A horseshoe nail for nailing a horseshoe to a hoof. The horseshoe nail is made from steel with a carbon weight percentage between 0.18 and 0.25. The horseshoe nail contains a shank with a tip at one end and a widened head at the other end. The head is at least hardened over a part of its length from its free end. The shank is not hardened over its entire or almost entire length from the tip.

Embodiments described herein provide a fastening device such as a nail or staple having at least one projection each extending away from the body at an angle and away from a tip of the body. For example, in the case of a nail, there can be two or more projections extending from the elongated member of the nail each at a substantially equal distance from the head and/or along the length of the elongated member each spaced at substantially equal distances apart. In the case of a staple, there can be at least one projection connected to the interior surface of a first leg of the staple, that surface being substantially opposite to an interior surface of a second leg of the staple. The tip can be sharp or not sharp. The projections can be connected to exterior surfaces of the staple's legs.