Horseshoes are one of the most common Good Luck charms, perhaps in part because of the relationship with horse racing and gambling.
Some people believe that the horseshoe must be positioned with the open end on top “so the luck doesn’t run out” while other believe that the open end should be downward so the luck CAN run out. Either way, the horseshoe has become a staple symbol for Luck.
Small model horseshoes were often sold as souvenirs of various tourist attractions the top in the photo below shows the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield and the middle one shows the Grand Canyon.
Here are some more small horseshoe models meant for souvenirs.
Horseshoes can also be a popular motif for decorative items, like this lucky vase made by the famous McCoy Pottery company.
McCoy Good Luck Horseshoe Vase
Horseshoes are often used as the design for good luck rings. Here are a couple of examples of horseshoe rings. This is a very typical form for rings and they are often worn to increase luck in gambling, poker, and, of course, horseracing.
This ring is sterling silver and has a piece of jade set on the face. Jade is considered lucky for gambling and money drawing because of its green color. Beyond the obvious horseracing connection, the horseshoe is sometimes considered to have the ability to “draw” luck magnetically, perhaps in reference to the typical horseshoe shape of magnets. The shamrock on one side and the harness straps and buckles are nice details on this ring.
This small ring is composed of a horseshoe. The ring face is a representation of the grooves and frog on the bottom of a shod horse’s hoof. The shank of the ring is also a horseshoe. The registration number shows that this ring is of British origin.
This is a very small pair of old plastic earrings. The horseshoe and shamrock designs are carved into the back of the plastic and painted.
This is a Horseshoe-shaped brooch that contains a large piece of polished stone. For some reason the clover is the more common three-leafed variety. The inscription on the back states: “Genuine Stone from Grounds of Blarney Castle Ireland”.
Here is a nice “fixed horseshoe” made in Mexico. The clear Lucite contains seeds, beans, lucky charms, saint pictures – I love the fixed Lucite products from Mexico!
