Indy’s Back!
Remember Indy, the blind sled dog, from Beargrease 2020? This year, he was once again on the start line as wheel dog in Frank Moe’s team running the 120-mile race.
A Natural Born Talent
Indy has his ears pointed all the time, to be able to hear everything coming towards him on the trail.
Indy started racing at an early age and was a natural born talent. He was groomed to become on of the top lead dogs on Frank Moe’s the team. Indy finished the Beargrease Marathon when he was only two years old, making hos a very promising dog for the years to come. Sadly, the misery began during the summer of 2016, when he started losing his sight on one eye. Indy suffered from an inherited condition called lens luxation, meaning a weakness in the threads holding the lens in place inside the eye. Indy gradually lost sight, and had to remove one eye.
“We still ran him, but then he lost his sight in his other eye too. It took him about a year to get used to being totally blind.”
Blinded - But Not Broken
Suddenly, the promising and aspiring lead dog with incredible energy levels, had turned into a blind dog with low capabilities to be out running. According to his owner Frank Moe, he was clearly very sad about staying home when he heard the rest of the team were leaving for the trails. Due to his very high energy level, and other heightened senses, fantasy mushing wasn’t an option.
“We couldn’t just not run him. He was clearly very upset when the other dogs took off for a run”
After many years of training in order for him to get back into the racing flow, including practicing with the older dogs and running in smaller races, Indy is now ready to mush in Beargrease again.
He has been trained as if he was going to race the marathon racing dogs and this, without a question, gave results. According to Moe Indy almost looks as good as he was when he was a two years old, and was one of the best dogs on the team.
Indy and his owner Frank Moe preparing for Beargrease 2021.
“He was happy and wagging his tail. He was ready to go again. It’s like he was saying “Dad, I’m back”.”
Back On Track
Frank Moe, Indy, and seven of his teammates raced the Beargrease 120 in 2021. As the team came in 14th over the finish line at checkpoint Finland, Indy might not have run in lead, but surely did a great job in the “Wheel” position!
See the heartwarming story about Indy. The aspiring lead dog, which due to a rare disease, tragically went blind on both eyes. Despite losing his sight at a ...
FOR AN UPDATE ON THIS YEARS RACE SERIES :
QRILL PAWS 2021
