Skijøring
In Skijøring the competitors are pulled either by a dog, a horse or a motor-operated vehicle while on skis. The name of the sport was derived from a Norwegian term ‘skikjøring’, which means ski driving.
Skijøring with horsesThough horses and motor vehicles were mentioned above, dogs are more often used in this sport since they are more adaptable to cold weather. Skijøring with a dog usually uses two to three dogs to assist the skier and provide additional power to the pole and skis as they keep on pulling and running on the trail.
One only has to have a basic cross-country ski gear, a harness for your dog, a skijoring belt for your waist and a towline. Any breed of dog over 30 pounds, energetic and strong and has desire to run can be used to pull the skier through the snowy trails.
It was said that the beauty of skijøring lies in its simplicity. The way to play and enjoy skijoring is basic, thus easy to get comfortable with even for beginners. Although most skijorers are recreational skiers, there are also competitive races where skijorers can sprint up to 30 mph and an average of 20mph over a five-mile race. This winter sport is now growing popular in more and more countries.
Similar Sports
- Dog Sled Racing — teams of sled dogs pull a sled with the driver
- Skibobbing — a winter sport that uses a bicycle-type frame connected to skis called skibobs.
- Bikejoring — a single dog or a team of harnessed dogs pull along a rider on a bike
- Harness Racing — horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a sulky.
- Carriage Driving — sports in which horses or ponies are hitched to a wagon, carriage, cart or sleigh by means of a harness.
Related Pages
- Skijøring at the Winter Olympics
- List of all sports involving horses
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
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