Cowboys on ice pull skiers with horses

The flags are up. The horses are pacing behind the gate, some literally raring to go. Skiers wind up a long, white tow rope and prepare for the ride.

While skijoring behind dogs is becoming more popular in cross-country skiing venues, getting towed around an oval track, through slalom gates and over jumps by a spirited horse takes the sport to another level.

More than 300 spectators lined the race track last week to watch the first horse-and-skier event in Lincoln, Montana.

It’s no easy feat as four teams prove with disqualifications as helmeted skiers caught edges, lost control and barreled face-first into the snow at almost 35 miles an hour.

“The adrenaline rush is incredible,” veteran rider Scott Ping said. “I’ve been doing this for more than 20 years and every run is just as exciting as the first.”

The Lincoln event was held at the rodeo grounds with more than 60 teams registered to ride and ski. The event was hosted by Algard and Wild Horse Stables as part of the two-year-old skijoring America Race Series in Montana.

Teams could register to compete in either the novice, open or sport rounds of the event. Some of the novice teams were skijoring for the first time on Saturday.

The spirit of skijoring rests in the partnership between the skier, rider and horse. If any one of them makes a mistake, it effects the whole team.

Skiers receive one-second time penalties for every gate they miss on their run around the track. Both ski boots and ski tips must pass on the correct side of the gate, otherwise it is counted as a miss.

Upon finishing, the skier must be on at least one ski and have both ski boots on when he cross the finish line.

But the skier can’t make it anywhere without a good horse and rider team. The horse needs to be fast and the rider needs to know when and where to maneuver the horse across the slick track.

Ping talks about the sport like it hasn’t caused him bruises and broken bones.

“It’s definitely dangerous,” Ping said. “But I love it.”