to find old mule shoes with big lugs like that sideways across the top, down in Georgia to give them more traction when pulling.  I suppose they would be useful for horses too, but all the ones I ever saw were for mules.  I ain't a farrier though, and certainly wasn't one a hundred years or so ago when the ones I found were made.

Its a hind shoe. From a horse not a mule. Being as its made from wrought iron its definitely old. Id guess at least pre WWI.

George

I agree with George, and it’s drafty