lashed with twine, to modern lightweight racing sleds made of carbon fiber or aluminum and outfitted with utilities such as steering mechanisms. The nomadic tribes of Siberia such as the Chukchi used sleds which rode low to the ground (known as a "narta"), and sat or lie down to ride them while the dogs pulled - today most mushers use a standing style sled with a handlebar, and foot grips on top of the runners. Sleds range in length, with longer toboggan-style sleds used for expedition and long-distance mushing in order to carry more needed supplies, and "basket" sleds used more commonly in racing and on groomed trails. Kicksleds can be used as a small recreational dog sled, pulled by one or two dogs. Sleds normally have some form of braking system, the most common of which are a metal brake (a metal bar or claw) and a rubber drag-mat made of tire or snowmobile track; many sleds have both, for controlling speed in different conditions. Full-sized sleds are typically outfitted with a sled bag used for carrying equipment or injured/tired dogs in the sled basket. For racing competitions, sled bags are often required to have ventilation for dog safety. Other Equipment Other gear used in mushing includes but may not be limited to: Gangline: A cable and rope line system connecting the sled to the dogs' harnesses and collars, usually with carabiners, metal snaps, bungees, and knots. Tugline/s: Individual rope or cable sections made of the same material as the gangline which attach to the dogs' harnesses Snow Hook: A metal anchor-like hook used for securing the team in deep snow or ice when stopping on the trail Snub-line: A securing rope or cable used to tie the team to a fixed object such as a tree or post before beginning a run, or while resting. Picket Line: Used to attach dogs in a secure area before hooking them into a gangline, or while camping on the trail. Bikejoring Bikejoring is dog mushing similar to skijoring, canicross, and dog scootering. A dog or team of dogs is attached with a towline to a bicycle. Bikejoring and canicross probably developed from skijoring and dogsled racing. Bikejoring is also sometimes used to train racing sled-dogs out of season. An easier and maybe safer alternative to bikejoring or dog-scootering, especially for use in urban and built up areas, is to attach a