IT WAS a dog's life for the sled dog teams who turned up bright, early and bushy tailed for a rally which then had to be cancelled because of "treacherously icy" ground.
Shaun Thompson, who organised the Ian Hutchinson Memorial Sled Dog rally at Beechenhurst, said they'd had a "worst case scenario" with the weather.
"We had been prepared to get out for a snow run with sleds on runners, rather than wheels, but then the snow melted and it got really slushy. Then it went down to minus 4C overnight on Saturday.
"We sent the first five teams out on Sunday morning, but they came back and said 'it's treacherous out there' – the ground was so icy. So we had a little meet and called the whole thing off."
More than 55 sled teams from all over the country were expecting to set off from Beechenhurst to compete on tracks around the Forest, with teams of between one and six dogs ranging from Siberian huskies and Alaskan Malamutes through to a Doberman.
Fortunately, more than 40 teams were able to head out in slushy conditions on Saturday evening and Shaun gave a big thank-you to the Forestry Commission who had "bent over backwards" to clear the way into Beechenhurst lodge and make the tracks raceable.
The dogs will get a second chance next month with the Wyedean Quest which takes place in the Forest on February 26, 27 and 28. To find out more go to wyedean-mushing.com