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A sled, '''sledge''' or '''sleigh''' is a Vehicle with Runner s for sliding instead of Wheel s for rolling. It is used for Transport on surfaces with low Friction , usually Snow or Ice but any grassy surface is good when it is not too dry. In some cases round river-washed stones make a good surface for sledges. Devices to be pulled across bare ground, such as a Travois , are not generally called "sleds", although skids often are.

Sleds are typically smaller and simpler than sleighs, though this is not always the case. Both are lightweight vehicles whereas a ''sledge'' is more usually a low and rough farm vehicle designed for heavy haulage of loads such as cordwood, stone or ice blocks.

With only Gravity as the propelling Force , a sled can be used downhill, also as a Toy .

Alternatively, it may be pulled by Animal s, usually Horse s, Mule s, Oxen or Dog s. It may also be pushed or pulled by humans (playing children, a parent pulling a child, etc.). Man-hauled sledges were the traditional means of transport on British exploring expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic regions in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Dog-teams were used by most others, such as Roald Amundsen . Today some people use Kite s to tow exploration sleds in such climes.

A troika is a vehicle drawn by three horses, usually a sled, but it may also be a wheeled Carriage .

The fictional Flying Sleigh of Santa Claus is pulled by flying Reindeer . It involves little sliding, perhaps only during taking-off and landing.

The various categories of sleds include:



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