Northernwolf Siberian Huskies | Harnesses | Sled, Chukchis, Dogs, Load, Harnessed

An agreeable companion and willing worker.

Harnesses

Fan Formation

The Chukchis used three different methods of harnessing their dogs to the sled, depending on terrain, weather conditions, and sled load. When the load was not heavy, the Chukchis harnessed the dogs alternately along a single tow line. To pull a heavier load, the Chukchis harnessed their team in pairs, on both sides of line attached to the front of the sled. The problem with these methods was that too many dogs could be lost as the sled shot over snow covered crevasses an cliffs. A safer way was a fan style of harnessing - all the Huskies hitched in a fan-shaped arrangement to draw the sled. This prevented everyone from falling into a crevasse, but one scraggly little tree in the path could really tangle things up. It was practicable only over wide open tundra, where it is sometimes still used.

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