Frontier Carriages??

I was wondering about thoughts on this carriage.

http://frontierequestrian.com/index.php/product/frontier-mini-pony-size-lightweight-wagonette-pleasure-carriage-2/

My dad and I have been looking for a marathon type buggy for our new Fjord team and these guys seemed to have a good product (obviously not top of the line marathon) for a good price. Dad called and talked to the guy pretty extensively. The company in Missouri has designed them then outsourced to China to have them built. Obviously not as ideal as American made but...

We are looking for something that we can take on trails around our area that will ride a little better than our doctors buggy for off road and higher speed. You sure don't want to take a doctor buggy with solid rubber tires around a corner on a dirt road at high speed!

So I started looking at what they had to offer for minis. I have been wanting a 4 wheel cart for Clementine for a while now. Pretty much just to have something that rides different than my 2 wheeled carts. This cart weighs 170lbs which I think Clem can handle on mostly flat ground. She's 39" so she's able to pull a little more my 30" gelding, Major.

Thoughts, comments, etc is appreciated. Again, I understand it's not top of the line but I'm thinking a maybe a good mid-line buggy.

We have a frontier 4-wheel marathon cart. Our 33" mare, Julie, pulls it fine even with 2 people(for short periods). It is on the edge of too much so we watch her closely. It rolls easy. I pulled it myself with 2 people and through the wet clay before I would hook up to one of the horses. It is far from heavy duty but fine for a training cart and low level CDE. The shafts twist so you can adjust the width there. I wish the shafts that came with it were a little longer though. Julie is a little long in the back and the shafts are just barely long enough for her. We have put a 35" stallion with a shorter back in it but otherwise anything bigger would definitely need the longer shafts. All in all I like it for what it is...a good get your feet wet with this type of vehicle thing.

Thanks so much for the reply! So it sounds like this cart will be good for our purposes. Kinda what I was thinking, a good starter cart that will work well. Can't beat the price for a starter wagonette

Dad put a deposit on their XL model for the Fjord team today. It seems to have a pretty decent team pole and the heavy duty motorcycle tires so I should hold up to what we want to do.

If it is the same one I've seen in person at the Dixie Draft Horse Sale in NC, the mini size has no springs on it and is not really all that comfortable of a ride. But you are the one who builds/refurbishes with your dad, so I'd think that wouldn't be a problem.

OR maybe you could have springs added in?

Also, find out about the length of the shafts as your mare is significantly larger than Barefootin mentioned?

Other than that, it's really cute and I've been eyeing the next size up for a pair of shetlands to pull... They used to also have a different website with lots of other pics on it (or maybe on eBay?)... I can't remember where I've seen there pics before!

We did end up putting a deposit on the XL model for our Fjord team but I'm still shopping for a mini size. The aluminum ones are more $$ but are quite a bit lighter. Which can be good and bad. They are easier to pull but less stable...

I really want a Miniray from Frey Carriage but I'm not sure my pocketbook goes that deep right now. I may end up waiting a few years and saving my tips for something like that.

MajorClementine said:

I really want a Miniray from Frey Carriage but I'm not sure my pocketbook goes that deep right now. I may end up waiting a few years and saving my tips for something like that.

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I would love one, too. From what I understand though they still haven't made one and there are people wanting them. Hopefully they will make them soon! They aren't cheap though :-(