What Is It? Game 104

w00t! It's time for this week's collaboration with the always fascinating What is it? Blog. Can you guess what the strange object above is for?

Place your guess in the comment section - no prize this week, so you're playing for fame and glory (and fun, of course). Be sure to check the What is it? Blog for more clues! Good luck!

Update 7/10/09 - the answer is: A stifle or patten horseshoe, when a horse injures the stifle joint, they put one of these shoes on the opposite leg of the injured one so the horse will put weight on the hurt leg so it will not be further damaged. Congratulations to Jess who got it right, though I must say that I love Jared's horsestiletto idea!

Is it for moving dead horses? You attach the modified horseshoes to an upside-down horse, then thread a rope through the cage section and hey presto - a much more portable dead horse.
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Definitely a horseshoe casting template. They use this to make an impression in packed sand leaving a void that will then be filled with molten metal-- thus a horse shoe is born! ... I think.
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It is a horseshoe clamp for binding to a larger horseshoe on the hoof of the horse, the top clamp keeps the horseshoe from being pulled off in heavy mud.
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It's a horseshoe for the snow. The cage like part is for traction. If you aren't careful, horses get snowballs in their feet in the winter time. It's quite dangerous, as they slip and slide around!
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It's a false-track-maker.
I use one daily to mislead all those who follow me when I go to work- They all think a large horse goes there, while in fact it is little me with my size 8.5 human feet...
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Or it could be the template they use when heated to burn a recession into the virgin nail-bed of a hose hoof so that the shoe fits securely to the foot.
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It looks like a form of horseshoe, but I don't think it is for snow or mud (imagine what would happen when they step on more solid ground). Probably not for aerating soil either. But it could be a horseshoe for an injured leg, so the horse will keep the weight off that leg.
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When a horse's tail is combed and fixed up for showing,
this is strapped on over the base of the tail to keep the
horse from rubbing it against things and messing it up.
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I'd say it's what they heat up to hot fit a horseshoe. they use that to burn the impression of the horseshoe, because they don't want to use the shoe they'll be leaving on because it would get seared hoof bits on it.
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That is not any type of farrier tool.
It actually looks like a door opener.
You attach the hoof side at the bottom of a door. the "cage" part is what you hook the tip of your boot into, and pull with your foot. This way you can open doors without using your hands, or if your hands are full.
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Willjp and Manticore--When "burning" the hoof with a hot shoe, they do use the one that has been shaped and fitted to the hoof, and which will shortly be nailed to it.

Horseshoes are made into all kinds of decorative fixtures. Generally new horseshoes are used for this, and then coated with rust preventative of various kinds. They're used as coat hooks, wine racks, gun racks, paper towel holders, and so on. It looks like this is in that general category, but my best guess for the actual use of the thing is "torch holder."
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It's a doorstop. The added metal straps hold against the door while the ends of the shoe are wedged under the door. Right? Am I right? Did I win?
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Its a shogle. Wyoming cowboys affix thewm to more nimble beeves so that they may graze on hillsides too steep for unshogled animals. This led to the the term 'shogle-footed' for describing successful social climbers. At least among Wyoming cowboys.
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Try this: Bring up Google, type in "patten horseshoe", then hit enter. Within the first 3 results, and just below 'What Is It - Neatorama', you will find a link "Horseshoe Museum". www.horseshoemuseum.com/Therapeutic/Patten.htm
Click on it and you will find pictures of an actual patten horseshoe. Now, all you good people, tell me again that the object is a patten horseshoe. The object in question is a homemade hat rack, made to hang one hat. Good golly people, get a grip on reality.

Now, how do I know this? Because I had one just like it. My uncle made it for me in 1966.

BTW, even the description of the purpose is incorrect. The purpose is to make the injured leg 'NON WEIGHT BEARING'. Doh.
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