Horseshoes proving to be good luck for British metal artist

Several of the sculptures, such as the horse head, appear off balance or floating. Many are asymmetrical.  William Moulton-Day said he likes to create something that looks like it's floating, weightless, or off balance.

The popular throwing game of horseshoes spawned terms like “ringer” and expressions like “close only counts in horseshoes.”

The belief in horseshoes as a talisman that brings good luck has its origin in both ancient Greece and Christianity.

Of course, a horseshoe literally is a “shoe” of sorts affixed to a horse’s hooves for protection. A prized souvenir from the Kentucky Derby is a horseshoe that has been worn by a racehorse, and its indentations filled with dirt from the track.

But when William Moulton-Day sees a horseshoe, he sees a part for a welded sculpture to grace an English country-style garden.

Moulton-Day, who goes by Bill or Billy, said that horseshoes became his choice of work metal just because they are plentiful and free. “Where we are in Essex in eastern England, it's very horse heavy. There're a lot of horses around here.”

Five years ago, Billy was looking for a new pursuit and decided on welding. “I've always thought about welding. My mother and father both welded, my grandfather has done welding, and I've always been fascinated by the fire and sparks.”

Billy enrolled in an evening college class at age 26 and learned the trade.

Then, one day, he spotted some horseshoes piled up at a neighboring farm and recognized their potential to be pieces of a welded sculpture. He welded a simple reindeer out of seven horseshoes on a hobby welding machine. “It was a really basic, terrible welder, but it was perfect at the time.” He welded 10 reindeer sculptures and sold them during Christmas 2017. “So then I thought, ‘I should give this a shot. I think there's a little market to make a bit of extra money on the side.’” Rusty Creations was born. “My work is progressing at an alarming rate,” he said.

Next, Billy welded wine racks and boot holds. “My welding technique is just all MIG, because, well, it's just easier. You can weld half-rusty shoes without doing a lot of cleaning,” he said.

He has continued to weld most of his sculptures from horseshoes. “I have friends with horses who have spare shoes and they just let me have them. That's probably why I haven't progressed to welding other materials. I don't like paying for stuff, so I just use what I can,” he laughed.

To present the fish head, William Moulton-Day mounted it on an old leaf spring and straightened out a chain.

Billy’s first commissioned piece was of a dog. “I pretty much only do commissions now, rather than just make something and hoping someone likes it.”

Even though they may be nearly unrecognizable from their original form, every metal strand starts as a horseshoe. He heats them up, bends them forward and backward, opens them, twists and mangles them using a hammer and anvil, and gradually positions them into place for welding. “Every single shoe is a sport. I hammer it by hand myself. There's no machine involved, so it's all manual labor—and back pain.”

Give a Horse Its Head. Several of the sculptures, such as the horse head, appear off balance or floating. Many are asymmetrical.  Billy said he likes to create something that looks like it's floating, weightless, or off balance. “With a big enough pile of horseshoes, I can weigh them down so that they won't tip over.”

Hair of the Dog. Billy always starts at one point. “So, with that dog, I started with the nose and then just spread out from there.” He created the fur texture by straightening horseshoes, cutting them down the middle, and then welding them into place. Each component is welded individually to create the texture. “I think there are between 300 to 400 horseshoes in that dog. It was really time consuming. I probably have 200 hours into it. That was definitely a back breaker.”

Fish out of Water. He started the fish head at the mouth. “I saw a horseshoe and thought ‘that just looks like a fish mouth.’ So I built the fish around that.” To present the fish head, he mounted it on an old leaf spring and straightened out a chain. “When it's windy, it gently sways in the wind so it looks like it's swimming.”

Billy said that the creative concepts are a mix of clients’ visions and his. “I just randomly think of concepts throughout the day. They just pop up into my head, and then it kind of snowballs from there.”

His only regret is selling one favorite sculpture: the fish head. “I do miss that piece and I would happily buy it back.”

William Moulton-Day created the fur texture by straightening horseshoes, cutting them down the middle, and then welding them into place. Each component is welded individually to create the texture.