Don’t get snowed in this winter—discover the thrilling sport of skijoring. Spectators and participants alike can enjoy this adventure-packed, Western-style discipline. It’s a team sport comprising a mounted rider, a horse, and a skier who holds a rope attached to the saddle.

Experienced competitors speed around a course of gates and jumps at speeds of up to 35 mph. Beginners can get involved at a slower pace in their backyard, at community-based festivals, or in novice divisions.

“We started by having our horses pull a sled and then skis long before we knew it was even a sport, because our horses were just getting lazy in the pasture all winter,” said Adam Rys-Sikora, president of Skijoring America, the sport’s governing body.

Nordic countries are credited with starting the sport—though it was teams of dogs that pulled skiers through a snow-covered obstacle course. In the United States, Tom Schroeder and “Mugs” Ossman helped move the sport from a pasture pastime to a fast-paced competition in 1949. Competitions sanctioned by Skijoring America largely take place in the Rocky Mountains that cross Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, though in the early 2000s competitions were held in New England, too.

Skijoring is not only exciting but it’s also relatively inexpensive to take up because it doesn’t require specialty gear. Rys-Sikora said competitors in the Rocky Mountains typically use Western saddles, while English saddles are often used in New England or Europe.

“The first thing you have to do is figure out what kind of footwear you’re going to have for your horse,” he said. “A lot of weekend competitors or recreational participants leave their horses barefoot. Other people use shoes with borium or an English-style spike.”

Skiers need gloves and should also wear eye and head safety gear. Sanctioned events might have different requirements, so it’s best to check specific rules and regulations. The rope a skier holds is 3/8 inches in diameter and 33 or 50 feet long, depending on whether the course is straight or curved. Event organizers will often provide the ropes.

Skijoring doesn’t require specialized training; however, you’ll need to introduce the horse to pulling an object, then a person behind him. Those interested in competing on the skijoring circuit should also desensitize their horses to crowds, noise, flags, and commotion, Rys-Sikora said.

To get started, visit Skijoring America’s website.

“Anybody can contact us and ask questions,” he said. “There’s lots of opportunity for novices, and everybody is going to help you out.”