Horseshoes
Who would have thought that a game would evolve from something as simple as a horseshoe? And yet, horseshoes is played in backyards and on horse shoe courts in parks all across Canada and the United States, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, and some European countries. In many rural areas it is still common for neighbours to get together for a friendly game of horse shoes. These are areas where horseshoe pits were as much a part of farm scenery as barns and chicken coops.
Ancient Greek and Roman soldiers used to toss discarded horseshoes at targets for sport, but the familiar horseshoes game spread across Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. English settlers took the horse shoes game to North America. English aristocrats tended to look down on the horseshoe game as a poor man’s sport, but it was immensely popular with the common people, and in some regions it remains so today. However, in the old days people pitched actual horseshoes. Today the game is played with specially designed and weighted “horseshoes” that would be useless as footwear for horses.
Horseshoe pitching looks deceptively easy. All you do is toss a piece of metal at a post forty feet (12.2 m) away. The fact is, it takes a lot of practice pitching those shoes before you start scoring ringers with any consistency. There is always an element of luck involved, too. For many years the rules for horseshoes differed from one region to the next. Then in 1914 the Grand League of the American Horseshoe Pitchers Association, which was founded in Kansas City, wrote up a constitution, bylaws, and standardized horseshoe rules. They also decided on the dimensions for an official horseshoe court. Over the years some of the rules have changed, and in official competition there are different categories based upon the age and gender of the participants.
Horseshoe equipment is relatively simple. Besides the regulation horseshoes, you need a pair of metal stakes, some wood to build the boxes, and perhaps some clay to put in the boxes (wet clay prevents clouds of dust). You will also need something for measuring, to take the guesswork out of judging whose shoe is closest to the stake. Horseshoe supplies can be found in most sporting goods stores. There are books that show you the best way to construct a horseshoe court. Whenever you have the time free, a horseshoe game is a great way to relax while still getting some fresh air and exercise. Two people can play; teams of two players each can play; or you can play by yourself.
