There is a riddle, “It is used to drive reindeer to make them run faster. This chasing stick is called…” The answer is a khorey. It is a pole up to eight meters long and three to four centimeters in diameter. A wooden or bone ball is put on the front, thinner end. The rear end of the khorey is held with the left hand (the reins are in the right hand) under the elbow and from time to time the front end is poked at the reindeer), driving them or punishing the disobedient ones.

A khorey cannot be used without a ferrule. The processing of bone for making a ferrule has certain technological stages: a piece of horn or bone is hammered into a hollow cut in a wooden block and a hole is made in it. Then the bone is taken out, put on a stick with the hole and processed with a knife, first on one side and then on the other.

What is a bone ferrule for? The reindeer is not only a source of food, clothing and transportation for the Sami people. It provides and sustains their life. The Sami of the Kola Peninsula do not ride reindeer, but use keryozha sleds. To control the reindeer, they use a khorey pole. In order not to hurt the animal, a ferrule is put on the pole, which softens the poking movements of the driver.

Reindeer driving is a learned skill that is taught from a young age in a game-like manner. The training is based on the special features of the relationship with the environment and knowledge of the real world. Game activities reflect many life situations, and manifest the Sami way of life, worldview, degree of cultural development and cultural inter-ethnic ties.

Among the most common games are “Lariating a Reindeer” or “Throwing a Lasso on a Khorey Pole”. The player is supposed to throw the lasso on the antlers of a stuffed deer, thus showing his dexterity and marksmanship. The khorey in this case represents the stuffed deer. The participants are given three attempts. Another variant of the game with a khorey is “Who is faster with a khorey?” The players, divided into two equal teams, are to pass a test circle with a khorey on an open palm and not to drop it.