Carts
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shoeboxstables
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I really like my Easy Entry cart from American Cart and Harness. It's tough, lightweight, affordable, and simple. It's perfect for trails and training.
Here's their website if you're interested- but almost all cart places carry one
http://www.horsecart.com/carts.html
It's $450 (+$99 shipping), and fits all of my minis (33 1/2"-36") just fine. We have had a wreck in it- and it's still working fine! I like it painted black, and my mom and I made a black seat cover for it that looks lovely. We have used it before in small shows
However, as always with the easy entries, I have to caution you that they can be "Easy Exit"s as well! And that can be a bad or good thing.
Some pictures of our cart:
Here's their website if you're interested- but almost all cart places carry one
http://www.horsecart.com/carts.html
It's $450 (+$99 shipping), and fits all of my minis (33 1/2"-36") just fine. We have had a wreck in it- and it's still working fine! I like it painted black, and my mom and I made a black seat cover for it that looks lovely. We have used it before in small shows
However, as always with the easy entries, I have to caution you that they can be "Easy Exit"s as well! And that can be a bad or good thing.
Some pictures of our cart:
Jill
Aspiring Cowgirl
The one pictured above looks great!
My easiest to have fun with EE cart is from http://easyentrycart.com/ . I have a nice show cart, and several EE including a wooden one with patent wrapped shafts that is nice enough for local shows. BUT, for just having fun, the one I have from Frontier (link) is the best "just for fun" one that I have.
My easiest to have fun with EE cart is from http://easyentrycart.com/ . I have a nice show cart, and several EE including a wooden one with patent wrapped shafts that is nice enough for local shows. BUT, for just having fun, the one I have from Frontier (link) is the best "just for fun" one that I have.
I bought my cart off of ebay -- I havent gotten to use it yet due to unforseen things coming up but I paid 395 for it and shipping was included. and it looks just like the one pictured above. It was in a box and we had to put it together but that took all of thirty minutes for my husband to get it all together and looking good. So if you are looking for a just for fun cart I would say look there.
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
Irish Hills Farm
Irish Hills Farm
If I were going to just do some trail driving, fun stuff, I'd use an easy entry cart. I wouldn't want to take the chance of something happening to my show cart.
MiLo Minis
Well-Known Member
I would recommend that if you are going to do some trail driving you look at wooden wheels. The wire wheels just don't stand up to any rough driving. They tend to lose spokes and get bent. Something you should keep in mind is that once you get out there driving for fun you may find you enjoy it so much you want to try a show or two. If you buy a wooden easy entry with wooden wheels you can easily use that in a local show ring and it will be better on the trails.
Bluerocket
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I just bought the same cart and LOVE it!!! We live in KY and they are made in IN about 3 hr drive from us. We were going to be in the area and called ahead --- and picked it up. They are wonderful people. Of course we had to pay IN sales tax - but it saved us some on shipping.
Highly recommend the Forntier Easy Entry Cart -- we have the all metal one.
JJay
Katiean
Well-Known Member
I too got my cart off of ebay. I must say I wish I would have gotten the Fronter EE cart. You know the saying "You Get What You pay for". Well it is very true. I had bearing problems from the start. We used the cart maybe 3 times and the bearings went out. The bearings are easy to change on these carts if you can find them. My mother works in a printing plant and someone in purchasing got her bearings that go on a printing press. I think my cart will give out long before the bearings do. Now I have tire problems. However, I found at wal mart a 20" kevlar tire and tube. They cost about $26 for a tire and tube. Nothing beets Kevlar to keep the air in.
After using it for my 'everyday' driving, which is MOSTLY 'outside', on dirt trails,since 1986, I'd also have to recommend the Frontier EE cart,for the price and for its sturdiness and longevity(tip: store it INSIDE; it will GREATLY extend its useful life and good appearance!) I have come across SEVERAL that 'look like' the Frontier over the years, but were not NEARLY as light, well-made, or balanced, and as such, were problematic for the HORSE having to pull them!-so I'd recommend being VERY cautious about unbranded 'knock-offs'.
There are several suppliers for wooden or metal wheels that will fit the axles of the EE 'pipe' carts; however, you should be aware that they will give a rougher ride than pneumatic tires. Carts like the Frontier and its knockoffs have only coil springs, and they WILL ride rougher w/o the added 'cushion' of pneumatic tires! You can buy 'no-flat' inserts for the HD tires that come on the Frontier carts(they are NOT 'bike tires', but a heavier type w/ a deeper hub; just don't buy them off the shelf at Walmart-those don't quite fit, and will be noisy-search for the kind made SPECIFICALLY for the wheels/tires that come on the EE carts. I have been told that these inserts also make the ride a bit rougher--but I don't think it would still be as rough as w/ wooden or metal wheels! I have had excellent results w/ just having puncture-resistant tubes and 'goop' put in to my tires at a bike shop, but that's only my personal experience. I have NEVER had a broken spoke; but if you drive over really ROUGH ground, w/ big rocks and tree roots and stumps, etc.,then yes, you *might* truly NEED non-pneumatic wheels!
As for the wheel diameter--larger wheels roll more easily over most terrain; however, if getting wooden or metal wheels, the larger size WILL add significantly to the overall WEIGHT of the vehicle, so it is a real judgement call!The Mini sized Frontier all-metal cart weighs around 85-90 lbs.; wooden OR metal(especially if they are steel)wheels, , are relatively HEAVY, so would add significant weight-I would ask how much each wheel, in each diameter, weighs! A 24" wheel will make your cart 'sit' a couple of inches higher than a 20", and *might* make the shafts too high on the sides of a 31" horse, as there is NO adjustment of shaft height in this type of cart. Perhaps you could ask the company what the LEVEL shaft height is with each wheel diameter, and compare that to the height where you have determined the shafts should 'fall' on each of your horses?(remembering that the shafts should be level to SLIGHTLY inclined upward--never downward-from where they attach to the cart, on this type of cart.)Or, if you go with pneumatic tires/wheels, you could probably buy a set of EACH size, as I see that Frontier now offers a 24" wheel(used to only be able to order miniature horse sized cart w/ 20" wheels; if I were ordering one today, I'd opt for the 24" wheels-but then, I don't drive any horse smaller than 32".
Good luck!
Margo
There are several suppliers for wooden or metal wheels that will fit the axles of the EE 'pipe' carts; however, you should be aware that they will give a rougher ride than pneumatic tires. Carts like the Frontier and its knockoffs have only coil springs, and they WILL ride rougher w/o the added 'cushion' of pneumatic tires! You can buy 'no-flat' inserts for the HD tires that come on the Frontier carts(they are NOT 'bike tires', but a heavier type w/ a deeper hub; just don't buy them off the shelf at Walmart-those don't quite fit, and will be noisy-search for the kind made SPECIFICALLY for the wheels/tires that come on the EE carts. I have been told that these inserts also make the ride a bit rougher--but I don't think it would still be as rough as w/ wooden or metal wheels! I have had excellent results w/ just having puncture-resistant tubes and 'goop' put in to my tires at a bike shop, but that's only my personal experience. I have NEVER had a broken spoke; but if you drive over really ROUGH ground, w/ big rocks and tree roots and stumps, etc.,then yes, you *might* truly NEED non-pneumatic wheels!
As for the wheel diameter--larger wheels roll more easily over most terrain; however, if getting wooden or metal wheels, the larger size WILL add significantly to the overall WEIGHT of the vehicle, so it is a real judgement call!The Mini sized Frontier all-metal cart weighs around 85-90 lbs.; wooden OR metal(especially if they are steel)wheels, , are relatively HEAVY, so would add significant weight-I would ask how much each wheel, in each diameter, weighs! A 24" wheel will make your cart 'sit' a couple of inches higher than a 20", and *might* make the shafts too high on the sides of a 31" horse, as there is NO adjustment of shaft height in this type of cart. Perhaps you could ask the company what the LEVEL shaft height is with each wheel diameter, and compare that to the height where you have determined the shafts should 'fall' on each of your horses?(remembering that the shafts should be level to SLIGHTLY inclined upward--never downward-from where they attach to the cart, on this type of cart.)Or, if you go with pneumatic tires/wheels, you could probably buy a set of EACH size, as I see that Frontier now offers a 24" wheel(used to only be able to order miniature horse sized cart w/ 20" wheels; if I were ordering one today, I'd opt for the 24" wheels-but then, I don't drive any horse smaller than 32".
Good luck!
Margo
mondak
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My easy entry I got from Star Lake but it looks alot like the one in the pictures, so I guess it is the same one. I would def. get something other than the spoke tires for trails, and wood it nice, but metal is better. One They are a little bit more rough and ready and easy to spray paint and ding out of and two they will match a metal easy entry. Of coarse I match my socks to my outfit and everyone isn't probably as concerned about that but I do like that I am just paint over a scratch on my metal wheels.
Courtney
P.S. I would go for the 24 inch wheels. The larger the wheel the easier it is for them to pull over rough terrain.
Courtney
P.S. I would go for the 24 inch wheels. The larger the wheel the easier it is for them to pull over rough terrain.
mgranch
Well-Known Member
Kay Jay Farm has wonderful carts!! They are beautiful with lots of wood and come in awesome colors have an amazing smooth ride and are a great price. Check them out at www.kayjayfarm.com Melissa is great to work with!! I have two of them and love them!!
Kathy2m
Well-Known Member
I have the frontier too, I'm not an expert by any means, very new to this, but the overall quality of the cart is good. I live in Florida so our terrain is not very rough. I got mine for pleasure. Kathy
tifflunn
Well-Known Member
Santa bought me one ( not suppose to know it is here and put together in my basement) best price around and shipped to my door( which seems to be a miracle out here)- with fantastik follow up ( talked my hubby through putting it together- I'm not suppose to know that either) http://edentackandtails.com
Tiffany
Tiffany
KayJay Farm
Well-Known Member
We do have a great easy entry cart at a very affordable price. All customer feedback has been very positive. We have now added the option of wood wheels for CDE or just driving around the farm without worrying about flat tires.
