Help me choose a new cart!

[CharlesFamily]

I am learning so much from this new forum!

We are working on training our gelding, Toy, to drive. He is around 36". He's doing great with groundwork and now I am getting a cart for Christmas!

But I want to do my research and make sure I make the best purchase.

Toy is being trained for my daughters to show. We also want to do trail driving. I am looking at an easy entry cart as that would be best for the girls. I want something durable enough for training and trails, but presentable enough for 4-H and local AMHR shows. AND something that won't break the budget. Just a nice starter cart.

I have shown and trained before - about 15 years ago on our first venture into minis. I never thought I would get back in, so had sold all of my tack and my two very nice carts. Of course, I am kicking myself now, but oh well!

Any suggestions? Thanks for your help!

Barbara

 

[MiLo Minis]

If you want to do both showring driving at entry level as well as trail driving I would look at getting a wooden wheeled easy entry preferably with elliptical springs. They will stand up to trail driving as well as be presentable enough for the local showring.

 

[drivin*me*buggy]

I agree with Lori. An easy entry style would serve you well.

I have a Frontier cart that I have had for years and just this summer bought a wooden wheeled easy entry cart from Pequea Carrige Shop in PA. They were great to deal with and I am so happy with my cart. You can PM me for their contact info if you want. They also make the carts for Silver Penney Farm. Pam from Silver Penney is delightful too

Here is her site:

http://www.ccfdriving.com/

Here's a few pix of my new cart from about a week ago:

We take alot of pix and some vidoe here to tweak fit and track progress in training so excuse my faces LOL

I have to say I like having a cart with pneumatic tires (My Frontier) and a cart with wooden wheels (My Pequea), depending on where you are driving. For training green horses as well as when it is a little muddy I use my metal Frontier and for dry days and for a diff. type of workout for them I use the Pequea. The wooden cart is heavier than the frontier but is a nicely balanced cart that pulls well. Buck has developed some nice muscling by varying his workouts with the different carts. Wish has only been driving with that cart two or three times in that ix and she pulls it easily. You could also start with pneumatic tires and add wooden wheels to the cart at a later point if you only wanted one cart

Hope this helps a little. Cart shopping is FUN!

 

[CharlesFamily]

Thank you both so much!

I love the look of that wooden easy entry cart. And you are right - I would love to have both right now - a metal easy entry with the pneumatic tires and the wooden easy entry for show.

But I have to choose just one right now. I know we are not going to be showing probably until Summer of 2011 - mostly because of our schedule. We have a big trip out west planned for this summer, so there really isn't enough time or money to do both.

I had looked at the Frontier easy entry - and I think that is what I will go with right now. With both my horse and my daughters being new at this (although they won't be driving him until he is finished) - I would worry less about any dings or scrapes on the metal easy entry. And that gives me time to save up for a "showier" cart.

Thanks for your help and for the links!

Barbara

P.S. - Thanks for sharing the pictures - I loved them!

 

[drivin*me*buggy]

Barbara,

Be sure to check out the all metal easy entry cart from Silver Penney (or Pequea directly) For the $$ they may be the better buy than Frontier. I have a Frontier that is about 9 yrs old and has held up well, seat and all. However my daughter bought a new cart from them and the seat broke and my husband had to fix it w/ plywood. It sure won't break now- but the wood they use in the seat now compared to when I bought mine isn't the same. It is still a nice cart, but the seat problem was disappointing.

Here is Silver Penney's info:

http://www.ccfdriving.com/easyentry.htm

When I called Pequea directly over the summer.

Pequea Carriage and Harness, John Stoltzfus ph: 717-768-7016

They are Amish, so I usually left a message and they called me back. I don't think they work on Sundays. They had me look up this address:

http://www.sunriseponyfarm.com/cartswagons.html

This is someone else they sell to- so the price may be different, but you could see all the carts here. I talked about what I wanted and he told me his price. I mailed him a check and in about 3 weeks I got my cart

This one may serve you well:

http://www.sunriseponyfarm.com/07.html

A friend of mine has this one, she chose wooden shafts and a little more wood on the floor. It is nice with elliptical springs. We were both very happy with the carts and service.

I have no affiliation with any of these companies. Just relaying my experiences cart shopping this year

If I can be of anymore help, let me know.

 

[dreaminmini]

On another list I am on they have been talking about this cart recently. It looks really nice but it is a bit on the pricier side. Ahonen Cart

I wouldn't mind hearing if anyone has tried it out at all.

 

[Peggy Porter]

I also recommend Pam at A Silver Penney Farm. The carts are beautiful and very nicely made, and her customer service is great. A quick note about the wooden easy entry cart (or the one shown from Sunrise): the elliptical springs give this cart a MUCH nicer ride than the too small spring under the seat that is standard on most easy entry carts. For the difference in cost, I would buy this cart instead of the Frontier. The Frontier just does not look nearly as quality made. Use the pneumatic wheels for trail driving and practicing, then buy the wooden wheels to dress it up for showing. I have never regretted buying my wooden wheel wooden pleasure cart from A silver Penney. I use it for pleasure shows, trail driving, across the field driving, and several cdes. Lots of use, and it has held up very well. This year I discovered a stress crack in the spring, and Pam had a pair of them sent to me in less than 5 days.THAT is the kind of service that I appreciate.