How to Recycle Old Horseshoes

Decorate Them

Horseshoes provide a nice surface for decoration. Buy some dried flowers at your local craft store and hot glue them onto a horseshoe in an interesting arrangement. You can choose from a variety of florals depending on the season. During the fall and winter, add some pinecones or small cinnamon sticks to the arrangement. Decorated horseshoes for summer can be more delicate with daintier flowers. You can display your horseshoe floral arrangement flat on a table or hang it on the wall by a ribbon or cord.

Create a horseshoe napkin holder

To create a horseshoe napkin holder, simply attach a horseshoe to either end of a block of wood with the U shape upside down. You can finish the wood in any way you like and even decorate the horseshoes if you want to get more artsy. Use this type of napkin holder to hold napkins, mail or other paper documents. Make one for your home and one for your office too.

Let the kids decorate them

This is a great rainy day activity idea. When the kids can’t go out to play, set them up at the kitchen table with paint and small glass gemstones. Challenge them to decorate a horseshoe in any way they see fit. Display their completed horseshoe art in their bedroom.

Use them as towel hooks

Horseshoes make durable, inexpensive towel holders for the bathroom. Simply attach the horseshoe to the wall and hang your towels through the U shape.

Give one as a gift of good luck to someone

Know someone who could benefit from a little luck? Paint a horseshoe with gold paint and give it to someone special as a good luck charm. Include a poem that describes how the horseshoe is destined to bring them luck and prosperity.

Use them to decorate a wooden box

Take a simple wooden box and attach a horseshoe to the top. You can call it your “good luck” box. When you have a particular wish or goal you’d like to complete, write it down on a scrap of paper and throw it into your good luck box. When you complete it, take it out and add a new one. You can also attach two horseshoes to either side of a box to serve as handles.

Use them as unique paperweights

Decorate an old horseshoe with wire, beads, gemstones, fabric, or ribbon to create a one-of-a-kind paperweight. It will be both sturdy and eclectic.

Use your imagination and you can find uses for all of your old horseshoes. You’ll never be tempted to throw them away again.