Horseshoe to the modern hoof boot. Historians differ on the origin of the horseshoe. Because iron was a valuable commodity, and any worn out items were generally reforged and reused, it is difficult to locate clear archaeological evidence. Although some credit the Druids, there is no hard evidence to support this claim. In 1897 four bronze horseshoes with what are apparently nail holes were found in an Etruscan tomb dated around 400 B.C. The assertion by some historians that the Romans invented the "mule shoes" sometime after 100 BC is supported by a reference by Catullus who died in 54 BC.
Clout archery information in this section is drawn from Book 5 Miscellaneous of the WA Constitution and Rules. (WA 2008) Flags are set at specified distances for combinations of gender and bow type. The WA rules do not define any separate distances for juniors or for longbows, though tournament organisers will often introduce such additional distances. Each flag consists of a piece of coloured fabric not exceeding 80 cm high and 30 cm wide on a softwood pole, the flag to be no more than 50 cm from the ground. Shooting may only be "one way". The Archery Australia version of clout