The Strange Calm I Get from Horseshoe

I have read about how hanging a horseshoe above one’s door is said to bring good luck.

Oddly enough, when I came across today’s prompt, I realized that I don’t picture horseshoes as charms nailed above the door or think about hot cowboys handling it.

My first thought went to the videos I enjoy watching on YouTube, where groomers pull off an old horseshoe, scrape and trim the horse’s hoof, and then carefully fit a new one. I never skip them whenever they appear on my timeline.

There’s something oddly satisfying about the process of accumulated dirt and cracks disappearing, the clean surface showing, and the final clink of nails holding the new shoe in place. I don’t know why, but I always find myself watching, both worried and fascinated. Is the whole grooming process painful or a painfree experience for the horse involved?

While writing this, i cannot help but wonder if my love for those videos is not just about the odd satisfaction i get from them. Maybe it is also the quiet sense of luck, comfort, and order I feel as I watch a hoof go from worn and dirty to clean and strong again.

Maybe that is the real magic of a horseshoe. It is not only about the luck people hope it gives, but also the reminder that even something worn down can be lifted, cleaned, and reshaped.

I know that whenever those videos appear on my timeline now, I will be even more fascinated and reassured that we, too, can carry on.