Horseshoes

The Wishing Project

Wishing Traditions Around the World

Horseshoes

There are many wishing customs related to horseshoes. Early horseshoes were made to hold seven nails -- seven is considered a lucky number. The earliest horseshoe beliefs started in Greece, where the first horseshoes were made during the fourth century.

A popular wishing custom using the theme of seven, is that If you find a horseshoe, rub it seven times while making a wish.

If you see a horseshoe another custom is to spit on it, make a wish, and throw it over your shoulder. If you pick it up with your right hand, throw it over your left shoulder; if you pick it up with your left hand, throw it over your right shoulder.

Another custom is if you see a horseshoe, throw it over your head, quickly put your hands over your ears, and make a wish. (Some traditions say that if you toss a "wished-on" horseshoe, you should not hear it land or see where it falls.)

Some people make a wish for good luck when you hang a horseshoe on a wall. Just having a horseshoe hung is supposed to bring good luck. You have two choices of how to hang it: Hang it with the ends pointing up, so it captures and holds good luck for you. Hang it with the ends pointing down, so the magic in the horseshoe pours out good luck for you.