Used Horseshoes Wanted

I have no idea why Kitsap Muffler in Gorst wants used horseshoes (see photo). Nor do I know if they are seeking the outdoor game pieces or the metal objects that protect a horse’s hooves. But since you don’t see a sign like this often ever, I figured it was worth a blog post. The phone number (360-373-3101) is a bit hard to read; it’s the number for the shop in Gorst.

I am a loyal customer at the Kitsap Muffler shop on Callow Avenue in Bremerton. They have done oil changes and brake work for both my truck and my old Chevy. So far my vehicles haven’t required the kind of maintenance they specialize in—muffler work and welding. As far as I know the Callow Avenue shop doesn’t need any horseshoes.

I will be driving through Gorst tomorrow morning on my way to Treasure Island. I should stop in to ask Kitsap Muffler about their unusual request.

A few years ago I built some horseshoe pits at Treasure Island. K’s younger brother donated a set of used horseshoes (see they do exist) to my project. He didn’t have any horseshoe stakes though. After calling a few sporting goods stores I concluded that you cannot buy horseshoe stakes by themselves and had Navy City Metals (a neighbor of Kitsap Muffler) make a set from ¾-inch rebar.

The horseshoe pits haven’t gotten much use. I practiced diligently for a few weeks when they were new and then gave up. Unlike when you are shooting free throws and know when a shot is going in, I never developed a rhythm that allowed me to land a horseshoe near the stake consistently. Apparently the horeshoes gene isn’t passed on between generations. My paternal grandfather was a state champion in California and competed in the nationals one year. I think the meet was in Ohio. He could throw a ringer just about any time he wanted to.

Perhaps the Kitsap Muffler sign will motivate me to start practicing again this summer.

Update (4/2/14): They do want horseshoes—the four-footed kind. The shoes will be used in a decorating scheme for the new fencing that is being put in when the office is remodeled.