Horse shoe age

[suberdave]

I found this horse shoe awhile back in the arroyo seco in Pasadena. Wondering if anyone could put a date on it. There have been horses in the area from 300 years ago, relatively young compared to the east coast. Anyway it looks pretty old and stood out to me. Thanks for your knowledge.
Can't really tell how many nail holes. Also when I touch it the rest falls off. Should I be careful not to clean it?

 

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[vpnavy]

I pulled this from another TN thread - this is just one of the replies in the thread...

Solved: How do you date horseshoes? (Feb 27, 2012, 11:30 AM)​

The information that was provided was found in the book: Artifacts of Colonial America by Ivor Noel Hume. (Don't shoot the messenger-call the author!) As noted, dating horseshoes is difficult at best. As with any hand-made item, the maker has the liberty to make it as he/she wishes. A current gunmaker could easily produce a flintlock rifle with all the early fixtures, but it obviously would not be old. Same thing with an ancient spear/arrow point. All one can do is go with the professional studies that have been documented and make your best guess.

 

[sprailroad]

As far as cleaning it?, Nothing to lose there, soak it in apple cider vinegar for a number of days, knock off the excess rust first, The vinegar really removes the rust well, then perhaps some wire brushing. If you then want to keep the shoe, soak it in a water/baking soda solution, the baking soda will draw out the acid from the vinegar, that had soaked into the iron, which would rust it from inside out.

 

[taz42o]

Looks like a mule shoe to me.

 

[BosnMate]

Agree, mule shoe.