Hand Painted Horseshoes

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If you see a horseshoe that you like which has been sold/reserved, please let me know and I will paint some more. No two shoes will look the same!

Category : Wedding Horseshoes - Calendulas/Pot Marigolds No. of horseshoes : 6

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No. 352 - SOLD	No. 249 - SOLD	No. 210 - SOLD
No. 347 - SOLD	No. 239 - SOLD	No. 190 - SOLD

The association of the horseshoe with the wedding ceremony is not too clear, there are ancient pre-Christian supernatural powers attributed to the horseshoe, for the Greeks it symbolised the crescent moon which was regarded as a symbol of fertility. The modern association is more likely to be linked to the legend associated with the 10th century St Dunstan who trapped the Devil and as a result extracted a promise never to enter the house of a Christian, which he would recognise by a horseshoe hung above the door. Hence the symbolism of the Lucky Horseshoe; the bride carries today is lost in the mists of time but is still a potent reminder of our culture and historic roots. Traditionally a guest would present a wedding horseshoe to the happy couple for good luck. Valued by the Romans for its medicinal and culinary properties, calendula was also prized by the Egyptians for its properties of rejuvenation and healing. The Greeks revered its culinary aspects and in the medieval period it was thought to cure just about everything. Calendula has been a popular garden flower since the time of Shakespeare, the flowers were used to colour and flavour cakes, soups, stews and pot based meals, which, it is said, is how calendula got the name Pot Marigold! Calendula flowers were said to be in bloom between the hours of 9am and 3pm. This same observation was made in Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale. One can just imagine a medieval housewife looking out into her garden and deciding it was time to begin making supper because the marigolds had all gone to bed. As well as the name Pot Marigold, calendula has a variety of folk names. These include Husbandman's Dial, Marybud, Merrybud, Marygold and Summer's Bride. Garlands of marigolds are said to stop evil from entering the home, if hung over the entrance to the doorway. Scattered under the pillow they make your dreams come true. In Wales, the locals say that if the marigold hasn't flowered by 7, then a thunder storm will be on its way that day. Old wives believed that the marigold could strip a witch of her will, something that was also considered true of St Johns Wort!