Horseshoe Rules

Official rules for Horseshoes are set by the American Horseshoe Pitchers Association (AHPA). The basic rules and object of the game are fairly simple. Players stand at opposite ends of the playing area and attempt to toss a horseshoe onto a stake at the other end.

But, of course, as with any competitive game or sport, the rules become a bit more involved. First, there is the scoring. The highest score you can reach on one toss comes when you get a ringer. A ringer is when the horseshoe completely surrounds the stake, and it is worth three points. If in a round no ringer is achieved, then one point goes to the player who came closest to the stake.

If both players throw a one ringer, the ringers cancel each other out and the nearest of the other two Horseshoes scores one point. If both players throw two ringer, they cancel each other out and no points are awarded (note: if this scenario happens to you and your opponent, you should probably team up and join a league where you can make some cash off this talent of yours). If one player manages one ringer but the other player pitches two ringers, three points are scored to the latter. If a single ringer has been scored that player wins three points plus an extra point if that player's other horseshoe is the closest of the remaining three. Finally, if a player achieves two ringers and the other player manages none, six points are scored.

In official competitive play, a game goes up to 50 points, but for casual play 21 seems to be the score that most people are comfortable with.

Horseshoes is to be played on a court 6 feet wide and at least 46 feet long. The key here is that the stakes should be 40 feet apart for it to be a regulation court. The stakes should stand 14 inches above the ground (if you are setting up your own backyard horseshoe, make sure to drive your stakes deep enough that they are securely anchored).

Again, these are the official horseshoe rules. For casual backyard fun, you should feel free to bend the horseshoe rules to suit the needs of your guests and yourself.

More information on horseshoes