This message is from: "Dave McWethy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Several of us in New England have been getting ourselves equipped for ski joering.
Pam and I practiced yesterday in anticipation of the first round of ski joering today. We went "horseless". We have about a foot and a half of snow, so I fired up the dozer and plowed a path around one of our pastures. Plowing snow with a dozer might seem like overkill, but the dozer is a key part of my winter feeding plan. I use it to plow roads to where I am penning the horses, down at the end of a field. I can then take the horses hay and water with a Gator, which makes things easy. So after the road was made, we tied a rope to the Gator and took turns being pulled behind. If it is any clue on how much fun actual ski joering is, we're in for some good times. I skied with very short downhill skis, probably intended for a ten year old, and Pam used some wide cross country skis. Even though we have been told the cross country skis won't work, they did fine for this. The experience was very much like waterskiing. I was able to glide back and forth, and veer out to the side on turns. We definitely got up to trot speed, with no problems. We also went by where the horses are penned. I like to give them previews of future human folly. One out of seven spooked at us going by, so we know who not to start with. I'll meet Laurie and Ray Neely and go with them to Jeff Morse's winter extravaganza in Massachussetts this afternoon. Laurie has imported several sj outfits from France, and she has mine, which we'll take with us and try out there. Winter is starting to seem like a great season all of a sudden! Dave http://www.horseharness.com
