Horseshoes have been played for centuries and remain a very popular game to this day.
So what is the weight of a horseshoe?
According to the NHPA (National Horseshoe Pitching Association), a horseshoe can weigh a maximum of 2 pounds 10 ounces (0.95 kg).
You can find lighter horseshoes that weigh as low as 2 pounds, to ones that weigh 2.5 pounds (0.90 to 1.13 kg).
There is no minimum weight for horseshoes.
Of course, horseshoes are also used for protecting a horse’s foot.
Horse owners realized that their horse’s hooves often cracked or wore down over time. This was especially true if they were regularly walking on hard surfaces.
The first known use of nailed-on horseshoes is believed to have occurred around 400 BC.
For many years, blacksmiths, who were trained to make horseshoes from iron, provided one of the most important services in many villages, towns, and cities.
In some places, blacksmiths and the horseshoes they made were considered to be so important that the horseshoes themselves were used as currency to buy other items.
Today, the practice of making horseshoes is not as widespread and the materials used have changed. But there are still experts called farriers who ensure that these shoes are fitted properly. They also make them comfortable for a horse to wear.
~ Fun Fact ~
There are many myths and legends that surround horseshoes. They are considered lucky items, and it’s not unusual to see a horseshoe hanging above a doorway. This superstition dates back to the 10th century, when it’s believed that a saint called Saint Dunstan managed to put a horseshoe on the foot of the devil.
Saint Dunstan agreed to remove this horseshoe so long as the devil agreed to avoid homes with a horseshoe hung above their doors. Since then, the tradition of hanging a horseshoe above a door has been handed down from one generation to another. However, there is still disagreement about whether the ends of a horseshoe should face up or down!
Resources:
http://www.horseshoepitching.com/rules/specifications.pdf
https://www.horseshoesonline.com/horseshoe-weights.html
