A Towline in Place of Shafts
On a reindeer-drawn sled, the connection is a single flexible trace—a towing line running from the sled to the animal’s harness. It passes between the reindeer’s legs rather than along either side of the animal. Unlike the paired shafts on some carts, there is no rigid frame extending forward to keep the sled aligned.
That makes the trace’s position important. When it stays centered behind the reindeer, the pull travels along the sled’s direction of travel instead of tugging it sideways. The line can also move with the animal as it walks; it transmits the pull without boxing the reindeer in between rigid poles.
Flexibility Has a Tradeoff
A towline is not a steering bar. It can keep the pull centered, but it does not hold the sled in a fixed position relative to the animal the way shafts can. The arrangement relies on a simple, direct connection: the reindeer pulls through its harness, and the sled follows behind on its runners.
The result is a spare design with an unusual-looking route for the line. What appears to be an awkward passage between the legs is the path that lets the sled trail directly behind the animal without a pair of shafts framing its body.
