Mule shoe? with odd spike

[Goldstar1]

I think this is a mule shoe but I have never see a horse , mule or ox shoe with this sharp spike on the end does anyone know why it was made like this ? was it for use in snow or mud for traction?

 

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[Indian Steve]

Maybe for ice or snow?

 

[Tnmountains]

Most mule shoes I find are two pieces both curved and oval shaped. I have never heard of them forging a curve down. It would be like a mule with high heels on when it stepped on a rock it would slip?

 

[cactusrat]

I might be wrong, I know nothing about horseshoes. My thinking is the spike part is to keep from getting stuff (rocks, wood, mud) in between the hoof and shoes. The spike would point up, acting like a shield.

 

[Timbermaster]

They are for traction, and are called calks. As others suggested they were likely in use where the animals had to travel on ice.

 

[A2coins]

Good info Nice relics!!!!!!!

 

[cactusrat]

I knew I was wrong, but I threw some thing out there.

 

[Goldstar1]

Thanks for the input everyone, and thanks for the ID for the "calks" Timbermaster . I have found many horse and mule shoes with short flat ones but never seen one long and sharp like this , actually the whole thing is very crude and square, not rounded or finished at all . Given the area there is no large bodies of water anywhere nearby so I would guess it was more for snow or mud, its pretty steep country at about 9000 feet.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Kudos to Timbermaster for his I.D. on your horse shoe half!
I've found a lot of horse shoes over the years, but not one the had a caulkin like that.

"A caulkin from the Latin calx (the heel) is a blunt projection on a horseshoe that is often forged, welded or brazed onto the shoe. The term may also refer to traction devices screwed into the bottom of a horseshoe, also commonly called shoe studs or screw-in calks. These are usually a blunt spiked cleat, usually placed at the sides of the shoe. Caulkins or studs improve a horse's balance and grip over uneven or slippery terrain, allowing the animal to move better and jump more confidently in poor footing. Forged caulks of various styles are more often seen on race horses and working animals such as draft horses and some pack-horses and trail horses, though in some areas they are still seen on field hunters and other riding horses that have to work in all weather and require extra traction, such as police horses."


Dave

 

[Tnmountains]

I was wrong as well. Good information.

 

[Nick79]

Cool find, I'm from an area with heavy clay soil and found a couple similar but not angled like yours. I was figuring they were pulling logs etc and needed traction in the clay mud. Yours is interesting without the bar on the toe. Maybe that's why it wore thin there and might have broke?

 

[Tnmountains]

They are for traction, and are called calks. As others suggested they were likely in use where the animals had to travel on ice.

I kept coming back to this about the mule shoe calks and found a farrier site where they made them. It looks like they would forge over the end and heat weld it and not leave it sticking up as his does. What do you think? I have boxes found from logging and CW roads need to check out some of mine as they fought the mud here.. Maybe there are other styles of caulks then what they show.

https://www.americanfarriers.com/articles/7051-kick-up-your-heels