Horse Shoe Lore
By Andy Hagerty
Early horseshoes were made to hold seven nails -- seven is considered a lucky number. The earliest horseshoe beliefs started in Greece, where the first horseshoes were made during the fourth century BC. The Greeks of this time noted it’s resemblance to the crescent moon, which was believed to a symbol of fertility and good fortune. Horseshoes were also made of Iron, which was believed to ward off evil and weaken nature spirits.
St Dunstan gave the Horseshoe special power against Evil in around 959 ad. Before he became the Archbishop of Canterbury he was a blacksmith by trade. One day while at his forge he was approached by a suspicious stranger. The stranger asked for horseshoes to be attached to his feet. Dunstan noticed that the mans feet were actually cloven. The suspected the stranger was actually Satan himself. He agreed to do the work, but explained he would need to shackle the man to the wall to do so. Dunstan proceeded to make the process excruciatingly painful so soon Satan was begging for mercy. The future St Dunstan made the Devil agree to an oath to never enter a house where a horseshoe was displayed
above the door.
As time passed, the horseshoe was held in such high esteem that it went from it’s place from above the door, to mid door. The function also changed over the years and not only was it a talisman against evil, but it became a way to announce your presence. This is why so many door knockers have a horseshoe shape to them.
St Dunstan gave the Horseshoe special power against Evil in around 959 ad. Before he became the Archbishop of Canterbury he was a blacksmith by trade. One day while at his forge he was approached by a suspicious stranger. The stranger asked for horseshoes to be attached to his feet. Dunstan noticed that the mans feet were actually cloven. The suspected the stranger was actually Satan himself. He agreed to do the work, but explained he would need to shackle the man to the wall to do so. Dunstan proceeded to make the process excruciatingly painful so soon Satan was begging for mercy. The future St Dunstan made the Devil agree to an oath to never enter a house where a horseshoe was displayed
above the door.
As time passed, the horseshoe was held in such high esteem that it went from it’s place from above the door, to mid door. The function also changed over the years and not only was it a talisman against evil, but it became a way to announce your presence. This is why so many door knockers have a horseshoe shape to them.
Other worldly horseshoe Lore:
If you find a horseshoe, rub it seven times while making a wish.
If you see a horseshoe, spit on it, make a wish, and throw it over your shoulder. If you pick it up with your right hand, throw it over your left
shoulder; if you pick it up with your left hand, throw it over your right shoulder.
(England)
shoulder; if you pick it up with your left hand, throw it over your right shoulder.
(England)
In Buddhism the horse is one of the 12 animals in the Asian 60 year cycle. The last year of the horse was 2002 and was considered a very fortunate year.
A blacksmith who made horseshoes was able to perform a type of white magic against witches. Oaths about marriages, real estate contracts and business contracts were sworn upon anvils rather than bibles.
(Russia)
(Russia)
For the Hindus the horse is a very spiritual animal that is very close to the gods. They believe that horses' parents were heaven and earth and that horses belonged to the same race "devajata" as the Gods.
If you see a horseshoe, throw it over your head, quickly put your hands over your ears, and make a wish. (Some traditions say that if you toss a 'wished-on' horseshoe, you should not hear it land or see where it falls.)
(England)
(England)
Father, Son and holy Ghost, Nail the devil to the post.
(Irish incantation against evil and illness.)
(Irish incantation against evil and illness.)
Make a wish for good luck when you hang a horseshoe on a wall. Just having a horseshoe hung is supposed to bring good luck. You have two choices of how to hang it: Hang it with the ends pointing up, so it captures and holds good luck for you. Hang it with the ends pointing down, so the magic in the horseshoe pours out good luck for you.
(United States)
(United States)
Many cultures around the world consider the horseshoe to be good luck and or a way to ward off Evil. The mystical connections of the horse shoe are many. First off, it is made of Iron usually. Iron is generally accepted as having powers against Evil and faries.
Secondly the shape of the horse shoe is a crescent. This shape is often associated with goddess worship and the Moon. These were worshiped by a large number of proto civilizations. This association with these traditions is why the crescent is considered a protective shape.
Thirdly there is the association of the shoe with the horse itself. The horse has been revered and even worshiped by many cultures throughout time. This also seems to be a world wide phenomenon. Among early Celts, Slavic peoples and the Teutons, that the horse is considered a Luck Bringer. Often these cultures have a tradition of reverence for the horse. There is a tradition in Ireland that the horseshoe has special meaning due to the presence of the horse and the ass at the birth of Jesus.
So take an item that is made of a protective material, made in a shape that is considered a protective shape. Add in the association with a
beloved and revered powerful animal, and you have a perfect combination for an item of great mystical significance.
There is no one tradition that can lay claim to the origin of the horseshoe myths. It seems that throughout human history the need to gain protection from something greater then themselves runs deep in our genes. Who knows, there are things our ancestors knew about that we are just beginning to “rediscover”.
Secondly the shape of the horse shoe is a crescent. This shape is often associated with goddess worship and the Moon. These were worshiped by a large number of proto civilizations. This association with these traditions is why the crescent is considered a protective shape.
Thirdly there is the association of the shoe with the horse itself. The horse has been revered and even worshiped by many cultures throughout time. This also seems to be a world wide phenomenon. Among early Celts, Slavic peoples and the Teutons, that the horse is considered a Luck Bringer. Often these cultures have a tradition of reverence for the horse. There is a tradition in Ireland that the horseshoe has special meaning due to the presence of the horse and the ass at the birth of Jesus.
So take an item that is made of a protective material, made in a shape that is considered a protective shape. Add in the association with a
beloved and revered powerful animal, and you have a perfect combination for an item of great mystical significance.
There is no one tradition that can lay claim to the origin of the horseshoe myths. It seems that throughout human history the need to gain protection from something greater then themselves runs deep in our genes. Who knows, there are things our ancestors knew about that we are just beginning to “rediscover”.
