My horses haven’t worn shoes in ages but back when I did keep them regularly shod, one thing I always had plenty of was old horseshoes. My husband, being the handy guy he is, used them to make various things such as a coat rack, a small end table, and shovel and rake holders in the barn. He also got the idea to press them into the wet cement we poured in front of our barn to make it look like horse tracks leading inside.
For this post, I thought I would give you a few more ideas for some DIY horseshoes projects that you can use around your barn or house.
Jewelry Holder
Use a small piece of wood, as many horseshoes as you’d like, and horseshoe nails to make an attractive jewelry holder. Place the shoes where you want, and hit the nails in just far enough to hold the shoe onto the board, but leave them partly protruding since they will act as the actual jewelry holders. The board can then be hung on the wall.
Picture Frame
There are a few different ways to do this, but one option is to tie string to each end of an upside down horseshoe to act as a hanger. Decorate the shoe however you’d like, then use cardboard and a clear plastic sheet, placing the shoe over both in order to trace it. Then, using an X-Acto knife, cut the cardboard and plastic into the horseshoe shape. Do the same with the photo you’d like to use and place it between the cardboard and plastic. Finally, use hot glue to affix them to the back of the shoe.
Wall Art
You can go many different directions with this project, depending on what you like. Whether it be painting and/or decorating the shoes and using string to make wall hangers, cutting and welding the shoes into a certain pattern such as a flower or cross, or nailing them onto a board in a desired pattern, the options are endless!
Wind Chimes
Wind chimes are another great way to use old shoes and they can make the perfect addition to your back porch or in a barn overhanging. For this project, you’ll need either heavy-duty string, or small, lightweight chain to fasten onto your top shoe. For the bottom part of your wind chime, use string or chain again and you can either add beads, more horseshoes, cut pieces of horseshoes, or a combination of all of the above. Bells can also be added, if desired.
Wine Rack
This project requires some tack welding skills, but isn’t overly difficult. There are also multiple designs and sizes you can go with, depending on what you’re wanting. You will need larger size horseshoes, however, as the shoes act as the actual wine holders.
When it comes to using old horseshoes, the possibilities really are endless. Feel free to share a DIY project you made with old horseshoes in the comments!
