Greg,
    I can state unequivocally that your friend's horseshoe is historic.
Horses, equus/Equidae, had been gone for thousands of years in the New
World/Southwest before they were (re)introduced by Spaniards in the 16th
century.  Although I don't have it available at my fingertips, check Marc
Simmons and Frank Turley's book on Colonial Blacksmithing in New Mexico
(something akin to that).  Both Simmons and Turley are farriers and know
whereof they speak.

Cheers!
Dedie Snow


----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg Johnson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2005 4:28 PM
Subject: Horseshoe help


> A colleague of mine asked me to post this on HISTARCH for him. The
following is his message.
>
> A horseshoe was found on a survey in northern New Mexico near El Moro
National Monument.  First, does it date to the historical period?  Second,
are there any other potentially diagnostic features? Pictures of the
horseshoe can be viewed at http://www.sricrm.com/histarch/DSC01763.GIF and
http://www.sricrm.com/histarch/DSC0174.GIF.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Robert Heckman
> Statistical Research, Inc.
> Tucson
>