Horseshoe

Horseshoes were a type of metal footwear designed specifically to counteract the wear and tear on domesticated horse hooves, who experience it at an accelerated rate due to carrying the weight of both riders and other equipment.

Description
Horseshoes were typically made of an iron or steel bar and hammered into a "U" shape. They were equipped to horses by means of nailing them into their hooves, a process that was known as "shoeing."

Powers
Horses equipped with these were seen as being capable of traveling farther, faster, and for much longer.

Availability
Places in the Realms where horseshoes were known to be manufactured included:
 * In the 14 century DR, Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue sold blacksmith molds for making horseshoes for draft horses, riding horses, warhorses, and ponies.
 * In the village of Conyberry, the local smithy produced rather shoddy horseshoes.
 * In the village of Ghars, horseshoes were one of many agricultural tools that Aunsible Durn's smithy manufactured.
 * In the city of Ravens Bluff, the Iron Bull Smithy manufactured some of the finest horseshoes in the areas.
 * One could find horseshoes for sale in the city of Waterdeep.
 * In the land of Zakhara, one could purchase horseshoes from many of its bazaars for around 2 gold pieces to 7 silver pieces depending upon how good they were at bargaining.

Notable Horseshoes

 * Horseshoes of the asperii, a variety of enchanted horseshoes that gave their wearer the ability of flight, much like that of an asperii.
 * Horseshoes of speed
 * Horseshoes of the zephyr

Groups

 * The blacksmiths of the Waterdhavian guild known as the Most Careful Order of Skilled Smiths & Metalforgers both made horseshoes and fitted them on to horses. In the 14 century DR, they typically charged a single gold piece per shoe.

Individuals

 * Haeleth, a smithy in the community of Bargewright Inn, was specialized in shoeing all manner of beasts.
 * Rodric, a smithy in the village of Parnast, was skilled in shoeing horses.

Races & Sentient Creatures

 * Armanite farriers were known to produce outstanding, sometimes even enchanted, horseshoes.
 * Some centaurs, particularly those that often traveled over paved or rocky ground, were known to wear horseshoes. Including enchanted horseshoes, with horseshoes of speed making heavy armor more practical for them. They typically needed to reshoe their horseshoes once every 4-6 weeks. They could always tell if a horseshoe fell off and if a shoeing job was improperly done.

Trivia

 * Horseshoes were often associated with good luck.
 * Horseshoes acted as a material component for the spell speedmount.
 * Horseshoes were the namesake for many locations in the Realms. These included the Horseshoe Temple Oasis in the Quoya Desert, the Gilded Horseshoe in Longsaddle, and Horseshoe Canyon in Narfell.