What are the Horseshoe Doubles Official Rules?

Shoes

• In doubles horseshoes, each team uses only one pair of horseshoes. This means that team members have to share shoes and that the total number of shoes in play is four, just as in singles play.

First Pitch

• Before game play, teams must flip a shoe or coin in order to determine who throws first. The team that wins the flip decides whether they want to pitch first or second.

Inning

• Every inning is made up of four thrown shoes. Each team thus throws two horseshoes per inning.

Game Play

• Game play begins with one member of a team standing on his own platform (Platform A) and throwing two horseshoes, one at a time, at the post for the opposite platform. A contestant from the opposite team then stands on his own platform (Platform B) and throws two horseshoes at the Platform A post. In the next inning, the other team members take their turn to throw in the same fashion. Play continues until a specific even number of shoes have been thrown or until a specific point value is reached.

Positioning

• During game play, players should stand well behind or to the side of their own platform when they aren't throwing to avoid being hit by the horseshoes as opponents throw them. They should be at least two feet behind their teammate who is throwing so there is plenty of room for the teammate to swing. Players have to throw with at least one foot on their platform, or the throw doesn't count.

Scoring

• Any horseshoe that is touching the post is called a ringer and typically receives 3 points. Throws that land within 6 inches of the post are Shoes in Count and get 1 point. Shoes further than 6 inches from the post are Shoes Out of Count and receive no points.

  Shoes aren't to be moved until points have been scored. One player or a judge should verbally call out the score before players move their shoes to continue to the next inning. A judge may void points if shoes are moved (unless the throw was an obvious ringer), or if a player throws the wrong shoe and the problem is detected before the end of the inning.

  Players should throw the entire game with the same arm, unless a medical emergency occurs. With the exception of time for repair to the shoe, players need to throw within 30 seconds in order to keep game play moving.

  Generally a game of horseshoes goes to 40 points. However, teams also can play based on the number of throws. In the event of a tie, teams must play a two-inning tiebreaker.