Country Pleasure Driving

[YHFF Miniature Horses]

Hi everyone,

I'm going to show for the first time ever this year and I need you expert advice! I've recently purchased a wooden cart (one person seat), with wooden wheels that have a layer of rubber around them. My question is "does my cart have to have fenders over the wheels?" My farrier was here looking at it and he said fenders were required at big horse shows. He also said my cart looks like a "mini" size meadow brook cart (???). However, this cart is amish made. It also has a place to put your feet ( it's not a roadster cart :bgrin !) So if anyone could give me some advice on any cart modifications I need to make or just general advice about showing in driving classes that would be great! I'm a complete newbie to showing, I've always just been a spectator. If you could post pics of your country pleasure carts that would be awesome!

Oh, one last thing, from what I've described about my cart do think it would be showable in regular pleasure driving classes? I know that you can only pick one or the other at each show though. Thanks, I'll try to take some pics this weekend, and figure out how to post pics

!

Courtney

...forgot to ask what sort of health papers and shots my horse needs inorder to show. I'm probably going to need coggins (how long does that usually take to get results? Isn't it usually good for a year?) My horse has had coggins and a four way shot(??) a couple of years ago, but I imagine these need to be updated. Thanks again!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I'm going to show for the first time ever this year and I need you expert advice! I've recently purchased a wooden cart (one person seat), with wooden wheels that have a layer of rubber around them. My question is "does my cart have to have fenders over the wheels?" My farrier was here looking at it and he said fenders were required at big horse shows. He also said my cart looks like a "mini" size meadow brook cart (???). However, this cart is amish made. It also has a place to put your feet ( it's not a roadster cart :bgrin !) So if anyone could give me some advice on any cart modifications I need to make or just general advice about showing in driving classes that would be great! I'm a complete newbie to showing, I've always just been a spectator. If you could post pics of your country pleasure carts that would be awesome!Oh, one last thing, from what I've described about my cart do think it would be showable in regular pleasure driving classes? I know that you can only pick one or the other at each show though. Thanks, I'll try to take some pics this weekend, and figure out how to post pics

!

Nope, your farrier is wrong. :bgrin Having fenders and a certain style of seat/rear entry is what makes a meadowbrook. Road carts look very similar but have a slightly different seat for front entry and no fenders and that is quite correct for them. Show carts never have fenders and people use the same vehicle for single or country pleasure at the mini shows.

Here is one style of road cart. See? No fenders.

This is a meadowbrook. Note the split seat (one side folds up for entry from the rear) and the fenders.

Here is a Jerald show cart with wooden wheels.

Please post pictures of your vehicle when you can and we'll be able to tell you more about whether it's appropriate or not. Will you be doing breed shows or open horse shows?

Leia

 

[Dr. Pam]

Your cart sounds lovely. The wood wheels will be fine for a country pleasure class, but not appropriate for single pleasure. When I was very new I bought a beautiful Wagoner wood wheel cart to show country pleasure (sure wish I had it now for ADS!!) I ended up selling it because the wood wheels in the deep sand arenas were murder on most of my driving horses.

 

[evedex]

Your cart is just fine without fenders....even Meadowbrooks don't NEED fenders.

As for the papers thing, depends on the show. Most will accept a Coggins done in the last 6 months but some shows require it to be no more than 4 months. As for the length of time to get it done...ask your vet. It is a fairly short process so have it done near the start of the show season so that you don't have to have another before your finish for the winter.

Also, ask your vet what he recomends in vaccinations. Each area of the country is a bit different and if your horses haven't been used to contacting other horses, you might need more vaccs than you have been used sto giving in the past when your horses never left the property.

Have fun showing!!

 

[YHFF Miniature Horses]

Okay, here is one picture I took this evening, I lightened it up a bit as it was dark outside. I'll try to upload a better pic tommorrow.

Thanks,

Courtney

 

[YHFF Miniature Horses]

Here's one more til tommorrow, the pole is in the way, but you get the general idea. I'll take some better shots so you can see the whole cart later. Oh, and it has a seat cushion too, but that's inside the house, which is where the cart is going to end up eventually until we start using it

: . (Safe from the barn cats !)

 

[Dr. Pam]

Absolutely beautiful road cart--perfect for ADS (Carriage shows and Combined Driving) and will also work well for Country Pleasure classes at AMHR/AMHA shows, as long as the arenas are well packed. I would not use it for (single) Pleasure though.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Beautiful. :aktion033: I think it's unusual to see a one-seater road cart like that but it's absolutely gorgeous. Some judges in the breed show ring might not like it as they are so used to only seeing (and pinning) show carts, but that's their problem. Dr. Pam is right that it's a beautiful cart and it would be much admired at ADS competitions.

Thanks for the pictures!

Leia

 

[Pam Crise]

Would a Meadowbrooke with fenders - seat flips the whole bit - not be allowed in country pleasure at all? Or possibly just not liked by the judges?

 

[hobbyhorse23]

It's allowed but seems to be sort of a risky business. From what I hear some judges consider it a true country turnout and love it, others judging the exact same class won't pin you because you're different. Go figure. Whether you should use it or not pretty much depends on if you like to gamble! LOL. Anywhere BUT the mini breed shows, the cart would be considered very correct and pretty neat. I would certainly use it at open shows and ADS events.

Leia

 

[YHFF Miniature Horses]

By "breed shows" do you mean minis and big horses competing together? I just want to show in a regular AMHR/AMHA show (Youth/and or Open). Where to you enter a carriage class? Do the A and R offer it? Thanks a bunch everyone!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

No, a "breed show" is a show put on by a particular registry which only accepts registered horses as entrants. I meant AMHR/A shows when I said "mini breed shows." Shows that involve big horses but allow minis in driving classes would be "open shows" and are usually put on by local saddleclubs. Driving societies also offer driving shows with separate classes for each size of horse or type of turnout.

Yes, A and R offer driving classes. Theirs are always judged on the horse and its way of going whereas "carriage driving classes" at ADS events can be judged on the horse's training, your turnout, or the way the driver handles the horse and vehicle. If you go to an A or R show the show bill will include a list of classes and you can see which ones you'd like to enter.

Hope this helped.

Leia