Horseshoes

Two horseshoe fragments, two horseshoe nails, and one stirrup fragment were recovered. Horses for the coach, called a swift draft horse, a large English gelding and then Flemish mares or Frisons were preferred. The horseshoe from the site is fragmentary but is estimated to have measured 10.5 cm high and 12 cm wide. The smaller size conforms to modern horseshoe sizes of 0 and 00 indicating pony size horses. This pony may have been like a modern Fell Pony or the Irish Hobbies, strong in back but small in size. Horses were used for pulling carriages and for transporting individual riders. A small horse like this may have carried goods on its back versus pulling a carriage.