After examining horse shoes from multiple blacksmith shops here are some
things that I have learned.  

The measurements and profiles should be able to allow an MNI kind of
analysis. 

Besides measurements don't forget to record wear patterns.  Riding
horses and draft horses will wear their shoes differently.  Draft horses
tend to dig in with the tips of their hoofs when pulling heavy loads.
Toe clips increase the durability of shoes and protect the leading edge
of the hoof.   I have seen many shoes almost completely worn away at the
center sometimes completely worn in two.  Pronounced wear can imply the
shortage of ferriers, the lack of money by the horse owner, rocky
ground, or hard work.  Draft horseshoes are also more robust (thick)
generally. There can also be a difference in shape between the front and
rear hoofs. 

Your shoes are likely steel and machine made mostly.  Few shoes were
hand made after the 1860s, in the eastern US especially.  Then they were
modified to fit a particular hoof.

The turned down or bulbous ends are calkins.  Calkins are larger and
more pronounced on draft horses and winter shoes than a typical riding
horse shoe.  

Any ferrier textbook or complete horse care book will be of assistance.

Keith
-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Katharine Watson
Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2007 3:23 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Horseshoes

Hi all,
I'm about to analyse an assesmblage of horseshoes (dating from the late 
nineteenth/early twentieth century).  This is an artefact type I haven't

dealt with before and was wondering what attributes need to be 
recorded.  I'm planning to start with some basic measurements, but don't

know what to record beyond that, or what the terms for the different 
parts of the horseshoe are.  I've had a look around for some ideas but 
haven't found anything particularly helpful.  Any advice would be much 
appreciated.
Cheers,
Katharine

Katharine Watson
Underground Overground Archaeology Ltd
28 Pratt Street
Christchurch
New Zealand

027 656 3985