When families come to us for a Colorado dude ranch vacation, it’s normally because they want to break the vacation mold and try something new. They yearn for horseback rides on the dusty trail, zip lines across sweeping valleys, and whitewater rafting down our rivers. But if you really want to take your Dude Ranch Vacation to the next level consider brushing up on horse shoe skills: a famous cowboy pastime.
Chances are you’ve seen the game or played a few times before. It’s a staple of old Westerns, a big hit with cowboys (and cowgirls), and a fun activity you can enjoy with your friends and family regardless of age, experience, or fitness level.
Today, we’re going to give you a few tips you can use to pick up horseshoes quickly, and start playing like an experienced cowpoke once you arrive at the ranch:
Know the Rules
Like a lot of classic games, horseshoes was invented by ranchers who were working with what they had lying around – in this case, used horse shoes. However, some historians think it’s an offshoot of the game quoits, and can be traced back through medieval England all the way to the Romans. Either way, it’s a contest that can be played with a couple of simple pieces that were abundant on ranches throughout the West.
You start by placing a couple of stakes in the ground, usually about 40 feet apart. Then, you stand beside one stake, while tossing your horseshoes at the other. Players get points for tossing their horseshoes around the stake, touching it, or landing it within 6 inches of the stake.
Learn the Language
Half the fun of playing horseshoes is getting to use terms that either wouldn’t pop up in everyday life, or that get thrown in all the time without knowing the origins. Here are a few must-haves in your horseshoes vocabulary…
- Ringer – this occurs when you toss a horseshoe and it lands around the stake, making that familiar and satisfying “clinking” sound cowboys have come to love for generations. A ringer is worth three points.
- Point – land a shoe close enough to the stake (as measured by the shoe itself) and you get a point. There’s a reason they say “close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades”!
- Dead Ringer – if you throw a ringer, but your opponent does too, then you don’t get any points. It’s a “dead ringer” because you’ve matched tosses.
- Leaner – leaners are horseshoes that are thrown and land leaning into the stake. Not as good as a ringer, but still worth two points.
- Two Dead in Three – normally opposing ringers cancel each other out, but if one player throws two and his or her opponent only has one, the player with two ringers gets all six points. That’s “two dead in three”.
Ready to Play?
Of course, the best way to learn about horseshoes is to actually play with a couple of real Colorado cowboys. And there’s no better place to practice than on a Colorado dude ranch when you’ve got some time between all of the adventures available each day.
Find the ideal ranch to show off your newly learned horseshoe skills. Request a brochure today for more Colorado Dude Ranch info.
