Horseshoes Official Rules

Game Setup

• The game of horseshoes is played with two teams and two pits. The pit should measure 43" to 72" long and 31" to 36" wide. The back of each pit should be 46 feet from the back of the opposing team's pit. The pit should consist of clay, dirt or sand, and the consistency should be soft and putty-like. This may require watering and turning the earth before the game begins. The pit should also be level and free from divots and obstacles.

  Each pit contains one stake, positioned at least 21" from the front and rear of the pit. The two stakes in the playing court must be 40 feet apart. They must be firm in the ground, the top must be 14" to 15" above the ground and the stakes must lean 3" toward the opposing stake. Every pit also must contain a backstop. This backboard must be at least 1 foot high and 3 feet behind the stake.

  The horseshoe itself must weigh under 2 lbs. 10 oz.; it must be less than 7 1/4" wide and 7 5/8" long. When laying face down, each horseshoe cannot exceed 1" in height.

Game Play

• Two players can play horseshoes, though team horseshoes with four players, also called doubles, is more popular. The game starts with one player throwing a horseshoe from the side of the pit. The second player then throws a horseshoe from the other side of the same pit. Each contestant throws two horseshoes in each inning, attempting to ring the horseshoe around the stake. A horseshoe is considered a ringer if it completely encircles the stake; a straight edge placed against the tips of the horseshoe must cover, but not touch, the stake. The points are calculated each inning based on the proximity of the horseshoes to the stake. Any horseshoe that lands in the pit is called a live horseshoe and can score points for a team.

  While there are multiple scoring methods, the cancellation scoring method is most common. In this scoring system, all live horseshoes in the pit that are not ringers are potentially worth one point. All ringers are potentially worth three points. The player whose horseshoes are closest to the stake scores points. If a player has two horseshoes in the pit, but only one is closer than the other player's horseshoe, the player scores one point. However, if the player's two horseshoes are closer to the stake than any of the other player's horseshoes, that player scores two points. A ringer is worth three points; if each player gets a ringer, no points are awarded for the ringers. The player with the closest horseshoe in the pit then scores one point.

  If playing doubles, the players at the opposing pit compete in an inning, returning the horseshoes. Play continues until one of the players reach 21; official tournament play goes up to 50.