What Equipment do I need?
This section will show you the basic equipment you'll need to
start exercising or racing your dog using a scooter or dry land
rig.
Harnesses: The main type of harness is the x-back. The
harness is extremely important as it properly distributes the
weight of the load across the dog's muscular-skeleto system. Of
all the equipment needed, the harness is the most important.
The harness should should be padded around the front and fit the
dog very well. Badly fitting harnesses will do more harm to your
dog than good.
Ganglines: The line that runs from the sled to the dogs
is called a gang line. Ganglines consist of the Towline (the bit
that goes from the scooter/rig between the dogs), and the
Tugline (the bit that goes from the Dog to the Towline).
You normally buy a Gangline complete & ready made for the number
of dogs you intend to run with.
Slip Collar: Mainly for security, a slip collar should
be used in addition to the harness.
Neck Line: The neck line is also 1/4 inch poly rope and
is braided into the tow line. The end of the neck line attaches to
the dog's collar. The dog does NOT pull from this under ANY
circumstances. The function of the neck line is to keep the dogs
close to the tow line, thereby maximizing their pull strength.
Scooter: Scooters are available in a variety of styles, but
generally have anything from 16" to 26" mountain bike style tyres.
The scooters incorporate mountain bike style brakes and have a
large footboard to stand on and kick off from. Some of the newer
scooters also incorporate front shocks similar to mountain bikes
to absorb bumps better.
Dry Land rigs: For those of us that don't have
snow, you will need a dry land rig. This is a 3-wheeled
trike with handlebars & brakes (like a bicycle) but no saddle, and
two areas for you to stand on.
(And protective gear for you, like helmet, gloves, knee/elbow
protection...) |
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