The bog shoe, made of wood and iron and squared off in front, was a homemade item with the help of a blacksmith. The purpose of a bog shoe is similar to a snowshoe. It was put on horse and oxen hoofs, and used to prevent the animal from sinking into the marsh.

Use of the bog shoe saved the men from carrying the hay on poles and slab structures similar to a stretcher.
The bog shoe made working easier for the men because animals could be used to pull wagons full of hay.