Why the horseshoe is a lucky symbol

The idea that a horseshoe brings good luck dates back to a legend linked to the figure of Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury in 959 AD. It is said that the saint was originally an expert blacksmith. One day the devil himself came to him, asking him to shoe his horse. Saint Dunstan surprisingly nailed the iron to the devil's hoof, who could hardly walk in pain. The blacksmith freed him from that suffering by asking for a promise in return: the devil would keep away from the houses with a horseshoe on the door.

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This is not the only hypothesis on the origin of the belief. Once upon a time it could happen that a horse lost a shoe and a farmer found it. Bringing the rather expensive object back to the rider, the farmer received money in exchange. The horseshoe-luck association could also have been born in this way.