Horseshoe jewelry has become quite popular over the last few years. To many, the horseshoe is a symbol of good luck and protection. It has become a very superstitious symbol dating very far back to a blacksmith and his dealings with the devil.
Stories and legends about horseshoe symbol meaning and the charm’s connection to luck abound, beginning with an ancient European tale in which the horseshoe’s crescent shape represents moon goddesses, who protected believers from the evil eye and provided them with good fortune.
Today, everyone is wearing a horseshoe to protect them from evil and negative energy.
The tradition of wearing a horseshoe necklace for good luck stems from the use of the horseshoe as a symbol of protection. During the Middle Ages, people believed that witches and evil spirits were afraid of horses and horseshoes, primarily due to the fact that horseshoes were made of iron and could resist flames. In fact, people placed so much emphasis on the spiritual meaning of the horseshoe that the coffins of suspected witches had horseshoes nailed to the lids prior to burial to prevent the witches from coming back to life.
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PREVENTING NIGHTMARES
Another legend involves a blacksmith and his dealings with the devil, and it offers one more explanation for the tradition of wearing horseshoe jewelry to ward off bad luck and prevent nightmares. As the story goes, the devil asked the blacksmith to attach horseshoes to his hooves. The blacksmith did as he was told, leaving the devil in excruciating pain. As a result, the devil begged the blacksmith to remove the horseshoes from his feet. The clever blacksmith again did as he was asked, but only after making the devil promise never to enter a home where a horseshoe hung.
BRINGING GOOD FORTUNE
There are two schools of thought when it comes to the right way to hang (or wear) a horseshoe: Hanging it right side up is said to keep the luck in so the horseshoe retains its usefulness as a good luck charm, while pointing the tips down or to the side pours good fortune out onto everyone who’s nearby. Whatever your reason for hanging a horseshoe or wearing jewelry that features this age-old symbol – and however you decide to position it – one thing is clear: Good fortune will be on your side.
