Cart Suggestions

[Sheryl]

Hi, I know most of you drive minis, but wondering if you can share suggestions on a cart for a slender built shetland type pony?

I rescued a pony from the killpen and he has done wonderfully in his training. He is so far only pulling a cart in the arena, but will be soon coming home where his education will continue. Jaxon is 11.3 H, we are told that he is a shetland/hackney cross, but the important thing to know is that he has a more refined build, he is not a stocky pony.

Where I live, there are a fair number of small hills/rolling terrain. I do have access to an indoor arena and roundpen, but I also want to drive him out on the deadend street where I live as well as on the small course I am making on my property. The terrain is rough enough that i worry about a typical bicycle tire type cart.

I would LOVE to have brakes, due to the hills, but I know that isn't too common on two wheeled carts.

I have no intention of showing and since he isn't registered, i can't do breed show stuff anyway. I might, someday, do arena driving trials or even prelim CDE, but my main focus is just pleasure driving, including some slightly rougher terrain so safety, comfort and sturdiness are highest priorities.

Money is an issue, but I don't think my back or my pony's back would be happy with the cheapest of cheap carts out there. I need/want a well balanced cart and something with decent suspension to protect my back. What can I get for under $800 - used is fine. I really strongly prefer something that is safe and easy to get in and out of (probably not a meadowbrook). I have been watching craigslist and having seen anything promising yet. Any ideas? Do I need to go up in price to get something sturdy and well balanced?

thanks in advance for any ideas you might have!

 

[starkadator]

A Silver Penny sells nice carts which are more or less in your price range. They are made to measure to fit your horse. I particularly like the road cart. It has a nice ride. Pam Southworth is a joy to work with. The website is ccfdriving.com. Good luck in your search.

 

[Sheryl]

Thanks for that link, I had never heard of them. I intend to mostly pleasure drive, wondering if metal is more weather friendly then wood?

Wondering if anyone has a G&S Road Cart? They look durable and weather resistant, but i have never seen one in person. http://www.gscart.com/atcart.htm

 

[Minimor]

Outside of the bigger wheels the G&S cart is just the same as an ordinary EE cart--I've never seen the advantage of this cart over any Frontier cart with bigger wheels. Perhaps the seat dimensions are bigger? I don't know--that's the major fault I find with the Frontier/CTM EE carts, the seats are too shallow front to back. I'm not a big person by any means, but I always feel perched on the EE cart seats. I'm curious if the G&S cart has a deeper seat?

The thing to keep in mind when you are driving on rough terrain--any cart that has the springs under the seat will give you, the driver, some degree of comfort. It does not do anything for your horse--any jolting as the cart travels over rough ground will be transferred to your horse's back. So, be it a Frontier, a G&S, or any of the other carts that have the springs under the seat, all are about the same in that respect.

The higher end carts, like the Pacific Smart Cart (which does now fit the bigger ponies up to 44/45" since the cart is now available with wider axle, wider body & longer shafts & bigger wheels)has the suspension right above the axle, so the horse and driver both benefit from a softer ride. Unfortunately you are not going to find even a used Smart Cart in the under $800 price range and I'm not sure any similar cart (there are others, with different forms of suspension) in that price range.

For am EE pony cart I like the one from Alpine Manufacturing; they have the fold back springs under the seat and sit a little lower to the ground than other EE pony carts. Unfortunately they do not have bigger wheels available, though there may be other wheels that could be purchased separately & put on the cart, I haven't checked that out. They are nice looking carts for a reasonable price.

With a wooden cart you do have to take a little more care when it comes to storage.

 

[Jill]

Frontier makes (or made?) easy entry carts in various sizes. I've used them on minis and my Morgan and if it's just about driving for fun, I highly recommend these carts. Well balanced and reasonably priced.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I would LOVE to have brakes, due to the hills, but I know that isn't too common on two wheeled carts.
I have no intention of showing and since he isn't registered, i can't do breed show stuff anyway. I might, someday, do arena driving trials or even prelim CDE, but my main focus is just pleasure driving, including some slightly rougher terrain so safety, comfort and sturdiness are highest priorities.

Money is an issue, but I don't think my back or my pony's back would be happy with the cheapest of cheap carts out there. I need/want a well balanced cart and something with decent suspension to protect my back. What can I get for under $800 - used is fine. I really strongly prefer something that is safe and easy to get in and out of (probably not a meadowbrook). I have been watching craigslist and having seen anything promising yet. Any ideas? Do I need to go up in price to get something sturdy and well balanced?

thanks in advance for any ideas you might have!

I hate to say it but yes, $800 is going to be pushing it for what you're looking for. Hyperbikes now come in larger sizes and are only a couple hundred above your price range, Silver Penny Farm is a good dealer, you could also talk to Graber Manufacturing (812-636-7725) about doing a custom cart for the two of you. Their stuff is light, reasonably-priced and they're happy to size things for your particular horse. They make EE's in wood, metal, and combos of the two along with road carts, jog carts, show carts, etc. for all sizes. Yes, metal is IMO easier in our NW mud as you can just hose it off and not have to worry about the wood warping. You can also bounce it off trees without worrying about scraping the wood! Not that I've done that or anything.

On the other hand it gets very hot during the summer and may not be as visually pleasing as a wood cart.

I agree with the comment about suspension under the seat only doing you any good, and would also point out that for going cross-country you'll get a better ride and better pulling power for the horse by having a horizontal or lower singletree rather than one mounted above the splinterbar. It really does make a difference and is such a cheap thing to fix! All of the vendors I've listed will (or already do) mount singletrees down lower for no extra cost if you ask. If you buy him a sliding backband saddle with open tugs and mount the singletree lower, those two things by themselves will greatly increase the comfort for your horse over rough ground without increasing your bottom line by much at all.

If dollars weren't an issue, I'd recommend looking at the Bellcrown model sized for Shetlands (The Star I think it is, or the Badger?) or something by Pacific Carriage. Anything with a torsion axle is going to have an awesome ride for both you and your horse!

Leia

 

[paintponylvr]

I, too, have talked with Pam of A Silver Penney. I find that the custom made idea is really, really cool - however I hadn't gone that route as I want a more "general" fit right now since my PONIES seem to be many and various sizes in body even when same height!

I have another supplier that I've been working with that is a "step up" than the EZ entry carts while having the features of ez entry.

Fairview Country Sales has this cart that I've been "eye-ing". After our trip up last weekend of January, I'm seriously considering it. I will get it made with a slightly longer axle than it currently has - that will allow me to swap from the wooden wheels shown here to their heavier duty trail wheels (1/4" wider hub) with hard rubber NO AIR tires. The ride is decent for the driver. The one thing I can't tell you is what the pull is like for the equine - I haven't tried it nor have I tried enough other carts to know those differences yet. The price, as is, is at the top of your range at $765. The steel body colors are black or maroon and the wood is natural with shellac. (I'm looking at getting the wood stained darker brown/black and then shellaced, wider axle to accomodate the the other wheels, in black w/ the extra wheels for right around $1,000). I really like working with these guys. They have sizes from ultra mini, mini, small pony, pony, hafflinger/cob, horse and draft. The parts aren't made by them at their shop but manufactured down the road at different shops and they put them together and provide the finished product... Custom parts can be made for some ... You have to talk to them to see what can/can't be custom ordered/fitted and the prices.







I personally prefer the wooden shafts and wooden slats on a cart - even here in our higher humidity and sometimes lots of rain. Less noisy, on the cart above easy to replace either shafts or slats if you have a problem. Currently don't have any experience with the actual wooden wheels. I've now had experience with 4 different EZ entry carts - one of which is a Fronteir and one made by Fairview with the other two no name brands - have no idea who built them. I have seen the shafts bend on all of them - one in storage (maybe stored wrong?? - maybe the dogs/cats using it as a springboard for jumping off of - dunno), the balance during some manner of "accident" - only one of which was a runaway/actual wreck. Unless someone else knows the trick of rebalancing the shafts and straightening them - it sure is irritating to both driver and pony trying to adjust the darn harness to make everything work right. Getting the shafts repaired is a pain in the arse and in cases where the shafts aren't in a "u" that can be unbolted and taken to the repair shop almost impossible to deal with. One shift is so slight, it's hard to see/tell. But it's off just enuff to FEEL when the pony is pulling the cart and the shafts are "off center" - also when going uphill the shaft on the left will pull out of the shaft carrier - no matter how you adjust the traces and hold back straps - right now..sigh. It's not a Fairview cart - but wish that I'd had them look at it when we had it with us that weekend. We might have been able to leave the set with them and have them gt it straightened OR maybe use one of their sets of shafts to replace them (not sure that would work - different sizing).

If you call Fairview - 330-359-1501 and have them send you a current catalog. My work harness is made by them - they will do custom sizing and make custom parts for you. Mine is "stock" off the shelf and works well...

 

[paintponylvr]

I have been been meaning to scan part of the catalog into computer and post per another posts request but haven't done it yet and didn't mark the post so have no idea anymore whom I was going to do that for...

 

[Sheryl]

You guys have given me wonderful resources that I never heard of and lots to think about! I have read each and every post and have started checking out the various websites and companies recommended. Thank you so much.

I am getting very attached to this pony and am feeling committed to a long term relationship with him

so I am open to spending a little more to get something that will keep us both happy and comfortable. I have not yet bought his harness either so I have the advantage of being able to customize some things now before buying. I definately want a beta-biothane harness, but I am waffling on which one to get. I feel slightly (but not much!) more educated on harnesses then i am on carts.... leaning toward either the one from country carriage or else the one from camptown. I know there are other Amish harness makers out there, but since I can't see them in person first, ordering from one of the better known dealers just seems a little less risky.

Leia, thanks for pointing out some things about the line of draught etc that I hadn't even considered! I thought that lower line was for 4 wheel carriages, I definately have some research to do before committing to a purchase. What is an open tug?

So, if I am willing to go up a little in spending, how hard it is to find a cart that has removable shafts to make it easier to fit in the trailer?

I don't think the hyperbike is big enough for a 11.3H at the withers - I think they are for 10H or smaller, right? I couldn't find it on their website.

My pony is still very green in the cart, so one of the things I am thinking about is to finish his training with a used heavier training type cart that I would resell and then buy the more expensive cart once he is more finished in his training.

 

[jleonard]

I have a Kutzmann, the seller called it the Smart Cart, but I don't think Kutzmann actually lists it this way. It has all of the features you are looking for and is reasonably priced compared to other carts with the same features. It has breaks, fenders, removable shafts, the option of solid or pneumatic wheels (I have solid), marathon shafts, and I also opted for the convertable wedge seat. I got the second size up to fit my 12h Welsh pony, and her sire's owner bought the same one for him, he is 11.3h. This size is borderline too large for our ponies, but we would have been sitting rather low if we had gone with the smaller size. We had to cut the shafts shorter, although we could have ordered them smaller to begin with if we had realized they would be too long. Bella's sire's owner had her farrier bend her shafts so that they were straighter so the cart would ride more level, and she also had him cut and re-weld the shaft rings lower down, again to raise the cart's balance. I have the seat all the way back to get the balance right with mine. I am only 5'0" tall, so if I use my wedge I cannot reach the floor comfortably, but it is ok w/o the wedge. I am planning to order a cricket at some point so that I can use the wedge and have something to brace my feet against. The shafts were the main issue with our carts, but if you go into it knowing they may need altering or customization, you would probably be ok. It did take much longer than was quoted for them to arrive. Just another option to look into!

Here are some pictures of my filly with her cart, the first is with the wedge, the second is without.