How to Build a Horseshoe Pit

Putting Together the Frames

Gather the necessary materials. To fashion the frames for a pair of opposing horseshoe pits, you’ll need 2 6 ft (1.8 m) 2x6 (38mm x 140mm) boards, 2 8 ft (2.4 m) 2x6 (38mm x 140mm) boards, and a few spare 2x6s to fashion backboards, if you decide you want them. You’ll also need 16-24 2.5 in (6.4 cm) deck screws, 2 3 ft (0.91 m) steel stakes roughly 1 in (2.5 cm) in diameter, and 3-4 bags of sand to finish assembling and filling in the frame. 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.

Cut your lumber to the appropriate size. Saw the 2 8 ft (2.4 m) 2x6 (38mm x 140mm) boards in half lengthwise to get 4 48 inches (120 cm) wooden pieces. Do the same for the 2 6 ft (1.8 m) 2x6s (38mm x 140mm) to create 4 36 in (91 cm) pieces. Together, these components will form the basic structure of your horseshoe pit. 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.

Assemble the frame and fasten it with deck screws. Put the 2 48 in (120 cm) pieces and the 2 36 in (91 cm) pieces together to create the basic outline for the frame. Drive the wood screws through the outer face of the shorter segments into the longer ones to fasten the frame. Repeat the process if you’re building a second pit. 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.

Digging the Pits

Set aside a stretch of flat, open ground to situate your pit or pits. If you're only building 1 pit, pick out a site where you'll have plenty of room to stand back and throw comfortably. If you're building 2 pits for competitive play, choose a location that offers at least 48 feet (15 m), including 2 feet (0.61 m) of clearance behind each pit. Each pit will be roughly 6 feet (1.8 m) wide. 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.

Set up your frames where you plan on digging the pits. Put the frames into position in the area you’ve designated for your horseshoe pits. Make sure they’re directly opposite one another, and that the longer sides are perfectly aligned. There should be a distance of 36 feet (11 m) between the front edge of each frame. 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. 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.

Mark the ground along the outer perimeter of each frame. The markings will serve as a visual aid to help you get your pits positioned correctly. Once you’ve traced around both frames, pick them up and set them aside. You should be left with two rectangular outlines. 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.

Dig a pit 7–8 inches (18–20 cm) deep inside each outline. Do your best to keep the edges of the pit within the rectangular markings. The idea behind making the pits slightly deeper than the width of the boards is to allow the frame to sit just below the playing surface. A deeper hole will help keep the sand confined inside the pit.

Lower the frames into the pits. If you followed the dimensions of the outlines carefully while digging, the frames should fit perfectly. All that’s left to do now is install the stakes, fill in the empty space, and add any other accessories you want to include.

Adding the Finishing Touches

Drive a metal stake into the center of each pit. Position the stakes 36 inches (91 cm) from the front edge of the frames and sink them to a depth of 21–22 inches (53–56 cm) using a sledgehammer. According to NHPA guidelines, 14–15 inches (36–38 cm) of the stake should remain exposed above the ground. However, this is only important if you’re intent on building a regulation pit. If you’re only going to be playing recreationally, a height of anywhere from 6–12 inches (15–30 cm) will work just fine. 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. 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.

Line the pits with landscaping cloth to prevent shifting (optional). Cut a roll of landscaping cloth into 2 36 in (91 cm) x 48 in (120 cm) sheets and smooth a sheet over the bottom of both pits. While this step isn’t absolutely necessary, it can be useful for keeping the sand from sifting into the cracks in the dirt below as it settles. You can find landscaping cloth at any hardware store or home improvement center, or in the lawn and garden section of most superstores.

Fill in the pits with sand. Snip the corner off a bag of sand and make your way around the pit sifting the sand from corner to corner in a spiral pattern. Continue in this fashion until the sand is level with the tops of the frames, using as many bags as needed to completely fill the pits. Once they’re topped off, pat the sand with the back of a shovel or trample it underfoot to flatten it down. 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.

Fashion backboards for the pits to stop stray horseshoes (optional). To build a simple backboard, line up 3 of the 3 ft (0.91 m) 2x6 pieces you cut earlier along the center of a 2 ft (0.61 m) 2x2 board and fasten them on the backside using deck screws. Then, align the backboard with the pit stake and drive or bury the foot so that the 2x6 piece are flush with the ground. 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.

Spray paint foul lines around each pit using. Draw the foul lines in a square or rectangle extending from the front edge of each pit. Remember, the throwing line should be 27–37 feet (8.2–11.3 m) away from the stake, according to official NHPA rules. The sidelines will be the same width as the pit itself, and are there to make it easier to spot throws that go out-of-bounds. 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.