In horseshoes each player pitches two shoes underhand at a stake 40 feet away: a ringer scores 3 points and a shoe resting 6 inches or closer to the stake scores 1. With cancellation scoring, ringers cancel each other out and only one player can score in an inning; with count-all scoring, both players keep everything they make.
Everything here comes from the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association's online playing rules and specifications, as of November 2026. The NHPA lets organisers announce which scoring method they're using before play starts, so I've explained both, with worked examples for the one that confuses people.
Stakes, pits and shoes: the numbers
| What | NHPA specification |
|---|---|
| Distance between stakes | 40 feet, measured from the front of each stake, level with the pitching platform |
| Stake | 1 inch in diameter, top 14 to 15 inches above the pitching platforms, with a 3 inch lean towards the opposite stake |
| Pit substance | Clay, sand, dirt or approved synthetic material, at least 4 inches deep (8 inches recommended for ground-level pits) |
| Shoe weight | No more than 2 pounds 10 ounces |
| Shoe size | No more than 7-1/4 inches wide or 7-5/8 inches long |
| Shoe opening | No more than 3-1/2 inches |
| Shoe height | No part more than 1 inch high |
Altered shoes, meaning shoes permanently modified from their original design, are illegal in sanctioned play. Painting them is fine.
Here's the distance detail people miss: not everyone throws from the same line. The stakes are always 40 feet apart, but in sanctioned play Open Men pitch from the full-distance platforms and observe a 37 foot foul line, while Open Women and juniors may use the extended platforms with a 27 foot foul line. Junior Cadets, 12 and under, observe a 20 foot line. Foul lines are measured from the front of the opposite stake.
How an inning runs
- A flip of a shoe or a coin decides things, and the winner chooses who pitches first.
- The first pitcher delivers both shoes, underhand and one at a time, from the same platform, within 30 seconds.
- While you wait, stand quietly at least 2 feet behind your opponent on the opposite platform.
- The second pitcher then delivers both shoes the same way. An inning is four shoes in all.
- Both players walk to the opposite pit, agree the score, and only then pick up their shoes.
- In cancellation play, whoever scored pitches first next inning. If nobody scored, the player who pitched last goes first.
Etiquette that's written into the rules: nobody should walk to the opposite stake, or ask where the pitched shoes have landed, until the inning is complete. And no shoe should be moved before its score is settled. The NHPA encourages players to carry a measuring tool and settle close calls themselves.
What each shoe is worth
| Shoe | How it qualifies | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Ringer | Comes to rest encircling the stake; a straightedge touching the points or any part of the heel calks must clear the stake | 3 |
| In count | Not a ringer, but resting 6 inches or closer to the stake, including a leaner | 1 |
| Out of count | Resting more than 6 inches from the stake | 0 |
| Foul shoe | Delivered against the rules, wherever it lands | 0 |
The leaner surprises people. A shoe propped against the stake looks impressive, but the NHPA rules count it as one point, not three.
Cancellation scoring, worked through
In cancellation scoring, one player's ringers cancel the other player's ringers, and only one player can score in each inning. These examples come straight from how Rule 6 describes it:
- One ringer each. They cancel and score nothing. If there's no live ringer left, the closest shoe in count scores 1 point.
- You throw a ringer and your opponent doesn't. Your ringer scores 3. If your other shoe is also the closest in-count shoe, it adds 1 more, for a total of 4.
- No ringers at all. The closest shoe in count scores 1. If the same player's other shoe is the second closest in count, that scores 1 too, for 2.
- Shoes tied for distance. Opposing shoes touching the stake, or in count and the same distance away, cancel each other and score nothing. The next closest shoe in count, if there is one, scores 1.
Calling the score has a set order too. In cancellation play, the player who scored calls it, ringers first and then points. If nobody scored, the player who pitched second calls it.
Count-all scoring and how long a game lasts
Count-all is simpler: both players get credit for everything they score each inning. With two shoes, you can score 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 points in an inning. There's also a 'ringers only' version of count-all where each ringer is worth 1 point and single points don't count at all.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
The NHPA gives three ways to set game length:
- A point limit, with 40 points suggested. First to reach or pass it wins.
- A shoe limit, an even number such as 40 or 50 shoes. Highest score when the shoes run out wins.
- Both, for example 40 points or 50 shoes, whichever comes first.
Foul shoes worth knowing
A foul shoe scores nothing and comes out of the pit before anyone pitches again. The ones a garden game can borrow:
- Stepping on or over the foul line before releasing the shoe.
- Taking longer than 30 seconds to deliver both shoes.
- Pitching your second shoe from a different platform from your first.
- A shoe that hits the backboard, platform, court frame or ground outside the pit before coming to rest.
- A shoe that strikes a permanent object such as a tree limb or wire. A shoe that hits a foreign, moving object isn't foul and can be re-pitched.
- Picking up your shoe before its score has been agreed.
My verdict for backyard horseshoes
I'd start with cancellation scoring to 40 points, because it's the method the rules set out first, and I'd teach the four worked examples above before the first inning. Carry a ruler; most backyard rows are about whether a shoe is inside 6 inches. I'd skip the divisional foul lines and the 30 second clock unless you're at an event. If you're making a day of it, my party games collection and carnival games ideas pair well with a pit, and free darts games scratch the same itch indoors.
Frequently asked questions
How many points is a ringer in horseshoes?
A ringer is worth 3 points. A shoe that isn't a ringer but rests 6 inches or closer to the stake is worth 1.
How far apart are the stakes in horseshoes?
The stakes are 40 feet apart, measured from the front of each stake, level with the pitching platform.
How do you win a game of horseshoes?
You reach the agreed limit, such as 40 points, or have the higher score when a shoe limit like 50 shoes is reached, whichever comes first.
What is a leaner in horseshoes?
A leaner is a shoe resting against the stake. It isn't a ringer, so it scores 1 point.
