How to Hang a Horseshoe
Some people swear by their lucky pennies or rabbit's feet, others cling to long-held superstitious beliefs in an attempt to ward off evil spirits. Not only do horseshoes protect horse's feet, some people think they protect a home or building. Legend has it that a tenth century character named St. Dunstan nailed a horseshoe into the devil's hoof, and once the devil began to feel pain, only removed it once the devil promised never to enter a place that was protected by a horseshoe nailed to the outside. To protect your home, hang a horseshoe above the doorway.
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Things You'll Need
- Ladder
- Pencil
- Nails
- Hammer
- Cordless drill
- Drill bits and screwdrivers
- Screws
Instructions
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Without Anchors
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1
Position the horseshoe where you want it to hang. Tradition dictates that a horseshoe is hung above a doorway, but you can place the horseshoe on any surface that is thick enough to hold it with several nails. If you are placing the horseshoe above a door, you may need to use a ladder to reach the appropriate height. The ladder tray is an ideal holder for your pencil, nails and hammer.
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2
Hold the horseshoe in place as you mark through two of the top holes and two of the side holes to indicate where the horseshoe will hang. Set aside the horseshoe.
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3
Nail one of the nails about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in each of the holes indicated by the pencil marks.
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4
Replace the horseshoe and line up the holes. Holding the shoe in place with one hand, insert two nails into the top hole that have been pre-nailed and then nail them firmly into place.
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5
Position the remaining two nails into place and hammer them in firmly to hold up the horseshoe.
With Anchors
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6
Hold the horseshoe in place as you mark through two of the top holes and two of the side holes to indicate where the horseshoe will hang.
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7
Insert the appropriate sized drill bit into the cordless drill and drill a hole into each of the four pencil marks.
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8
Fit an anchor into the top hole and gently hammer it into place. Repeat the process with the remaining anchors.
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9
Replace the drill bit with the appropriate screwdriver.
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10
Hold the horseshoe in place, with the holes lined up and carefully screw in by hand the appropriate sized screws in the top two holes. Tighten the screws with the drill. Repeat the process until all four screws are tightened. Take care not to overtighten and strip the screws or anchors.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Make sure the nails you choose have a large enough head that will not slip through the hole in the horseshoe.
If you hang the horseshoe with the ends -- or heels -- pointing to the sky, good luck will not drain out. If you hang the horseshoe with the ends pointing to the ground, good luck will fall on anyone who passes through your doorway.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
