musher
musher — noun
- mushersingular
- mushersplural
1. someone who stands on a sled and directs the team of dogs pulling it across snow
someone who stands on a sled and directs the team of dogs pulling it across snow or ice
The musher Manuela shouted 'hike' and the team of huskies surged forward across the frozen lake.
collocation: shout 'hike' to start the dogs
The musher leaned low to keep the sled from tipping as it took a sharp bend on the trail.
sled control: shifting body weight through turns
The musher Vivek called out 'gee' to turn the dog team right at the fork in the trail.
When the musher slipped off the sled into deep snow, the dogs stopped at once and looked back.
The musher Eri gripped the handlebar as the sled tipped sideways on the icy slope.
- sled driver
broader — can drive any type of sled, not necessarily a dog sled
- dogsledder
informal, used mainly in North America
- dog team driver
emphasises the team of dogs rather than the sled