Body and Knee-action
The body plays an important role in the delivery. A great deal of propelling power is placed into the swing by body-rhythm, which is coordinated with the swing. An expert player usually drops the shoulders as the pitcher starts the back swing. The body straightens up with the front swing. This body-action is virtually identical to the one used in bowling or in pitching softball.
Correct knee action is very important too. Relaxing the right knee and drawing it slightly inward, behind the left knee, permits the shoe to swing close by the leg, in a straight line to the stake. The danger of fouling the shoe against the leg is reduced to a minimum. Proper knee action helps secure a uniform trajectory and makes the delivery easier and smoother. Relaxing the right knee, and shifting the body-weight to the left foot, acts as a spring, thus checking the forward swing without an abrupt jar or jolt. As the knee straightens up to its natural position, the body rises and its weight goes into the swing.
Don't crouch too much when delivering. (I have seen some players go down so low they scraped the platform with their shoes). Bending the knees too much causes a player to lift extra body-weight when straightening up to release. That extra weight can cause body sway, which results in poor alignment.
The Pendulum Swing
In reality, a horseshoe is not "pitched", "tossed," or "thrown." It is swung. The swing" is the governor of the pitching distance. There are three parts to the swing. (1) The Back-swing; (2) The Front-swing; and (3) The Follow-through. The swing is the most difficult of all the fundamentals to master. It is here that most horseshoe pitchers fail, because they lack either the knowledge or the ambition to develop their swings fully. As a general rule, most players use much the same grip, stance and step, but the factor that distinguishes them apart is the swing.
Developing a good swing brings into play a number of rarely used muscles in the shoulder and arm. The gradual strengthening of these muscles requires a considerable amount of patient practice. Inexperienced players who neglect to either train or warm-up properly, before entering competition, become victims of tension or "ringer mortis." When the chips are down and the pressure is on, their swings deteriorate into little more than stiff-armed, pushing motions. Once acquired, the bad habit of using a stiff-armed delivery is difficult to break. The swing must be rhythmic, with the arm kept free from tension, at all times.
Let the shoe swing backward in an easy manner. Extend it as far back as possible, without causing discomfort of the shoulder and arm muscles. Going too far back will cause the body to twist to one side and pull you off balance. The back swing may be as high or higher than your head. That depends on the muscular development of your shoulder and your method of delivery. A long swing, to secure elevation and distance, is best.
Just before the termination-point (end) of the back swing is attained, step forward. Don't allow the shoe to pause at the end of your back swing. Let the weight of the shoe start your forward swing. When the shoe swings into line with your eyes and the stake, relax your fingers and release the shoe. The swing does not stop here. The hand continues to swing up, above the head, in the follow-through. The arm swings back and forth, straight from the shoulder, like the pendulum of a clock. This is called "the pendulum swing." There is no jerk or snap of the arm and wrist. All movements are rhythmic and perfectly coordinated with the step.
The backward and forward swings should be very much alike. Allow the weight of the shoe to start both swings. Put little or no propelling power behind the shoe with your arm. Your body weight is used for that purpose. Don't rush either your backward or forward swings. Endeavor to keep your swing in line with the stake at all times. It is well to repeat that the failure to develop the proper swing ruins more potentially good players than any other thing.
The Follow-Through
Although the majority of players realize the importance of a good follow-through, many are unable to define the exact purpose of this part of the swing. A smooth, accurate delivery is impossible without a proper follow-through. This applies to a bowler, a golfer and a baseball pitcher, as well as a horseshoe pitcher. The follow-through is often erroneously defined as the finish of the swing. A careful analysis shows that the follow-through is not confined to the arm-swing alone. It is a part of the body-swing too. Actually, it starts with the stance. A poor stance and a poor step result in a poor swing and a poor follow-through.
When delivering a horseshoe, the swing of the arm - if completed - would describe a perfect circle. The follow-through is merely a continuation of the swing toward completing the circle. In other words, the hand continues to move toward the stake after releasing the shoe. That short distance traveled by the hand, before it begins to rise above the head, is the follow-through.
Always try to secure the maximum amount of follow-through with each pitch. At first it may seem rather futile to concentrate on that part of the swing which occurs after the shoe is released. For, once the shoe is in flight, the player cannot alter its course. But, if he will strive to make his hand follow the shoe on a line to the stake, he will develop consistent alignment and a uniform trajectory.
Trajectory and Alignment
Pitch the shoes in an arc that is 7 to 10 feet high at its highest point. Try to pitch a "dead-falling shoe." That is, make the shoe land flat and "dead." A proper and uniform trajectory is essential in securing the correct turn, alignment, and distance. When pitched too low, and too swiftly, a shoe cannot open properly. It may be in perfect line and turning at the right speed, but lack of height prevents it from landing open. The shoe must be timed in the air. If a low-pitched shoe does go on the stake, it lands hard and is likely to spin off or rebound. If the shoe misses the stake, it usually skids out of scoring radius.
Keep the shoes well up in flight, but don't waste energy by throwing them too high. Too much flight-elevation causes a shoe to turn too much. Besides, it makes accurate judgment of distance difficult. A high shoe, however, has a decided advantage over a low one. The high floater will hook the stake from all angles. Keeping the shoes well up in flight requires much less effort in delivering.
If difficulty is experienced in pitching the proper distance, don't try to correct the distance by changing your standing position. Moving ahead or back, as the case may be, may only increase your trouble. You must "get the distance" with your swing. If your swing is too slow, or you fail to put enough body-weight into your delivery, the shoe will not turn enough and land short of the mark. Too much swing and a too high trajectory may result in too much turn and overshooting the stake. Here is an example to show the importance of pitching the shoes at a proper and uniform height:
Two shoes are delivered with an equal amount of propelling power. The first is elevated to a height of 6 feet. The second reaches a height of 10 feet. That makes a difference of 4 feet in the height of the two shoes. The first may land several inches short of the stake. It may not open due to lack of height. Also, the chances are it will be out of line because it was released too quickly. The second shoe may top the stake by several inches. It may turn too much and be out of line because it was not released quickly enough. Again, the first shoe may hit at the base of the stake and the second strike near the top. Neither scores as a ringer because they are not open.
Such a wide variance in the trajectory makes accurate pitching impossible. Many beginners are timid about putting their shoes well up in the air. In their efforts to "line up the stake" they pitch too low and too hard. The definition that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points does not apply to the trajectory of a horseshoe.
Beginners often become discouraged by their inability to line up the stake. Even experts have their "off days" in securing good alignment. As a rule, right-handed pitchers have a tendency to pitch to the right of the stake. Left-handers throw to the left. With the maximum opening between the shoe's heel-caulks only 3 1/2 inches and the pitching distance 40 feet, the smallest error in delivering will cause a miss.
When you have difficulty in lining up, (and you will) check all the fundamentals to see what is wrong. Your trouble may be caused by only one error; or, it may result from a combination of several mistakes occurring at once. Check your stance and footwork. Be sure to observe a "square stance." Step directly toward the mark. A long stride can cause a low trajectory. Check your grip and don't force your turn. Let the shoe flow smoothly from your hand. Extend the shoe to full-arm length. Make your aim-point and release-point correspond. That prevents a variation in your swing. Always follow through on each pitch. Watch your trajectory. Don't be tense. Tension destroys coordination.
Obstacles and Hazards
The horseshoe game has as many obstacles and hazards as golf. During a horseshoe game, the stakes are often completely blocked by shoes. They land on edge in the clay and wedge tightly against the stakes. Often, it is impossible to knock such shoes down or away and make a ringer at the same time. Here are a few examples that show how such obstacles and hazards occur:
When an opposing shoe is leaning up in front of the stake, you must try to place your ringer either over, under or through the obstructing shoe. In a "tight" game, you dare not waste one of your shoes just to knock an opponent's shoe out of the way. Shoes that are just short of being ringers can be knocked or dragged on as ringers by another shoe. When a shoe is laying, caulks up, with its toe near the stake, you can experience either the good or bad "break" of having another shoe hit the toe-caulk of the reclining shoe and flip it over for a ringer. When capping ringers, the danger of losing ringers is greatly increased by the unyielding iron of the opposing shoes.
There are many more ways of making clever and difficult shots. During practice, prop other shoes up against the stakes. Try to make ringers while these obstacles are blocking the stakes. Such practice will help you to cope with similar barriers when they occur in competition. You must first learn the knack of making ringers. Then you must learn the knack of keeping them on the stake.
Flight-Wobble and Landing
As in boxing there are "right and left hooks" in horseshoe pitching. Right-handed players should try to make their ringers hook onto the stake from the left-handed side. Left-handers should try for right hooks. That way, the shoes do not go too straight on the stake, thus lessening the hazard of rebound. The hooking-type shoe, with a good wobble, will stay on much better than one that is thrown too flat and too straight on the stake. A good flight-wobble helps break the shoe's momentum in landing. The wobble imparts enough twists to the shoe to keep it from going on too straight and rebounding. A shoe will usually stay on when it hooks the stake from either side, just off center of the toe-caulk.
Too much, flight-wobble can cause a shoe to travel erratically and fly off the stake. Also, it is difficult to watch in flight. Excessive wobble can be caused by too much arm and wrist effort. Another cause may be a faulty grip especially if you try to correct the trajectory with your thumb when releasing the shoe. Some expert players have more wobble on their shoes than others. That depends on their grips and methods of delivering.
The "breaks of the game" means a lot to champion pitchers. The way in which their shoes land can mean either the winning or losing of a title. When a shoe lands heel-caulks first, it nose-dives at the stake. It may either jump away or wedge against the stake. If the toe-caulk lands first, the shoe may either turn over backward or skid past the stake. The "dead-falling shoe," with all the caulks landing simultaneously, is best. Horseshoes, like airplanes, must make a good three-point landing. Otherwise, they bounce, skid and roll.
Timing
You have now gained considerable knowledge of the basic-fundamentals required to pitch correctly. Many hours of patient practice are necessary to master and coordinate these fundamentals. You must develop a rhythmic delivery. Rhythm is the dominating fundamental in all sports.
According to the dictionary, coordination, precision, rhythm, and timing all have about the same meaning. It is: "To arrange things in a proper and relative order; to combine for a common action or purpose; to harmonize. In short, the four terms mean the regulated movement of all the combined fundamentals in a rhythmic order during the delivery.
A pendulum clock presents a perfect illustration of timing. When the clock is running properly, all its combined parts work together in perfect unison. The entire mechanism functions as one unit. Each spring, gear and balance wheel does its precise work. No unnecessary part is included that might cause lost-motion. The pendulum swings to and fro with a steady unbroken rhythm. As long as each part does its work and aids the other, coordination, and harmony prevails. The clock keeps accurate time. But, if one unit ceases to function as it should, the swing of the pendulum becomes irregular. The clock either stops entirely or perfect timing ceases to exist.
That is precisely what happens to the delivery of a horseshoe pitcher who "gets off his game." The "pendulum swing" becomes jerky, and inaccurate, because the pitcher is unable to coordinate the fundamentals. Many players, as they grow older, lose some of their coordination because they lose some of their ambition to train and keep themselves in good condition. The champions spend more time practicing than playing to sharpen and improve their timing. They know that if they neglect their training, they will soon cease to be champions. No one ever becomes so perfect that they can quit training. Timing is elusive and quickly lost.
The Warm-up
An experienced player seldom enters competition without first warming up to assure good co-ordination of the muscles. All players experience some difficulty starting to warm up because their muscles are not functioning properly. After limbering up for a few minutes, they "get the feel of the shoe." Your warm-up has much to do with determining how you will play; therefore, take plenty of time to coordinate your muscles.
PITCHING PSYCHOLOGY
A great many people attempt to pitch horseshoes without realizing that it is a game of great science. After practicing for a time, paying little or no attention to the proper fundamentals, they fail to improve beyond a certain stage. Becoming discouraged, they say, "It looks like I was not cut out to be a good player." Some think that they are very lucky when they make a ringer or two during a game. And, considering the way they try to deliver their shoes, they are lucky. Although there is a certain amount of luck involved in all games, other factors besides luck are required to pitch ringer after ringer on stakes forty feet apart.
An expert pitcher has a pretty fair idea of what a horseshoe will do the moment he releases it. Such skill is acquired only by long periods of correct physical and mental training. Along with this, a player must possess a considerable amount of natural talent, good eyesight, nerve control, patience, and a deep love of the game. To master the science of pitching, one must also learn to master his emotions. Bad temperament or lack of self-discipline ruins many otherwise promising players.
Don't try to master all the fundamentals at once because this is impossible. It is a mistake, at first, to center all your attention on trying to make ringers. Of course, that is the object of pitching, but you must approach this objective slowly and correctly. The fundamentals must be worked out one at a time. "Haste makes waste." A player must learn to "pitch with the head" as well as the arm.
How to Practice
In the beginning, the shoe will feet heavy and cumbersome, but this will soon pass with practice. It takes time to "get the feel of the shoe." Practice on a well-built court. Use good equipment. Always try to do your best. Pitch the full distance of 40 feet. For women, (and males under age 18 years old), the distance is 30 feet. Don't overdo, especially at first. You need to become accustomed to this form of exercise. Too much practice can cause staleness, a strained arm and loss of control. An hour a day is usually sufficient to put one in good form. When practicing alone, pitch your shoes in-groups of 50 and count all points. Merely tossing the shoes back and forth, without a definite objective in mind, does not bring about much self-improvement.
Expert pitchers train hard and intelligently to condition themselves for a major tournament. There is a lot of walking to do in a meet. The muscles of the legs and feet must be in good condition. Partnership (four handed) games, which are favored by older players who dislike so much walking to and fro, are poor practice for tough tournament competition. It is not so much the amount but how one trains that is important. When you become tired, quit practicing and rest. Fatigue brings on tension and tension prevents you from concentrating on your playing.
After gaining fair control of your shoes, seek good competition with more experienced players. Pitching under pressure develops self-confidence. Be a close observer and a good listener. You will learn much to your advantage from the experts. However, don't try to change your style by copying that of every good pitcher you meet. Most of the champions have little personal quirks in their deliveries that may not work with your style. The old saying that, "one man's meat can be another's poison," is applicable here. The personal development of your natural style is the best course to follow, providing you observe the fundamentals that are fundamental.
Nearly all beginners experience difficulty in elevating their shoes high enough. Ted Allen, one of the game's all time greatest, perfected his trajectory by erecting two poles out in the center of his court - one pole on each side of the pitching lane. With a wire stretched from pole to pole, about 8 feet above the ground, he practiced pitching over the wire. Thus, he trained himself to pitch the proper height - for his style of pitching.
When an opponent is unavailable, two or more pairs of horseshoes can be used to good advantage. Place a shoe around each stake. Leave it there. Then regard those ringers as a dummy opponent. Endeavor to beat him. Score three points each inning for your imaginary opponent. To defeat him, you have to pitch over 50% ringers. Pitching against the iron of the opposing shoes is excellent practice in topping ringers.
Concentration
Learn to concentrate on your game. Mental concentration is about 75% of the battle among experts. Many of them appear to be self-hypnotized when engaged in strong competition. They grit their teeth with each pitch and refuse to talk to anyone until the game is over. It isn't that they want to be rude and unsociable, but they realize that they cannot carry on a conversation and concentrate on their playing at the same time.
Nervous Tension (Pressure)
Public enemy Number One for all tournament pitchers is that old mental devil, "tension" -more commonly called "pressure." When two champions meet in a title match, the air becomes charged with tension that grips the players and spectators alike. Endurance, nerve control and the "breaks of the game" are the factors that decide the winner. Under such circumstances, it is common to see some players become the victim of "pressure." When that occurs, they become easy marks for their opponents. Pressure plagues all players at times. Those who deny it are dishonest with themselves. It is no disgrace to be afflicted by pressure. It is natural. Boxers, football players, opera singers, public speakers - even race horses can be seen to tremble, breathe rapidly, perspire and become rigid with suspense before going in to action. However, insofar as a successful public performance is concerned, tension is fatal, unless ways and means are devised to conquer it.
A tournament pitcher must mentally condition him self to overcome pressure. The pitcher may be in the pink of condition and capable of playing well under ordinary circumstances. But, if the pitcher has neglected the mental training, this omission instantly becomes apparent when engaging strong competition. A good player does not become tense because of being afraid. The pitcher is afraid because the pitcher becomes tense.
The first step toward conquering pressure is to recognize it for what it is. Pressure is a self-created enemy that destroys coordination and deprives one of physical and mental endurance. All successful public performers (I mean horseshoe pitchers here) have devised methods of combating pressure. Because it affects each individual in a somewhat different manner - but always adversely they may solve their problem in their own way. It is not easy, however, it can be done by (1) Preparation or training; (2) Physical Control; (3) Proper Mental Attitude.
When you find yourself growing tense during a game, slow down and take plenty of time delivering. Walk from stake to stake with slow, measured strides. Let your arms hang loosely at your sides. Shake your fingers and wrist occasionally to relax the muscles of your delivery arm. Raise your arms above your head and breathe deeply and evenly from your diaphragm. This will relax your muscles and help restore your mental composure. Tension causes fatigue, which in turn causes tension. Don't let a few bad breaks rattle you. Once you acquire the power of "mind over muscle," you will become a better player.
Relaxation is the secret of success in all sports
Although horseshoe pitching is one of the most healthful of all sports, tournament pitching builds up more pressure than most other sports. A golfer has plenty of time to relax between strokes. A baseball pitcher can miss the plate any number of times and still pitch a fine game. But to get anywhere in a big horseshoe tournament a player must throw an average of 70% to 80% ringers. The opponents will cancel over 75% of these ringers. After two players pitch their shoes they walk 40 feet to the other end and pitch the shoes back to the other stake. This is continuous action over a long period of time. Players pitch as many as 3,000 shoes during the course of a National Tournament. The pressure and competitive tension is on every pitch.
Tips and Comments by Top Players
Elmer Hohl, the great Canadian Champion, and 3-time World Champion: "The stake is the only thing I see when delivering a pitch. Anything could happen immediately behind the stake and I wouldn't see it."
Harold Reno of OH, twice World Champion: "Blot out all interference. Concentrate on the stake, don't talk to people, listen to noises or watch something going on outside your court during a game."
Paul Focht of OH, 1962 World Champion: Pitch every shoe in practice just as you would in a tournament - as if the title depended on throwing a ringer."
Don Titcomb of CA, the first left-hander to win the World Title: "Mistakes made in practice through lack of concentration and determination will form bad habits and come back to haunt you in tournament games.
Carl Steinfeldt of NY: "Poor mental attitude and lack of confidence in -Your ability will defeat you in a close game every time
Guy Zimmerman, 1954 World Champion: "The reason many players tense up is because they don't try hard during practice as they do in competition. While practicing they merely toss their shoes back and forth without concentrating enough on what they are doing. The result is they play like they practice-halfhearted with little confidence. They may pitch very good for awhile but when the chips are down they break under pressure of competition."
Ed Sharpe of IN: "The right amount of practice is the amount you really want at a time you want it. Some days you may be tired and disinterested don't practice. Other days you may want to practice all day. Sloppy pitching habits develop when you are tired or lack interest."
Note: This material taken from "The Horseshoe Pitcher's Manual on how-to-do-it", compiled by the NHPA, F. Ellis Cobb, Editor, rev. 1978
The Pitching Shoe
Although regular horseshoes were pitched for centuries, specially made pitching shoes have been used since the first world tournament in 1909 and today are in universal use. Pitching shoes are similar to regular horseshoes, with toe and heel caulks. The balance, temper, and hook design are all carefully determined to promote maximum success and for regulation play certain design specifications are carefully followed to in sure fairness in competition.
