By skijoring, outdoorswoman finds new ski partners
by Kathy Beer
| Senta is all
business when harnessed and pulling the author on skis. | SKIJORING & OTHER DOG-HUMAN TEAM RACES
2006-2007 Nov. 18-19: East Meets West Dryland Challenge, including novice to pro canicross and bikejoring. Brainerd, MN. www.isdra-dryland-racing
Jan. 20: Talvitohinat Winter Scramble, skijoring race. MTU Tech Trails, Houghton, MI. 906/482-0820; evanmcdonald@keweenawlandtrust.org; www.keweenawlandtrust.org
Feb. 3: City of Lakes Skijor Loppet, 5K pro/sport. uptown Minneapolis, MN. 612/715-1479; info@cityoflakesloppet .com; www.cityoflakesloppet.com
March 3-4: Snowflake Skijoring Classic and 4-Dog Sled Sprints, 6K. Duluth, MN
For more details, additional Midwest races and updates, go to www.skijornow.com. |
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One of the pluses of cross-country skiing is that it can be a solo sport. You don't have to travel in a pack to do it.
Camaraderie is great but it isn't necessary. I continued to cross-country ski after the loss of my first husband. He died of heart failure at the age of 37.
He was an avid outdoorsman. We went whitewater canoeing on the the Flambeau, Pine, Pike, Black, Brule, Wolf and Peshtigo rivers. We also kayaked, shooting Five-Foot Falls and Horse Race Rapids on the Peshtigo. We biked. We
hiked. But most important, we cross-country skied. We started skiing in the early '70s when it was a relatively new sport. We purchased two pairs of beautiful Bonna skis. I still have them. They're still beautiful, despite all the scrapes and knicks, and perform well on the trails to this day. We did moonlight treks. We cooked out on the trail. We did
it all. I always felt that my first husband managed to squeeze 80 years into his 37. Maybe he felt an urgency to do so. My second husband had never been on cross-country skis. That changed quickly. We soon were regularly skiing the Southern Kettle Moraine and La Grange. At one point he suggested we get a dog, perhaps a Siberian Husky. The dog could run the trails with us. I've had felines my entire life but I
never had a canine until Barrie, our first Husky. With Barrie, I started to skijor. With that began a new chapter in my life as a skier. Skijoring introduced me to a whole new view of the sport. Now I never ski unless I am out with at least one, or sometimes, two dogs. It's a unique and ancient experience.
It's silent teamwork. When on a trail, a canine's instincts are primed. And through a lead dog's heightened awareness, I, too, realize, appreciate and feel more fully everything going on around me. Nonskijorers tend to assume the dogs do all the work while the skiers just enjoy the ride. But I believe I exert more energy when skiing with a canine then when I ski by myself.
A skijorer must work in tandem with her dog or dogs, using muscles to maneuver and guide her four-legged partners. I often meet people on the trail who smile and comment, "Boy, I'd like to do that with my dog." Smiling back at them, I say, "You can." Any dog can skijor. Dogs like to please. and what pleases them most is working with you. Experiment with rigging
Besides a willing dog or two, what else do you need? You need a pair of cross-country skis and a tow line that will connect to the dog's harness. I've used three different tow lines since I've been skijoring. The first setup I used was a line connecting to a bar very much like a water skiing bar. With this you can't use ski poles, which I feel is a drawback. If you
happen to drop the bar, the dog can take off and go on a solo romp around the woods. Sure, I've fallen or dropped the tow bar, but that was never a problem. It has been difficult to get back up, however, when my furry friends playfully pile on to check that I'm OK.
A ski belt is better than a tow bar. A belt around your waist connects to a line that attaches to the dog's harness, leaving your arms free for poles.
My complaint about this rigging system is with the initial jerk that immediately follows the dogs taking off. Whether it happens at the start of a race or the beginning of a lazy afternoon tour, I've felt like I was being snapped in half. Barrie and Boy, my first Siberian duo, would stand and wait patiently for me to put on my skis. But the moment I gave the "Go" or "Hike" command, they launched like rockets. I've never been
thrown or literally split in two, thankfully, but I've come close.
My current rigging works the best for me. A canvas seat supports the fanny and connects in the front to the tow line. You literally sit in it so it allows for hip swivel. The seat is a lot more secure than a tow bar, too. I used this system for the first time last winter and I'll continue to use it until something better comes along.
Harness fit is very important. Skijoring dogs wear the same harness that is worn by dogs in the Iditarod snow sledding race. It's called the X-back harness and is fitted according to the weight of the dog. The collar is fitted snugly at base of the neck. The harness loop that attaches to the tow line should be at the base of the tail when the dog is pulling.
If you run two or more dogs, you may want to use a neck coupler between them. This channels more of
their power. Sometimes I use a coupler, sometimes I don't. It depends on the situation and what dogs are skiing.
Trust but don't underestimate your dog
As previously stated, any dog can pull, but don't expect your dog to be dynamite on the trail if you have little or no working relationship with her on a day-to-day basis. To skijor well, there has to be a well established bond of trust between a dog and the skier. On some occasions, the skijorer must trust her dog's judgment.
For example, I once skijored some private trails near Shawano, Wisconsin, while testing new equipment – a ski belt instead of tow bar. It was a beautiful snowy afternoon but I was assured the trails were well marked. However, I soon became so intoxicated with the scenery on our waltz through the forest, I lost track of the trail markers. We kept running and running and running. It was getting dark so we stopped.
I said to Barrie, "I think I'm lost." Sensing my disorientation, she turned and started tracking. I soon realized my task was only to hold on, keep my balance, and follow her instincts. Sure enough, in about 20 minutes, we arrived at the parking lot where we had started.
Don't underestimate your dogs' power either. Barrie, for instance, was a pistol. One time while skiing with her and the tow bar, she lunged forward and I ended up in the Emergency Room with a torn tendon in my
finger. Although I had to wear a finger cast for a number of weeks, it didn't prevent me from skijoring.
My 100-pound Malamute, Parzi, was a steady and reliable freight train. He was built for comfort, not for speed. He appreciated the scenery as much as I did. We didn't enter races to win, but to participate. On moonlit nights over ice-covered snow, I could skied blindfolded with him.
My first string of skijoring partners has left me. I now skijor with a second string. They, too, enjoy the beauty and the solitude of the trail. They are natural athletes, and they enable me to better appreciate and enjoy winter in the Midwest.
Kathy Beer lives in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. She's a retired German languge teacher and writer who has been published in Dog Fancy, Siberian Quarterly and Bushy Tails. She cavorts with cats, too, as a 4-H
feline judge at several county fairs every summer.
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