Glimpse of Life In British India Horseshoe Work, 1890 Photo
An 1890 rare photo that shows a glimpse of life in British India, with both European and Indian men on horseshoe work. Before the advent of motor vehicles, horses were the main transport of people and goods in almost all parts of the world. Although horses were the best mode of transport it was not without their problems.
Since they would travel a lot at times to great distances with or without loads their hoofs tended to wear away. If not corrected the horses would limp with dire implications. To prevent this curved metal strip known as the horseshoe would be fixed under the hoofs. This avoids wear and keeping the hoofs healthy.
Here you can see British and Indian ironmongers and farriers (horseshoeing specialists) busy at work. The location seems to be somewhere in northern India either Ambala, Lucknow, Kanpur, etc. There was no shortage of work for farriers during the colonial period because of the large numbers of working horses, mostly in the military, ceremonial events, transport, maharajas, etc.
Read also- What can a history of the horse tell us about India today? See post Britishers Gather At Lalbagh Bangalore – Old Photo 1898., and British Military Royal Field Artillery At Belgaum-Old Photograph 1870.
Did you know- the tramways of Bombay and Calcutta originally began operating with horse-driven trams.
From the collection- 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal On Paper (#2)., Rampart of Tipu Sultan’s Bangalore Fort – Old Postcard 1900., Madras Iron Pier – Old Photograph 1870., Making Of The Mullaperiyar Dam – Old Print 1895.
