Easy Entry Cart?

[Flatbroke Farms]

Sorry about another cart question!

But...

What Easy Entry Cart do you prefer for a first timer? I am interested in carting again after many years, but I've never carted with a mini, so I'm starting from the ground up. The mini's that will be utilizing the cart are typically just under 30 inches. I have one colt that will be closer to 34, but he won't be pulling a cart for some years yet.

So my two questions are...

What cart would be the best?

And, at what age to do begin training a mini for carting?

 

[choclat dreams]

I start my minis at 3. I can not compete with them until they are 4 so that gives them a year of training. By then they are used to most things they will be seeing. I dont show the breed shows anymore just do combined driving, so they have to be used to driving in an arena but also cross country where they come accross all sorts of things. We use the frontier easy entry cart for training and love it. I have my first one that I started with and still use. Got it about 15 years ago. I did have to get solid core tires as we were constantly getting flats.

 

[Seashells]

Years ago I purchased a basic entry cart from "a friend". I was happy, but it was very used. Last year we purchased a new easy entry cart from Frontier, and it's wonderful. Very pleased with quality. I now realize the first cart must have been one of those cheap hollow tubed carts....Our Frontier easy entry cart is very durable and well made.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Frontier. Or if you can get one, Lignite makes a nice model specifically for the tiny guys like you have.

I'd start formal cart training at three but you can be doing a lot of the groundwork and basic desensitizing the year before. Get them out their yearling year and expose them to anything and everything! It makes a huge difference if your horse is already well socialized and pretty much bombproof before you start. And of course every animal is different- some seem born ready to drive and others may not be mature enough mentally until they're five or six. If you're lucky they're going to last at least twenty useful years so don't rush them. They'll be ready when they're ready...although I can't resist checking if they're ready yet! *LOL*

Leia