“For want of a nail the shoe was lost.  For want of a shoe the horse was lost.  For want of a horse the rider was lost.  For want of a rider the message was lost.  For want of  a message the battle was lost.  For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.  And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.” – Phil Jackson

It is said that early horseshoes were made to hold 7 nail holes; seven is considered a lucky number.  Most historians give the Greeks credit for the earliest horseshoe that resembled a crescent moon, a symbol of fertility and good fortune.  It was also believed that iron, which was what the horseshoe was made of, would ward off evil and weaken nature spirits.

The horseshoe got real notoriety when St. Dunstan gave the horseshoe special power against evil.  He was a blacksmith by trade before he became the Archbishop of Canterbury .   He was approached by a stranger one day who asked for horseshoes to be attached to his feet.  Dunstan noticed that the stranger’s feet were cloven.  Suspecting that this stranger was Satan himself, Dunstan agreed to honor the stranger’s request.  Dunstan told the stranger that he would have to shackle him to the wall.  The stranger agreed and once Dunstan had him shackled to the wall, he went to work.  At this point Dunstan took advantage of the shackled Satan and made the process so painful that it wasn’t long before Satan was begging him to stop, and to remove the shoes.  Dunstan stopped and looked Satan in the eyes and told him if he would agree to an oath in which he would agree to never enter a house where a horseshoe was displayed above the door he would stop.  The pain of the shoes was so great Satan agreed to honor St. Dunstan’s demand.  Now that my friends ,is the rest of the story.

It is said that if you find a horseshoe, if you rub it 7 times while making a wish your wish will come true.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Remember to spread the love.  Merry Christmas!