Pick up some spray paint, flour, or lime as well if you want to mark the foul line on the ground along the pit. To build a single pit for casual games, use half of the materials listed here.
If you think you might want backboards for your horseshoe pits, go ahead and cut 3 3 ft (0. 91 m) 2x6 (38mm x 140mm) boards and 2 2 ft (0. 61 m) 2x2s (38mm x 38mm), as well. Use a circular saw to cut your boards quickly and efficiently. If you don’t have a circular saw, you can also saw the boards by hand, or have your supplier cut your lumber to your preferred dimensions before bringing it home. Always wear thick, rugged work gloves and protective eyewear anytime you’re operating a power saw to keep yourself safe.
Be sure to configure both frames identically to confirm that they have the same dimensions. When you’re finished, go back and re-tighten each of the screws in the frame so that they’re nice and secure.
National Horseshoe Pitchers Association rules advise that the stakes be positioned exactly 40 feet (12 m) apart, with the throwing lines drawn 27–37 feet (8. 2–11. 3 m) in front of each stake, but you’re free to use whatever distance works best for your space. [5] X Research source
If you want to double-check the placement of the frames, run a tape measure or piece of string from the far end of one frame to the far end of the other. This will make it easier to see if one of the frames is off-center. [7] X Research source It’s important that you arrange your frames just right, as you’ll be marking their position to use a guide when you begin digging.
If you’re building the horseshoe pits in your yard and don’t want to spray paint the grass, you can also sprinkle a thin line of flour or lime around the edges of the frames.
A deeper hole will help keep the sand confined inside the pit.
After driving the stakes, jostle them to make sure they’re set firmly in the ground—the last thing you want is for them to come loose in the middle of a game! The stakes in NHPA pits are also sometimes tilted forward at roughly a 12-degree angle. If you want your pits to be up to regulation, use a ruler to form a triangle between the stake and the playing surface. The end of the stake should hit the ruler at the 12 in (30 cm) mark. [11] X Research source If you want to make your horseshoe pit more or less permanent, consider pouring a concrete base around each stake. The process will require extra time and labor, but it will result in a much more stable stake.
You can find landscaping cloth at any hardware store or home improvement center, or in the lawn and garden section of most superstores.
If you prefer, you could also fill your pits with packed soil or blue clay. Sand and clay are generally considered the best play surfaces for horseshoes, as they help minimize bouncing, skipping, and sliding. [13] X Research source
If you want to give your backboards a little more heft to ensure that they don’t move, use landscape timber instead of ordinary lumber. Backboards won’t be necessary for most home pits, but they can come in handy if you don’t want to have to chase after your horseshoes, or if there are objects nearby that could accidentally be damaged by a missed throw.
If you don’t like the idea of spray painting your lawn, come up with another way to mark the foul lines. For example, you might place a series of colored stakes at each of the corners, or simply lay down a stick to serve as a makeshift throwing line.
