Lucky Horse Shoes? Ask The Horse
The horseshoe is probably one of the most well-known good luck symbols all over the world. It has a long history of being a very auspicious symbol, a charm that protects against any form of evil and brings good luck. It is often seen hanging over the entrance of homes, worn as jewelry and hanging in front of trucks, buses and cars. Horseshoes from black horses are in demand as it is believed that fixing the shoe in front of the office or home can ward off bad luck caused by Shani, one of the Navagrahas of the Hindu pantheon.
Many people believe that the horse feels no pain when the horseshoe is hammered or extracted from its hoof. It is believed that it was the power and the magic of the horseshoe that ensured the horses never felt any discomfort. However that is not the truth. Horses’ hooves, which appear solid and strong on the outside, are in fact extremely delicate, and shoes are nailed to the hooves to secure them, making the process extremely painful. The fitting is a professional occupation, conducted by a farrier who specialises in nailing them on.
You can see black horses being taken on the roads of Bhubaneswar and other places. The man who walks along has a string of horseshoes with him, and sells them from anything from Rs 500/- to Rs 1000/-. They are also seen near the toll gates on the highways, horseshoes being in great demand by the truckers.
Surprisingly, even e-commerce sites sell them online. Amazon India offers then for Rs 200/- with a blurb which reads: “Asli Kale Ghore ki Naal, Used one; This is Actually a Used by a Black Horse which is Always Recommended, Very Rare”. Amazon India also says: “Lucky horse shoe is an old tone-totke/spell for homes. They are said to welcome prosperity and happiness when kept on the main door frame in the top in an inverted style. Put the Horse shoe in a black cloth and place it in your granary, the household will never be at loss for grains and food ever. Place it in your safe/almirah or the place where you keep your money and you will have abundance of money.”
We caught Murtaz with his horse and an array of horse shoes near the Manguli Toll Gate near Katak. The poor horse looked emaciated, his ribs sticking out. Murtaz admitted that he usually sells the horseshoes nailed to the hooves of his horse and then immediately fits the hooves with a new one. This cruel practice of frequently changing horse shoes causes sepsis on the animal’s legs.
According to Dr. Biswajit Mohanty, mostly horses past their prime are used by their owners for this cruel practice. The poor animals are made to hobble after the repeated fixing and removing of the horse shoes. According to Tirtha Sahoo, the Honorary Legal Officer of the Animal Welfare Board of India, this is a cognizable offence under Section 11 (1A, B &L) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
(Anil Dhir is the Honorary Animal Welfare of the State )