History of Horseshoes
Sometime after the
first century, horses with shod hooves traversed the roadways set down by
ancient Romans. To protect their
valuable steeds, riders outfitted their horses with coverings inspired by the
sandals strapped to their own feet. These
leather and metal ?hipposandals? fitted over horses? hooves and fastened
with leather straps.
In the colder, damper climates
of northern Europe, however, horses were used in farming and had trouble gaining
a toehold on the surface. Horsemen
tried various remedies, and by the 6th & 7th centuries
began nailing metal shoes onto their horses? hooves.
With the invention of the
first nailed shoe, horseshoeing became mainstream practice in Europe around 1000
AD, and during the Crusades of the 12th century, horseshoes were
accepted in lieu of money to pay taxes. Around
this time, horseshoes also became synonymous with good fortune.
To ward off bad luck, shoes were often kept as talismans for fending off
the devil. The game of horseshoe
pitching was brought into colonial America by the English.
Horseshoe pitching is a game
for two or four, in which players attempt to toss or throw a horseshoe at a pin,
peg, or stake extending 14 inches above the ground.
The object of the game is to ring the pin or throw the horseshoe as close
as possible. The regulation court
is 50 feet long and 10 feet wide. The
horseshoe, usually made of iron or steel, must not weigh more than 40 ounces.
A ringer is made when the
thrown shoe encloses the stake; it counts three points in scoring.
If no player throws a ringer, one point is scored for the shoe closet to
the stake; however, a shoe resting more than six inches away is worth zero.
A total of 50 points wins the game.
Wherever horseshoe pitchers
gather to play, you can see many different styles used in delivering.
Even though a horseshoe may represent a symbol of luck to some people,
there is little or no luck involved in pitching ringers.
Nor is there any shortcut that will quickly transform a novice into an
expert player. Many hours of
patient and correct practice are necessary to develop a good pitcher.
This sport has been around for
a long time. When you think about
friendly competition, meeting new friends, and being outdoors, you know why
horseshoe pitching has become one of RVers? favorite outdoor sports.
Published in Motorhome America Journal * November/December 2002 | 
Copyright Thompson Sporting Goods MMV
