Sometimes, you gotta know when to pivot. That’s exactly what Madison Rose Ostergren and Jim Ryan did earlier this season when a touchy snowpack forced them out of the high peaks in the Tetons.

Ostergren and Ryan, professional freeride skiers and ex ski racers, have been laser focused on steep, technical ski mountaineering for the past few seasons. Big plans for the winter were put on hold due to a persistent slab problem in the Tetons, so they ventured down to Silverton, CO to try their hands at something completely new to both of them: skijoring.

Skijoring is a pretty fringe sector of ski culture, one that’s easy to overlook as a rodeo show. But the unique and dynamic contest, growing significantly in ski towns across the Rockies, is not to be underestimated. A horse, rider and skier join forces to race the clock on a course filled with jumps and gates. “It really rewards athletes, people who can adapt,” says Ryan. Unsurprisingly, both skiers’ knack for speed, razor sharp precision and competitive nature pays off.

“Powder skiing is out, skijoring is in,” Ryan sums up. “I’m hooked.”

We’re pretty sure he’s not joking.