Dashing through the Snow: Skijoring
Why not!? Why not try something new? Why not try skijoring – say whaaaat!?
Skijoring (click to learn how its pronounced) is a winter sport in which a person on skis or a snowboard is pulled by a horse, a dog (or dogs) or a motor vehicle. It is derived from the Norwegian word skikjøring, meaning “ski driving”. Skijoring dates back hundreds of years when it originated as a mode of winter travel when Arctic hunters harnessed reindeer to cross the frozen landscape in search of food.
This traditional transportation gradually evolved, developing into the adrenaline-fueled sport that made a once-only appearance in the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Here in the US, it is currently primarily a competitive sport in which a horse & rider team pull a skier or snowboarder through a course, spiked with gates, jumps and banked turns. It takes teamwork to make the dream work: the horse & rider need to be able to regulate their speed and the skier or snowboarder needs to be skilled enough to make it through the gates and stomp the landings of the jumps AND make it across the finish line with the rope in their hands!
“It will be fun”, they said… Actually, it is pretty crazy and yes, scary too…!
What’s that saying? Oh, right: “Life begins outside of your comfort zone!”
The best part about it is that it combines my two passions: horses and snowsports!
The first time I went to a skijor event here in the US, I said to myself: there is no way I would ever do that nor would I ever take my horse to something like this.
Well, never say never!
Linda Parelli recently shared this quote and talked about how winning and/or losing can affect our attitude, our confidence and our willingness to persist – in all areas of our life.
The year after my first visit to a skijoring competition
My significant other and I entered the “Switch-A-Roo” division with my Quarter Horse mare Catty. Catty showed up as the superhorse she is, she ended up turned out in a pen with 7 horses she had never met before but fared just fine, was not fazed by the huge jumbotron projector or the crowds or the fact that she was pulling a snowboarder across the snow, through gates and over jumps. We did do our prior & proper preparation at home though.
On Day 1, I rode her and pulled Kalei on a snowboard; on Day 2, Kalei rode her and pulled me! We made it across the finish line both days – granted, Catty is a cow horse, bred to stop, not to run but fun was had by all!
Photo by Scotty Kenton
From there, somehow things got a little out of control…
The Bravo Babes Team
The skijor bug got the best of me. Kind of last minute, I decided to enter the skijoring here in Pagosa Springs as the only all-girls team in the Snowboard Division with my rider Estella (who some of you might know from Outwest Saddlery) and her trusted steed “Bravo”.
We didn’t win any prize money but were the fastest (and only) team with a female snowboarder. Catty and I also pulled one of the Junior skiers.
Pictures by Patty Aragon
Fast forward two months
I find myself in Big Sky, Montana winning 3rd place in the Snowboard Division of their skijoring event!!! Truth be told, that was after a not so successful Day 1 when I didn’t make it across the finish line on either of my runs.
Despite all the fun and success, I do regularly question my life choices when I am at the start of a skijor race. My butterflies are flying amok and for some reason there is never a port-a-pottie anywhere nearby.
Now, for a little bit of a different perspective on the sport of skijoring
There was a time in my life when I lived in St.Moritz, Switzerland, studying tourism management & public relations and teaching skiing & snowboarding in the ski school.
Every winter, there are horse races on the frozen lake, called “White Turf”, as well as a polo tournament. As part of the horse races, there is also a skijor race. These brave skiers go behind racehorses without a rider on! Therefore, they “just” run on the flat racecourse, no jumps or gates to go through here.
My friend and fellow ski instructor Valeria followed her father’s footsteps and got her skijoring license at the age of 18. In 2017, she won the most points over the course of all 3 race weekends and was crowned with the prestigious title of “Queen of the Engadin” as the first woman ever. A bit of a sore point for her father, he never was able to win that title (in his case, it would have been “King of the Engadin”) but nevertheless was very proud of her.
Valeria in full skijoring action at the White Turf on the frozen lake of St.Moritz, Switzerland
Most recently, I have been teaching my miniature horse “Little Miss Kitty” to pull me on skis.
She is pretty skittish by nature so it will be a little bit of a process. It’s about the journey, not the destination, right!? I had already taught her to ground drive, so that’s half the win. I can’t wait to be dashin’ through the snow with her though! If we ever get some more of that white stuff!? The weather in Pagosa Springs has been oddly mild this year.
This winter’s skijor season is a wrap!
Golden Gus & his girls
I participated in the skijor in Ridgway, Colorado. There were 31 teams in the snowboard division! A new record! I finished 7th with my rider John and his horse Boss. The skijor in Pagosa Springs had just as many teams in its snowboard division. My team with Trae riding Roscoe, and pulling me finished in 6th place.
Finally, the “Best in the West” skijor in Big Sky, Montana. I entered the Switch-A-Roo division with Melissa who let me ride her trusted steed “Gus” on Day 1, pulling her on skis. On Day 2, we switched and she rode Gus pulling me. I have yet to find an action picture of us…
Trae & Roscoe did their magic again and we finished 3rd on Sunday and 4th overall – as, yes, you guessed it, the only female snowboarder, leaving everybody but my significant other who won 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall behind us.
Would it be bragging if I mentioned that Kalei also won 5th and then it was me again in 6th place with my rider Nikki and her horse Teal?
And I got to meet Bode Miller!
One of my all-time favorite professional athletes! He did an exhibition run at the skijor, getting pulled behind a Belgian Draft Horse.
Hi, my name is Elli, and I am an adrenaline junkie
Or, in other words, I like to continuously improve my emotional fitness. I like pushing myself out of my comfort zone and finding fun things to do – preferably with horses or on a snowboard, or both!
Skijoring does just that! Whether you take it to the competition level or play around on your snow-covered driveway, I can highly recommend it!
If you’re in a snow-less climate, first of all: good for you! It sure makes horsing around a whole lot more pleasant. My hope is that this article put a smile on your face and inspired you to live an adventurous life & to enjoy the journey!
Let me know if there is anything I can do to set you up for success!