Building a Horseshoe Pit

The weather is heating up and it is finally time to get outside and play. Consider adding a game of horseshoes to your landscape. A horseshoe pit is a weekend project that can be completed using simple materials. Older children may even enjoy helping out with the process, while younger kids can enjoy painting the boxes and stakes. Enjoy it with friends and family most of the year.

A regulation horseshoe pit requires stakes to be placed 40 feet apart. Around where the stakes are pummeled into the ground are rectangular boxes with a backstop. The rectangular boxes are filled with sand.  Jefferson Landscape and Design builds boxes 36 inches wide by 48 inches long. However, you can make your box any size that will comfortably fit in your yard. While the game of horseshoes typically uses two boxes — one for the stakes and one for players to stand in when they pitch — you can use just one box if your yard is on the smaller side. Once you’ve measured your space, purchase your materials to fit and begin building.

Horseshoe Pits and Specifications

The first step in creating your backyard horseshoe pit is to choose a fairly level piece of ground. Every horseshoe court consists of two pit sections. But again, single pits can be built in more constrained locations.

The pit area is where the stake is located. The typical dimension we use is 36 inches in width and 48 inches in length. To surround the stake, most use either sand or soft soil. The horseshoe court’s borders are typically in the shape of a somewhat rectangular horseshoe: two 48-inch sides that meet the 36-inch-wide backboard.

For the side borders you can use 4x6s set into the ground. Remember for the width you will measure 36 inches from the inside of the left to the inside of the right. Then the back stop can have three 2x12’s cut 4’ wide. These pieces of wood are stacked on top of each other and should be fixed to two 4x6 posts behind them to hold in place. In addition to keeping the thrown horseshoes from flying out of the pit and into the surrounding area, the backboard holds any loose soil or clay within the horseshoe pit.

Drive two 3-foot-long metal stakes—either iron or mild steel—40 feet apart into the earth. With about 15 inches remaining above the ground, both stakes are angled slightly in the direction of the other pit.

Next, fill your boxes with sand or fill dirt.

After this final step, you’re ready to play! Begin enjoying your horseshoe pit right away for a relaxing, enjoyable game that’s perfect for outdoor parties or lazy afternoons alike.

Quick Rules for Horseshoes

Horseshoes is easy to learn and plenty of fun to try to master. Each game of horseshoes is divided into innings, and players may pitch two shoes per inning. Shoes must be pitched underhand and one at a time. The first player gets to throw both of their shoes before the next player throws theirs.

There are several ways to score points. A ringer, where a shoe completely encircles the stake without touching it when the shoe lands, is worth three points. Shoes that fall six inches or closer to the stake are worth one point, as are leaners, which come to rest on the stake. If both of one player’s shoes are closer to the stake than both of their opponent’s, the player receives a two-point bonus. You can keep score on a notepad, but a chalkboard or whiteboard can display the score to spectators and let everyone get involved in the game when they’re not playing.

A game of horseshoes can end whenever you’d like, though the ending point should be determined before the game begins. Perhaps you’d like to play for just half an hour, or until someone reaches 15 points. Most professional games are played to 40 points, 50 shoes thrown, or whichever one comes first.