Built From the Sideline
Play Horses started with an informal game called Horses, played courtside at beach volleyball matches. You pick a player on the court, then give or take drinks based on the good and bad things they do. Simple, casual, and surprisingly fun to watch a match through.
The problem was always the same: the game only worked if everyone remembered the unwritten rules, and the rules were different depending on who you played with last weekend. So we wrote them down. Then we added cards. Then we playtested, tallied real matches, and turned the casual courtside game into a structured deck.
What Makes the Deck Work
Every card reflects something that actually happens on the court. We ran tally sheets at recreational matches and tournaments so the frequency of each card in the deck matches what you'll actually see. The rare cards are rare on purpose. The common ones are there because you'll see them ten times a match.
Every card also has write-in lines at the bottom. Your group has inside jokes and house rules. The deck is a starting point, not a straightjacket.
One Mechanic, Every Sport
Sand Horses is the first deck. Court Horses (indoor volleyball) and Basketball Horses are next. Same core mechanic, tailored to each sport. If there's a sport you'd love to see get its own deck, email us.
Get In Touch
Questions, feedback, wholesale, press, or just want to say hi: [email protected].