| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
Equipment used in mushing includes at least a dog sled, harnesses for the dogs, and tuglines. Depending on the kind of hitch system used, a gangline and necklines may also be used. Greenlandic hunters, for example, use a fan hitch, in which each dog has a separate tugline attached to the sled. The dogs spread out in a fan formation ahead of the sled as they run, and this gives them more room to maneuver over rough ice or other obstacles. The fan hitch is used in treeless areas. The gangline, a single line to which each dog is attached, usually in pairs, keeps the dogs in parallel ahead of the sled, and is better for forested areas with narrow trails. This is also the typical harness hitch system used in races such as the Iditarod and the North American Open.
Dogs used for mushing depend on the particular application: freighting dogs tend to be large and sturdy, racing dogs light and speedy, with long legs. Breeds used for mushing include Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, Alaskan huskies, Eurohound s, German Shorthaired Pointers, and miscellaneous crossbreeds.