Arctic Quest Day
Our challenge team had the opportunity to make a start on their activity specific Svalbard preparations, with a trip to visit Vickie Pullins and her wonderful dogs at her Arctic Quest location.
We spent the day with Vickie and a selection of her dogs. She owns over 40 dogs herself! Vickie is also a sled dog World Champion, along with many of her beautiful dogs, including huskies and hounds.
The premise of the day was for our challenge team to spend some time with huskies, get to know a bit about them, and maybe get involved with looking at harnesses and the sleds. The day surpassed our expectations completely. This was firstly down to Vickie and the fact she was absolutely brilliant with our youngsters. No negative comments, just praise all the time, and speaking to them in a way that made everyone take interest and take it all in. Secondly - down to our students. They were fantastic from start to finish. In fact, Vickie said they were the best school group she had ever led! A real testament to their maturity, excitement and real interest in this challenge.
We started off with an introduction to Vickie and what she has accomplished in dog sledding - some list! After meeting Vickie and her equipment, the time had come to meet the other stars of the day. The dogs!
Vickie bought with her a selection of her dogs, including huskies and hounds. Our team had chance to meet all of them throughout the day.
Our team were involved from the off, being put to task by Vickie. What an experience! The youngsters got the full range of care and interaction opportunities whilst they were there. Caring for the dogs was of upmost importance to Vickie, and so it should.
The students all learnt about the harnesses and how they attach to the dogs. They started off with helping to put them on the dogs with adult supervision, but by the end of the session, students were all harnessing and de-harnessing dogs on their own, with absolute confidence. Wow!
They were responsible for water care throughout the day, filling the water containers, dog bowls and ensuring the dogs had access to the correct amounts of water throughout the activities.
The dogs also loved a fuss, especially after their activities, and all the students and staff were more than willing. The dogs were beyond beautiful.
As well as learning about the dogs and their lifestyles, how to care for them, how to harness and de-harness and much more, they also all had a trip out being pulled by the dogs. What an exhilarating experience that was! In turn, the group got to ride on the back of the quad whilst the dogs pulled them round the field. They really do possess some power in them!
Vickie even put the fire on and made everyone hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows for lunchtime.
By the end of the day, everyone had a truly wonderful day, and had learnt so much about the dogs. They were all competent in the care and harnessing, as well as being around the dogs. A real precursor for what they will experience when they arrive on Svalbard in April. A perfect day really, being taught and getting involved in the same tasks they will face on the ice - just minus the snow and icicles from the nostrils!
A massive THANK YOU to Vickie for her time for the day. The students - and equally staff - had a brilliant day and enjoyed every minute.
Please watch the video below to see what we got up to with Vickie at Arctic Quest!
