How to Care for a Pitching Horseshoe

Many enjoy horseshoe pitching as a backyard hobby for summer holidays, but others are serious competitors. The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association of America governs competitive games for leagues and tournaments. The association also provides official rules for playing and scoring horseshoe games along with guidelines for horseshoe pitching courts and the horseshoes themselves. Serious competitors and backyard enthusiasts paint the horseshoes used for games. Horseshoe painting makes the shoes easy to grip and keeps them from corroding.

Things You'll Need

  • Wire brush
  • Sandpaper
  • Detergent cleanser
  • Clean cloth
  • Wire or fishing line
  • Primer
  • Paintbrush
  • Enamel paint
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clean horseshoes used for horseshoe games by scuffing them with a wire brush to remove loose corroded metal particles. Sand the surface with fine sandpaper to smooth out the scores from brushing.

    • 2

      Clean the sanded surface with a strong detergent cleanser. Wipe the entire outer surface with a clean cloth.

    • 3

      Hang the horseshoes on a wire or fishing line for horseshoe painting. This allows you to paint both sides of the shoes.

    • 4

      Apply metal etching primer with a paintbrush. Coat the entire horseshoe and allow curing time according to label directions.

    • 5

      Brush on a coat of brightly colored enamel paint over the primer. Allow the paint to dry according to label directions and cover with an additional coat. Double the drying time before using the painted shoes for horseshoe pitching.