This message is from: "Dave McWethy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I was directed this morning to the North American Ski Joring Association, based in Montana. Apparently there is a racing circuit. Their website is: http://www.nasja.com/ There are some wild yahoo pictures there, skiiers with air! It looks like the racing is all done with riders steering the horses. It must be fun to watch.
Saturday we had a great time down at Jeff Morse's party. Laurie Neely and I used his horse to launch this form of folly. His choice of horse was his 23 year old Morgan, a gelding whose eye said he'd seen just about everything. I kidded Jeff about giving us his geriatric horse, to keep us out of trouble. Garmisch stood well for us to hitch and adjust. The equipment consists of a saddle, breast plate and rods going back to the skier, with a bar across the back with two vertical rods that swivel back and forth. They have the lines attached. Your steering is essentially the same as a bulldozer! I started off at a walk, which was dead simple. When I went to a trot, I learned Jeff's horse still had some real life in him, and wanted to go faster than my skiing ability might allow at this point. He was throwing his legs out like a racehorse, for a big stride-y trot. One benefit of the equipment, we realized, is that if you fall and the horse is free, the handle drops and effectively pulls the horse in, or so it looks. Laurie soon was on the back, and drove him also on her own. She was totally successful, but realized she needed shorter skis to go faster safely. All the time we were doing this, the snow was falling in the late afternoon. It was an altogether lovely day. Jeff took some pictures and posted them on his website. Go to: http://www.green.meads.com/default.htm Click on the ski-joering link below the picture I'm home today and about to go out and see how it goes with Fjord horses. I'd like to believe they are genetically predisposed to do this work.
