So much good advice here! Love this forum.
As far as the hyperbike goes, I love the idea of it (and know Kandy would too!!), and I think we'd have a blast. I was leaning toward carts that can fit 2 people, though- right now my girls are being used in a lesson program, earning their keep this summer, and they like to have 2 girls per cart as they don't have enough horses and carts to go around. I think I'll talk to the driving instructor and barn manager and see what they think. I do need to sell a road cart if I get a new cart, don't think I can afford to keep it and buy another (and besides, I can't use 3 carts! 2 is plenty for me).
I'm also looking at a used Smart Cart, and waiting to see if shipping is going to push it way too far out of my price range. I know it would be a super investment, just need to see if it's going to be too much of a stretch to grab this one- I know used ones don't come up very often! In the meantime, it is definitely the first thing on my "when I am rich" wishlist
and I will probably start saving up for one when I start my new job if this one doesn't work out. I didn't realize it absorbed shocks for the horse as well- actually didn't realize that was possible, so that is good to know. Kandy is a tank and hardly ever complains, but she's such a great little horse and deserves as much comfort as possible.
I have kind of been upgrading all of my equipment slowly, when I can afford it. Both of the girls are in freedom collars now, which they love, and I just bought a new deluxe Country Carriages saddle for Kandy's harness. Now I'm thinking that maybe I should just wait, and save up for my perfect cart... which would mean staying off the trails
We would survive, but it's just so tempting to buy a cart right now, since the weather's great, I'm at the barn every day, and Kandy is in good shape. I'm sure come September, when school starts and I'm working, I won't be at the barn as frequently so won't have to think of the fun I'm missing on the trails, LOL.
I took my boyfriend to the barn tonight to show him my poor beat up road cart- the good news is that only the seat back, which was an addition to the cart and evidently not constructed as well as the rest of the cart, is in a sad state (that's what was making the falling-apart, rattling sound). Everything else looks good to go! Just needed to tighten some bolts here and there. (He also drove Skippy for a few minutes in the arena, and has decided that next time he'd like to try a cones course. I think I might have a future driving partner!!)