The Art of Natural Dressage

Has anyone ever tried skijoring with their horses??? If so, how did it go?

Looking for tips and ideas to get started! I would like to design a safe harness for me and her, some sort of quick release? and have a few ideas already but would like to know what others have tried before I break my neck!!

I have been practicing walking behind Lucy on the snowy trails and holding on to her tail, c/t walk on, trot, whoa, etc., no steering yet tho <G>. She loves it!

Brenda

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/user/Lucy04574
http://www.youtube.com/user/Jack04574

I have with Gabriella. Back when we only had her and Spirit. It went very very well, only problem was Spirit wanting to run between me and his mother - on my skis.... I had a regular harness for driving her with a regular kind of chariot (guess I mix the words, but hopefully you know what I mean..). I had too mnay ropes though, so I fastened the draglines in my belt - wich I really would not reccomend..

I keep having plans to do it with the other, and then only a simple harness and no reins - just like with the dogs... But I keep having it as a plan - as I have always too much of a chaos with me on our trips.... But one day....

no not really
but i have put ones a sled behind my ponys...
just a regular driving harness and keep the peaces which you do normaly on to the carriage in my hands. He listen to my voice so no need of long reins.
and it was in our own fields so no traffic or other dangerous thing at all.
Just between the fences.
great fun

Thanks Kirsti! Yeah, I want to really think over the equipment part first...



Yes inge!! That's all I want to do, really juts have some fun, with no need for head gear, etc.

Thanks for sharing.

Brenda

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/user/Lucy04574

http://www.youtube.com/user/Jack04574

Probably something like the driving cordeo would work just fine - only perhaps made from a more substantial material - thicker? Softer?...then you don't have to worry about connecting yourself to the horse in any mechanical way. And since it would only be for short times it should work very well - so you have both traces and reins in one. Just hang onto the reins and go!

Oh! Oh! You can put a skiing tow rope...with a bar to hang onto!

Oh my imagination is going now...

_________________
"Ride reverently, as if each step is the axis on which the earth revolves"

Yeah..I think it has something to do with the weather, eh?

A ski tow rope sounds great!

For a harness, I am thinking of a (A) simple surcingle, (B) a breast piece, and (C) two pieces that attach to the surcingle about a third of the way down from the withers, maybe opposite where the breast pieces are attached. Then (C) pieces converge on top of her back (say just behind where saddle would end?) with (D) a large ring. I would thread one end of the tow rope thru and double it back to me. Then I could let go of the end withoogt the handle and it would just slide right thru the ring???

Now that I think of it, it's sort of a sled dog harness idea????

Thanks for the input!

Brenda

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/user/Lucy04574

http://www.youtube.com/user/Jack04574

They sell this: http://www.hooks.se/butik/default.asp?s ... Width=1440 in Norway and Sweden - adn probably more places (Finland Denmark I think).

I have had in mind for years to buy one - but it keeps with my thaught...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_zB9FIIe-c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUdfs4tiFW4

Kristi, can you spell the name of the item? That link just takes you to the first page, then it stays the same no matter where you go in the site.

_________________
"Ride reverently, as if each step is the axis on which the earth revolves"

Thanks Karen!!

I had seen them before! Love the horse in the first one ...of course!!

I couldn't see how the man was attached tho??

Brenda

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/user/Lucy04574

http://www.youtube.com/user/Jack04574

Me either...it's easier to see int he racing video, but I have googled and can't find a close up of the harness yet.

_________________
"Ride reverently, as if each step is the axis on which the earth revolves"

Look at this...he's not attached...he's hold a rope or something attached to the harness and the reins.



This is from:

http://simplymarvelous.wordpress.com/20 ... th-horses/

There are some really pretty photos on that blog!

OH look...it's Circe (ok...too short...I think it's a fjord!!)

http://www.whitetracks.co.uk/Meribel_Sk ... Joring.htm

I think any harness with a couple ropes and a tow bar would work:


Here's another one:


Here's a rather clever use of an old girth, and some ropes:

_________________
"Ride reverently, as if each step is the axis on which the earth revolves"

Oh, MAN that looks like fun!


And the Belgian looks like Circe, too!

Okay...snow DOES look like fun!!!!



Leigh

_________________
"Ours is the portal of hope. Come as you are." -- Rumi
www.imaginalinstitute.com

Oh - sorry.....

But I don't think you can spell it on your computer - snørekjøringssele

I try again... http://www.hooks.se/Butik/docs/zoom_pic ... =NO-420141

YES!!!

It is very simple and very cheap. And can easily be made by people a little better than me making things...

Yes, we have been doing skijöring..and it was really funny. I´ve never tried on an acre like the guy on the video..I think it´s more easy to travel along tracks in the woods ( watch out for roots ), because it´s much more easy to go without reins and the horse just knowing the way (ok, the horse has to know what "stop!" means).
We had a "harness" like the one Karen mentioned: I think any harness with a couple ropes and a tow bar would work:.
With more "unsecure" horses we had another horse or two with rider in front of them.
The only thing I was a little bit worried about was the reaction of the horse if I drop the bar (so we trained with the bar or two ropes on the ground first..). And it happened that I had to drop it..downhill, it was so funny to go faster and faster side by side with the horse , I don´t know if I should dare nowadays..
Good luck!!