✅ SOLVED Very old horseshoe. Expertise appreciated

[oldbattleaxe]

Am I thinking right dating to the 17th century? There are two nails that protrude just a bit. I marked them where there locations are. I have dug many horseshoes but never found one like this one. 5" x 4" Thanks

 

[vpnavy]

I pulled this from another TN thread - this is just one of the replies in the thread...

Solved: How do you date horseshoes? (Feb 27, 2012, 11:30 AM)​

The information that was provided was found in the book: Artifacts of Colonial America by Ivor Noel Hume. (Don't shoot the messenger-call the author!) As noted, dating horseshoes is difficult at best. As with any hand-made item, the maker has the liberty to make it as he/she wishes. A current gunmaker could easily produce a flintlock rifle with all the early fixtures, but it obviously would not be old. Same thing with an ancient spear/arrow point. All one can do is go with the professional studies that have been documented and make your best guess.

 

[BosnMate]

Looks like a mule shoe to me. A mule's foot has straight sides that are the same front and hind. The front foot on a horse is rounded, while the hind foot has a more pointed toe.
Horse front foot.

Horse hind foot.

Mule shoe.