Appears to be a large door pull of some sort - all hand-forged and very smoothly worked.
Lady told me it was "something used to tie horses to.."
Maybe hardware in a paddock?  Any help is appreciated

Maybe for splicing rope?

Thanks. Spike has compressed metal that looks like  it's been driven/hammered into wood.

How about a pick for clearing a horse's hoof?

 it may be like the lady told you, for hordes.

  possibly in the early days when teams of horses were used with wagons, logging, goods delivery and such,
  the team driver may have driven it tether) in the dirt and the knob handle would be used to pull it out when they were leaving

   NOW, why would they possibly use that type, they may have been using the other type that is a weight that resembles a half of a circle,
   and the team driver may have left a few behind. or they may have been lost, this type could be put on a hook where the driver had quick
   access to it when he got off the wagon.

    "just a thought"   .