A Backyard Built for Playing Games

Sand is an ideal playing surface for the game; the 2-pound horseshoes are too punishing on grass or asphalt. And that's really all this pit is: a long rectangle filled with sand, surrounded by a durable frame. Official length for a horseshoe pit is 46 feet, but its design is basic enough to replicate on any long, flat sliver of land, as long as you leave 5 feet open behind each stake for safety. The maintenance is as simple as regular raking and the occasional fishing out of an errant leaf from nearby trees.