Northern Europe · Canterbury, England
Horseshoe
Also known as Lucky horseshoe
Iron, crescent-shaped and nailed above countless doors, the horseshoe is one of Europe’s most familiar charms for good luck and a safe home.
A horseshoe nailed above a door is one of the most familiar sights of European folk belief. For centuries it has been hung to keep good luck in the house and trouble out. Its story combines the practical value of iron, the craft of the and a lively medieval legend.
Iron, horses and the smith
Long before anyone hung a horseshoe for luck, iron itself had a reputation. In the folklore of Britain, Ireland and much of Europe, was believed to keep away fairies, witches and ill-wishers. A horseshoe joined that metal to the horse, the most valuable animal a farming household could own.
The smith who made it was a respected figure, working with fire and metal at the heart of village life. Shoes were often fixed with seven nails, and seven has long been thought a lucky number. A used shoe found by chance on the road was considered especially fortunate, a small gift from the journey of a stranger.
The shoe itself is a medieval story. Nailed iron shoes came into wide use in Europe during the Middle Ages, as more horses worked on roads and in fields, and the forge became a familiar sight in towns and villages. A charm can only become common once the object behind it is everywhere, and by the later Middle Ages the horseshoe was.
The legend of Saint Dunstan
The horseshoe’s most famous story belongs to Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, who died in 988. Dunstan was remembered as a gifted metalworker. In a legend told and retold long after his lifetime, the Devil came to him and asked to have his hoof shod.
Dunstan recognised his visitor and nailed the shoe on so painfully that the Devil begged to be released. The saint let him go only on one condition: that he would never enter a house with a horseshoe above the door. It is a cheerful tale of cleverness winning the day, and it gave an old custom a Christian blessing.
A horseshoe joins the strength of iron to the patience of the horse and the skill of the smith.
Points up or points down
Which way to hang it is a lively and very old argument. Many people in Britain and Ireland hang the shoe with the points upward, so that it holds luck like a cup and none can spill out. Others hang it points down, so that luck pours over everyone who walks beneath, and smiths are often said to hang it this way above the forge.
There is no single correct answer, and regional custom differs. The crescent shape has also been linked with the moon, which may have added to its appeal, though that connection is hard to prove.
How it is used today
- Nailed above the front door, inside or outside, to bless the home
- Given to brides, in silver or as a ribboned paper or fabric shoe
- Worn as a pendant, brooch, ring or pair of cufflinks
- Hung in stables, barns and tack rooms
- Used as a motif on cakes, cards and wedding favours
Giving a horseshoe to a bride is a well-loved British and Irish custom. She may carry it, hang it from her wrist or keep it afterwards in the new home. Silver horseshoe charms are also a favourite gift for new homeowners and for anyone setting off on a venture.
Oakham’s horseshoes
The market town of Oakham in Rutland keeps a remarkable collection. By an old custom, peers of the realm and members of the royal family on their first visit to the town present a horseshoe to the lord of the manor. More than two hundred ceremonial shoes, many of them huge and gilded, now hang in the great hall of Oakham Castle. The oldest surviving one is said to be a gift of Edward IV in the fifteenth century.
Choosing and caring
A real iron horseshoe will rust outdoors. A coat of clear wax or oil slows it down, and many people prefer the soft brown patina anyway. Hang it with sturdy nails or screws, since a falling shoe is the opposite of good luck. For more on materials, see metals, stones and materials.
The horseshoe sits comfortably among talismans of luck and of the home. In Ireland it often keeps company with a Brigid’s cross, while the hag stone was hung in stables for similar reasons. Southern Italy has its own horn-shaped charm against misfortune, the Cornicello.
Whichever way you hang it, a horseshoe over the door is a small daily welcome. It is a reminder of craft, of hard work and of good wishes for everyone who lives inside.
taliaris describes beliefs and customs; it makes no claim that a talisman has an effect.