I TOLD them there were animals...

[Bucket Lister]

Last time I was at my permission--an 1850 farmhouse--I had a discussion with the owners. We were standing in front of the 2 storey barn, and I told them I thought some of the best artifacts/relics might be under the crushed stone they put down in front of the barn doors. (I was willing to forgo detecting there; digging & replacing would be a nightmare! 😲) I mentioned I'd really like to find an ox knob. They said they didn't think there were any animals kept in the barn. "Oh," I said, looking up at the hayloft door, "Then what was the hay for, and what did they use for transportation?" 🤨

Well, today I found the evidence. What started out as maybe the worst day I've had detectoristing--12 holes and nada. So I decided, if possible, I'd keep going until I found something (better than foil, nails, and aluminum siding scraps... 😠). Then on the 15th hole, I found something both interesting (to me) and evidence (if not proof) of animals on the property... (Ignore the pennies--different day)

I believe that's an ox shoe, though not of a kind I've seen before?

[EDIT: 5/20/24 See Post #12]

I called it a day and came home. 🙂

 

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[Almy]

I see nail holes. It looks like half a thin horse shoe to me. Oxen toes are not shaped like that.

 

[Bucket Lister]

I see nail holes. It looks like half a thin horse shoe to me. Oxen toes are not shaped like that.

Yes, there are nail holes.
It doesn't appear to be broken at either end, and the shape/taper is wrong for a horse shoe.

I'm new to this; I thought it looked like ox shoes I've seen in MD vids on YT.

 

[leslie(nova scotia)]

Bad days happen but the adventures continue me bouy! Better days ahead and I too think part of an ox shoe.

 

[pepperj]

You have probably one side of a thinned out horse shoe.
Not an oxen shoe.
Here is an Oxen shoe on the left.
Partial Horse shoe on the right.

 

[Bucket Lister]

You have probably one side of a thinned out horse shoe.
Not an oxen shoe.
Here is an Oxen shoe on the left.
Partial Horse shoe on the right.
View attachment 2149296

Thinned out? Why would a horseshoe be thinner at the middle? If it were a partial horseshoe, it would be thicker, like it is on your partial--not tapered. And if it were flipped, it would be the widest horseshoe/hoof I'VE ever seen!

The only difference I see is the one I found is missing the plate part.

It doesn't appear to be broken at either end*, and the shape/taper is wrong for a horse shoe.

*Both ends appear worked.

I could be convinced it's not an ox shoe, though I don't know what else it might be. Were there such things as temporaries or orthopedic shoes? I've seen them on horses. I AM convinced it's not a partial horseshoe.

Time may tell depending on what else I may find on or (historically) about the property.

 

[Digger RJ]

Last time I was at my permission--an 1850 farmhouse--I had a discussion with the owners. We were standing in front of the 2 storey barn, and I told them I thought some of the best artifacts/relics might be under the crushed stone they put down in front of the barn doors. (I was willing to forgo detecting there; digging & replacing would be a nightmare! 😲) I mentioned I'd really like to find an ox knob. They said they didn't think there were any animals kept in the barn. "Oh," I said, looking up at the hayloft door, "Then what was the hay for, and what did they use for transportation?" 🤨

Well, today I found the evidence. What started out as maybe the worst day I've had detectoristing--12 holes and nada. So I decided, if possible, I'd keep going until I found something (better than foil, nails, and aluminum siding scraps... 😠). Then on the 15th hole, I found something both interesting (to me) and evidence (if not proof) of animals on the property... (Ignore the pennies--different day)
View attachment 2149041

I believe that's an ox shoe, though not of a kind I've seen before?

I called it a day and came home. 🙂

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Bucket Lister]

At any rate, it's still pretty good evidence that some kind of animals were kept on the property.

 

[pepperj]

Thinned out? Why would a horseshoe be thinner at the middle? If it were a partial horseshoe, it would be thicker, like it is on your partial--not tapered. And if it were flipped, it would be the widest horseshoe/hoof I'VE ever seen!

The only difference I see is the one I found is missing the plate part.

*Both ends appear worked.

View attachment 2149297

I could be convinced it's not an ox shoe, though I don't know what else it might be. Were there such things as temporaries or orthopedic shoes? I've seen them on horses. I AM convinced it's not a partial horseshoe.

Time may tell depending on what else I may find on or (historically) about the property.

It's like a shoe that we wear, all different shapes and sizes.

I've dug shoes that are worn right thin.
But I don't have an inventory of dug shoes handy.
So I just grabbed what was in the bucket.
Have a look at the images and there are a few that are "slim" looking.

 

[pepperj]

At any rate, it's still pretty good evidence that some kind of animals were kept on the property.

My first thought when I read the age of the property and the barn.
Folks are sometimes amusing when taking about the history of their property.
"If they didn't see it with their own eyes, it probably didn't exist "
My question would be: "why did they have a barn in the first place?"
It seems in all likelihood that the barn was for animals, feed, storage of things they needed to farm.

 

[pa plateau hiker]

Bucket Lister, take it for all of us that know what it is. It is a broken horseshoe. I have dug hundreds of horseshoes, many broken shoes such as what you posted. It is not an ox shoe.

 

[Bucket Lister]

I said I could be convinced it's not an ox shoe. I'm convinced.

I've shown it to some locals. The consensus is it's either an orthopedic horseshoe or one that was worn down so far that it wore in two, either of which explains the taper and why there is no break.

IDK anything about horses. If the latter is the case, would that be considered neglect for letting a shoe wear down that far?