How Horseshoes Became a Symbol for Good Luck

Horseshoes were not as rare as four-leaf clovers or rabbits' feet during the 19th Century, but were still considered good luck in times when horses were used for daily travel. But why was that?

Ancient Celtic folklore suggests that often the cause of infertility in both animals and human are due to curses from the fae folk. Fairy creatures were mischievous, cunning, jealous, and liked to play tricks on people who have the unfortunate fate to be chosen by them. However the fae folk have one weakness--iron. And horseshoes were made of iron. It was said that the sight of horseshoes on the front door of the family home would chase away the fae folk and retain the fertility of the household.

Additionally, according to Christian tradition, St. Dunstan was a 10th Century blacksmith. He was working in his shop when the devil appeared before him and demanded that Dunstan shoe his cloven hooves. Dunstan did as he was told, but required that the devil be shackled for the job. Once the devil was in chains, he proceeded to hot-shoe the devil and nail the shoes on in the most painful manner possible. When the devil begged to be released from the shackles and the pain, Dunstan agreed to do so only if the devil agreed to avoid any home where a horseshoe was nailed to the door. Once released, the devil ripped off the shoes and swore to never come near one again.

No doubt, anyone who worked with horses frequently during the 1800's would have considered it good luck if their horse kept all their shoes on their feet for the full shoeing cycle of six-eight weeks. And would have considered it bad luck of their horse lost a shoe--as that often meant lameness at least until they could make it down to the blacksmith shop again.

The thought of horseshoes as good luck could be practical, religious, or superstitious, depending on the person you asked!

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Good vs. Evil

Do you believe people can change? Can a person who seems shallow, judgmental, and sometimes mean push those negative traits away to bring out a sweeter spirit?

Redemption. Paying the price for bad acts. Forgiveness. Is it easy to forgive someone who has done terrible things? Not at all. But what if they’re sincere in the changes they make? Does that change things? Maybe.

Everyone has been wronged by someone else at some point in their life. On the flip side of that, everyone has done something to hurt someone else. So, we’re all victims and we’re all villains, though that sounds a little harsher than it should.

Okay, maybe I don’t need to dig too deeply into the good vs. evil thing as it relates to real life. But what about in fiction, specifically romance?

Have you read stories with heroines or heroes you love to hate? Probably. Most stories would be pretty boring if the characters were perfect in every way. I have to admit that a snobby heroine who gets her comeuppance is fun for me. I love to read stories where a character gets what they deserve, especially if it happens in a creative or funny way. And writing about this sort of girl, well that can be pure joy!

When I picture the villain, sometimes he looks a little like this:

It's obvious and a little fun to have a villain where you can see his or her motives. You can see the fall coming, even if the bad guy doesn't - and of course, they never do. 

But what about the less obvious villain? The one who goes back and forth or seems sweet and lovely until you're shown her black heart. Those villains often look something like this:

 

I love a story where the heroine has deep character flaws. If there’s a glimmer of goodness in her somewhere, there’s hope she can turn things around. Whether the transformation is gradual where she doesn’t even realize she’s changing or fast due to some incident, it’s fulfilling to witness the change. It restores faith in people. It brings a smile.

When I was deciding on the story line for my last Cutter’s Creek book, I knew I had to find true love for Mary Pershing. I don’t think she really deserved to find someone to put up with her attitude, but I knew it could be a fun story. I honestly struggled with whether to actually write the story that was in my head. I wasn’t sure the girl was redeemable and in my head I saw the scheming villain with the curled mustache. Then I remembered that everyone is redeemable – if they choose to be.

So, I took the challenge and Mary’s story made it through. She got worse before she got better. She allowed herself to be influenced by flash and affluence. She scoffed at a man she deemed unworthy of her attention when he was simply trying to get to know her. She was unlikable until she started to see the truth about life and herself. And it turns out that people are happy this story made it out of the darkness!

If you like a flawed heroine, then Mary Pershing will be right up your alley. If you like transformation and happy endings, then you’ll enjoy the latest Cutter’s Creek story – A Pure Heart.

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Annie Boone writes sweet western historical romance with a happy ending guaranteed in every single story. Inspiration comes in many forms and Annie finds more than one way to make her stories entertain and inspire.

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