Heating a horse shoe in Sorbie smithy

  Blacksmith heating a horse shoe, Sorbie. Dr Werner Kissling, 1958.   This photograph shows one of the blacksmiths at Sorbie heating a horse shoe at his forge with a pair of tongs. Although there was less demand for horse-shoeing by the time this photograph was taken, it was still required.   The pre-made shoes had to be shaped and fitted correctly to the horse's measurements. In this photograph, measurements can be seen written on a blackboard above the forge.   Dr Werner Kissling (1895-1988) was a German photographer and ethnographer who spent most of his life documenting Scottish crafts, architecture, and agricultural practices. He was associated with Dumfries Museum from the mid-1950s until his death in 1988.