I love playing a good, competitive game of Horse (or H-O-R-S-E) in the front yard with friends. As my kids get older, they are becoming my best friends, and I want to spend more and more of my active, recreational time with them. I’m a much better basketball player than my kids, the oldest of which is eight (I know–this means I’m NBA caliber). Horse isn’t very competitive or balanced unless I add in one or more handicaps or equalizers, which makes the game much more fun for my kids. Here are a few I’ve experimented with that have resulted in my six- and eight-year-old beating me over and over despite my most diligent and concentrated efforts. I will obviously phase these handicaps out, or use less of them, as my kids get older. (Eventually, I’ll use these handicaps against my kids.)
The Rules of Horse
If you have never played Horse, here are the basic rules. Horse is one of the most common shooting games in basketball. Any number of players can participate. On a player’s turn, he shoots from any location, trying to make the most difficult shot possible. If he misses, it is the next player’s turn. If he makes it, all other players must attempt to make the same shot, and each person that misses gets a letter in the word “horse.” The original shooter shoots again until he misses and it becomes the next player’s turn. Play continues until every player but one has earned H-O-R-S-E and been eliminated. Essentially, five misses or “strikes” and you are out.
There are at least two possible variations to Horse. Normally, it remains a player’s turn until he misses, regardless of who successfully matches each made shot. However, some people play that once anyone misses, it is the next player’s turn. So, for example, if on a player’s turn he makes a shot, but the second of the five remaining players misses, it becomes the third player’s turn, and he doesn’t have to match the shot and risk earning a letter.
A second variation is giving two tries on each player’s last letter. If a player has earned H-O-R-S, he must miss the same shot twice to earn the final E and be eliminated from the game.
Possible Handicaps or Equalizers
1. Play on a shorter hoop. This is the easiest way to bridge the gap between you and your kids. Shooting into a ten-foot hoop (one that is less than twice my height) is a difficult height for many kids. For a four-foot-tall kid, shooting way up into a ten-foot-hoop is similar to me shooting up into a fifteen-foot-hoop, approximately. (I am about six feet tall.) If you ever get the chance to shoot into a hoop this high, you’ll be more understanding of a little tyke trying to shoot into a standard ten-foot hoop. Think about using a shorter hoop to make it easier on your kids, but get your kids to the standard ten-foot hoop as quickly as possible. They’ll enjoy basketball more in the longterm if they can compete without this and other handicaps
2. Have your kids play with smaller balls. Kids have smaller hands and smaller arms and smaller bodies. It is much more difficult for them to shoot a standard size ball, and a good equalizer is for them to shoot with a smaller ball that is more proportional to their body size. But use a smaller ball like a shorter hoop: as little as possible.
3. Shoot from twice as far away. Try shooting a free throw ten times. Then shoot ten more times from twice this distance. I suspect your shooting percentage will decrease by more than twice. Shoot a three pointer ten times. Shoot ten times from twice this far, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you make a few three pointers but none from twice as far. Shooting from twice as far away is more than twice as hard sometimes and perhaps the quickest way to make you the underdog against your young kids. This is especially true if they can make free-throw distance shots because you’ll be required to make three balls from well beyond the arc.
4. Play you against multiple kids. Here’s how this can work. Child A shoots. If he makes it, you have to match it. If he misses, it is Child B’s turn. After you get through Child B’s turn, and ever other child on the kid team, then you get your turn. In other words, your kids get two, three, or more turns for every one of your turns. If you want to make it even more difficult, let each of your kids try to match any shot you make. For example, if you make a shot, Child A tries to match it, then Child B, and any other child playing. If any of them makes the shot, they don’t lose a point. However you use this handicap, only let the kid team earn a potential of one letter for every shot you make.
5. Shoot with your left hand. If the above methods don’t provide enough equalization, a simple handicap is shooting left-handed–or with your non-dominant hand. Your kids can still shoot with whatever hand they want (or with both hands).
6. Require that your shots be swishes. Your kids can bank it, bounce it, or swish it in, but if your shot hits the rim at all, even if it goes down, it is not a successful shot. Only a swish–nothing but net–counts.
7. Shoot with your eyes closed. Take a good look at the hoop, close your eyes, and imagine the ball going in as you release the ball. Let your kids shoot with their eyes wide open. This handicap alone may equalize the playing field.
There are certainly other ways to level the playing field and make Horse with your kids a healthy competition that you and your kids are more likely to enjoy. I would love to hear about these other variations.