Blind Sled Dog Finishes 100-Mile Marathon In Minnesota, Now Aims For 300-Mile Race

Jan 23, 2020 by apost team

Once Alaskan huskies are trained to pull sleds, there is nothing else in the world that they will want to do; in the case of Indy, a 7-year-old male husky from Minnesota, losing the ability to see has not been an impediment to continue racing. Indy recently complete a 100-mile sled race, and he is already training for the next competition, which will feature a 300-mile route through the snow.

Indy lost sight in one eye when he was about three years old, which is when most sled dogs are starting to master their skill of racing; they are born to run in packs, but they have to be trained on how to pull sleds as a team. He was getting along fine with one eye as he learned to stay balanced with the other dogs, but three years later he ended up losing vision in his other eye, as reported here by MPR News. 

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It so happened that Indy got along great with Popcorn, another dog that helped him when he could still see out of one eye, and he had naturally started to compensate by digging his paws deeper into the snow; in other words, he was becoming stronger. By the time he was completely blind, Indy was taken off the sled by his owner Frank Moe, but it was clear that he still wanted to race.

Indy was reinstated and is now the wheel of the sled team; he is the strongest dog pulling the sled, and he is guided by the rest. When he recently completed the 100-mile Gunflint Mail Run in the northern regions of Minnesota, his lack of eyesight did not hinder him. This was Indy's first time competing since he lost complete sight, and he is now training to enter a 300-mile race next winter. During his recent race, Indy ran the first 50 miles before taking a break for a few hours and completing the route.

There are big plans on the horizon for Indy. Tell your friends about this amazing blind dog and what he has been able to accomplish.