Sledding

Annika30

Just wondering if there is anyone 'sledding' with their husky/malamute/samoyed in Ireland? I have tried sledding with my husky and it's so much fun! The dogs really enjoy it and it's fantastic exercise, as you husky owners already know it's not easy to tire out a husky, but my husky slept well afterwards:)
Annika

Alun

No, but I spent 5 days in Swedish Lapland in February behind a team of 6 of them! Boy are they strong! Travelled close to 200km over mountains and frozen lakes in temperatures down to -36, and when we got back to base it was if they'd just been out for a stroll

Annika30

I'm from Sweden myself, what a fantastic picture!

Annika

Karoma

I tried it in Limerick, but it wasn't a lot of fun. Cars were beeping, and the language used by the members of the travelling community on their horse-drawn cart was atrocious (Childers Road).

Annika30

Haha! That didn't sound like a great experience.
Annika

Schlemm

Alun wrote:

No, but I spent 5 days in Swedish Lapland in February behind a team of 6 of them! Boy are they strong! Travelled close to 200km over mountains and frozen lakes in temperatures down to -36, and when we got back to base it was if they'd just been out for a stroll

That looks class! I'd love to go to Lapland some day...was it an expensive holiday?

Alun

Schlemm wrote:

That looks class! I'd love to go to Lapland some day...was it an expensive holiday?

It was a fantastic experience, but much more physical than I expected. Trying to hang on to a sled with 6 very eager huskies pulling you down a bendy, twisty path through the trees, and all the time standing on the brake to stop your sled running into the back of the dogs, really takes it out of you, especially in the upper body! Also when going uphill, you're doing as much pushing as the dogs are pulling, so you have to be reasonably fit. It's definitely not just a case of sitting on the back (you're standing the whole day!) and letting them pull you along. You're also personally responsible for the welfare of your own dog team, feeding them, harnessing them in the mornings and unharnessing them and bedding them down at night. Basically, you're relying on them, so the dogs come first and you come second.

As for the cost .. yes it was expensive. We went with a company called The Silent Way, based in a small village called Umnäs. Here's their website ...

http://www.dogsledding-adventures.com/

You'll have to email them for prices. Don't forget to check out the Picture Galleries with loads of cool pictures of the doggies

I've got a gallery of all my pictures from the trip too on

http://picasaweb.google.com/AlunSaunders

if you're interested.

Schlemm

Cheers for the link will be looking into this further alright!

Annika30

Alun, unfortunately I can't open the link to your pictures, but I had a look at the other website, it looks great!

Alun

Ooops! Sorry, the link was incorrect (a '/' instead of a '.'! ) I've corrected it now, so if you want to try it again, go ahead!

Annika30

Fab pics! Never heard of Umnäs, but I sure wouldn't mind going there:)

Vas_Guy

Hi,

I think the people who own these kennels use their huskies for sledding/carting:

http://www.cloverkennels.com/

Annika30

I have to check that site out, thanks!