Rules and Regulations for the Game of Horseshoes

The game of horseshoes is played outdoors with two pitchers and four horseshoes, on a court with two stakes positioned 40 feet apart. It is enjoyed as casual recreation and as an organized sport. The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association (NHPA) maintains official rules, organizes league play and sanctions tournaments.

  1. Pitcher Rules

    • Players are called "pitchers" because they pitch horseshoes to the target stake. Adult men pitch 37 feet from the stake. Adult women, youths under 18, the elderly and the handicapped pitch from 27 feet. Children 9 years old or younger may pitch from any distance. The NHPA suggests a 20-foot distance for children.

    Playing the Game

    • The coin-toss winner decides to pitch first or second. Players determine the game length by limiting the score or choosing the number of shoes to toss. The NHPA suggests 40 points or 50 shoes.

      Innings proceed with the first player pitching two shoes, followed by the second player pitching two shoes. All shoes remain in place until all four shoes are thrown. Players go to the opposite end of the court to score the shoes and begin the next inning. Winner of the previous inning pitches first.

    Scoring

    • Horseshoes are scored based on their final resting position at the end of each inning. A "ringer" is a shoe that lands encircling the stake, valued at 3 points. If both pitchers have a ringer, the shoes are "dead" and cancel each other, scoring 0 points.

      To be "in count," shoes must rest within 6 inches of the stake. Only the closest shoe to the stake scores 1 point, unless there are no "live" ringers. In that case, if the next closest shoe is from the opposing player, it will also receive 1 point.