Have you ever wondered what it's like getting ready for your first skijoring event? Well, we got the inside scoop from one of our very own brand ambassadors, Anika Sadler (pictured above, taken by @life_with_keeley on Instagram)! She gave us some of her best tips and tricks including what to wear (hint...it's Outback)!
Let's hear from Anika about your rope:
"It is important to notice that each event can have their own variation of the SJUSA rules. We decided on a large twisted cotton rope to hook up to our saddles with a carabiner and a thinner braided polyester rope to go around our horn and hook the carabiner to at the back of the saddle which worked quite well for us."
Now onto prepping your horse, where Anika shares her personal experiences with her own!
"To get our horses ready for skijoring the two main things were getting them comfortable pulling a skier/snowboarder and making sure they were in their best physical shape possible. With Roush I was lucky that in his past he had pulled carts and been roped off at brandings. So he was very comfortable with the feeling of pulling something behind him that also moves already. We are also lucky to live in the middle of the mountains with a groomed trail that starts at our farm which was perfect to practice on and also getting him used to running on the snow. Roush is very comfortable in the snow and typically goes barefoot all year around. But for his safety I decided to run him in a pair of shoes with ice studs on them."
Now let's talk gear. Anika recommends wearing a nice fleece layer under your coat to keep you extra warm, and for the riders, to wear a jacket that isn't too long so that you're not worrying about it getting caught up with your rope! With this in mind, we recommend wearing a nice waterproof jacket like the Women's Adelaide Oilskin Jacket or the Women's Oilskin Gidley Jacket for the ladies! For the fellas, we suggest something like the Pathfinder Oilskin Jacket or Bush Ranger Jacket. Some nice layering options are the Men's Fleece Big Shirt and the Ladies' Fleece Big Shirt! If you go with the Bush Ranger Jacket, the Wool Button-In Liner is the perfect pair.
Before you go, here are some final thoughts from Anika on what you can expect at your first event!
"At my first event, everyone was extremely welcoming and even the Pro's were happy to share their tips and tricks. It was an incredibly fun and supportive environment, between the fellow competitors and the crowd cheering on every run. As an avid skier and rider, it was great to see the two sports come together and I would love to give the switch-a-roo division (rider and skier switch throughout the race day) sometime!"
Now it's time to go Skijoring! Tag us on Instagram Skijoring in your Outback gear, and don't forget to give our ambassador Anika Sadler (@dressageinthemountains) a follow for sharing these wonderful tips! These are just a few tips, so comment below if you'd like even more and tutorials!