Other places to buy a cart like this?

[disneyhorse]

http://countrycarriagesusa.com/vehicles.html

Ive had my eye on these carts for a long while now and think I've finally got a horse for one. I've got a 46" Shetland gelding that would look so flashy in front of one.

I love the first one, maybe the second one.

I've only ever had EE and Jerald roadster carts, because roadster is so darn fun... But some shows around here are ADS which require wooden wheels. Meadowbrook carts are too heavy and bulky for my tastes.

These carts are in NC and I'm in southern CA so shipping is a big deterrent.

Does anyone know of any other good places I could find similar pony carts?

Thanks in advance,

Andrea

 

[shorthorsemom]

What type of driving are you looking to do with the cart? Off road, road driving...Just curious.

 

[disneyhorse]

Fairly flat (I live in a city so most of our roads and trails are flat) and show ring.

My pony is kind of Hackney type, so I want lighter and a bit refined.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Which cart were you interested in? There's several on that page....

Personally, I LOVE the gig! I want one of those in the worst way.... *sigh*

 

[kathy k]

http://morgancarriage.com/

Try John he is a wonderful person to work with.

 

[disneyhorse]

Thanks Kathy, I did email them to see what they have that might fit my guy. Nothing on their website really caught my eye but they might have or know of something.

And as to which one on the Country Carriage site, I love the gig or just the country road cart. Would be happy with either one.

 

[targetsmom]

I bought the one in my avatar (avatar soon to change) from A Silver Penny Farm, that gets them from the Amish. I love it and use it for ADS and also Pinto shows. The high clearance makes it nice for obstacle also. Don't have the link handy but I am sure if you Google A Silver Penny Farm you can find it. Comes in different color stains, other options.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I like Carriage machine shop in bird in hand Pa. Steven Stoltzfus. Amish run. They carry bellcrowns for the minis, same price as driving essentials though. Others around here use Pequea. Also amish. I love my bellcrown, well worth the money. Sold my wooden cart, it was too heavy for hills and narrow wheels were hard to pull on less than perfect ground which is why I was asking what type of driving you were doing. Took me forever to decide on a cart and I purchased two and sold them before I found my dream cart. Rookie buying a cart, a "deadly combination" haha. have fun, hope you find something really gorgeous and share with us all. Adair

 

[hobbyhorse23]

These carts are in NC and I'm in southern CA so shipping is a big deterrent.Does anyone know of any other good places I could find similar pony carts?

The problem is that almost all road carts and gigs are going to be made by the Amish, and as such are going to have about the same shipping cost as they're all made back East. Sorry!

Silver Penny Farm is probably the cheapest, is good to deal with and has nice road carts. The Country Carriages road cart has a rep for great suspension though, it might be best to buy directly from the source.

Leia

 

[Shari]

Country carriage's owner is great to work with and Leia is right, the Suspension on those carts are outstanding! Shipping is spendy but the owner worked with me and found a horse transporter with an empty stall and I had mine brought over that way.

These carts are worth it!

 

[Minimor]

There is this one from Roberts Carriages but they are in Quebec: http://www.robertcarriages.com/carriages/carminiatures/48-mini-cart.html The page shows only a Mini cart but they do make the carts to order so can make them sized for a pony as well.

KG Carriage Company is Fallon NV did make a very nice cart in pony size. I looked at them last year but didn't order one--I decided to just buy the extra parts to convert my Smart Cart into pony size. They had a website at the time I was looking but now a google search turns up nothing. I found listings for them but no actual website. I think their cart was called a Trailmaster Cart.

 

[disneyhorse]

So far I still am liking the Country Carriages carts the best, but thanks for the input! I guess I should just keep saving my pennies for the shipping...

 

[ImagineThat]

I must say that I have ordered a few things from Country Carriages and LOVE them, very easy to work with!! The cart that I have also been driving is one of the EZ Entry ones from there and I LOVE it!! Very comfortable ride!! Wish I could afford one myself! LOL

 

[disneyhorse]

Has anyone heard reviews on any of the vehicles from "Nikki's Pony Express"?

 

[Margo_C-T]

I looked in my files for brochures I got from Pequea Carriage Shop, Narvon, PA...John M.Stolzfus. Don't know if he is still building his 'Road Cart', but it would be worth a phone call to ask. I have one of his, and it is virtually identical to the one from Country Carriages; the only difference I could see in pics of both was that Pequea's had a 'modified' Sarvon hub(meaning it projects outward, but only about half as much as a 'regular' Sarvon hub), and Shari's Country Carriage mini Road Cart had 'flat' hubs-I was told back when I got my Pequea that John's brother was building the ones Country Carriage was carrying...??

Pequea's is beautifully-built and finished, with a superb ride, just as w/ Country Carriages'...and when I got mine, cost a couple of hundred $ less. AND, John knew someone who traveled back and forth to CA, hauling Standardbreds back east from there, and she would bring a load of carriages when heading west, so I was able to meet her less than 4 miles from my house, just off I-40, for a cost of $100 for the 'shipping'! Admittedly, that was over 7 years ago, but worth it to check out, IMO!

Pequea builds a nice variety of carts/carriages/wagons, including several variations of road cart and a mini gig. One looks JUST like the one sold by A Silver Penney, and I've wondered if John built theirs?

He is reachable only by phone(most Amish forego websites): the one on the brochures is 717-768-7016. I don't know if he is still in business, but it wouldn't take much to find out...and should be worth the effort if he is!

(Too bad you need one for a 46"er; I plan to let mine go, but it is plainly 'mini' sized.)

Margo

 

[disneyhorse]

Ugh... I found a driven-only-once Meadowbrook for a steal of a price so I'm not wanting to pass it up (built by Nikki's Carriage Express)

I'm going to buy it but I've only driven a meadowbrook twice... Once with a mini and once with a small draft.

My concern is that they seem really heavy, but maybe it will be good to build muscle? It'll probably make the Jerald seem like nothing in comparison. Anyone like meadowbrooks? And getting in from behind the cart?

I may end up reselling but I do need a cart with wood wheels in the meantime...

 

[Margo_C-T]

Yep, Meadowbrooks are 'really heavy'! I had a lovely one, authentic in every detail, in size fully appropriate to my 34" minis, and though a lovely 'springy' ride, i did not keep it, because it was just TOO HEAVY, weighing probably 150 lbs. or more. My Pequea Road Cart weighs 110 lbs., a bit LESS than a Smart Cart and comparable to my Bennington and several others sold and promoted for A sized minis...and of course, one to fit a 46" pony is going to be even heavier...longer shafts, larger diameter wheels, 'everything' on a somewhat larger scale.

Margo

 

[shorthorsemom]

My first mini cart was a gorgeous meadowbook that was cute as the dickens. I sold it because it was just way too heavy, it had the spares box and gorgeous wooden curved fenders, a real show piece of a cart. The wheels sunk in to the ground if it wasn't rock hard dry and I don't drive on the road and my boy struggled on hills and it was hard to get in and out of quickly even though mine had the split seat. I did LOVE that cart though, it was so pretty, but I love my new lighter aerocrown too. If I ever got a road cart again I would purchase the pequea cart without all the extra wood trimmings that add weight. Yes the pequea cart place is still in business. They can also build a nice road cart rather stripped down to cut back on weight. They will do custom orders. I love the people there. Also love Steven Stoltzfus of Carriage machine shop. Both are amish, these places are in my neck of the woods, fantastic carts, good prices and easy to work with.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Ugh... I found a driven-only-once Meadowbrook for a steal of a price so I'm not wanting to pass it up (built by Nikki's Carriage Express)

I actually get quite wary of "driven only once" carts. That tells me the person got it, took one feel of the weight and said "OMG, no way!" and put it up for sale.

If it legitimately didn't fit their horse that's one thing, but usually it's the things they couldn't see in the pictures that got it put up for sale so fast.

Leia

 

[disneyhorse]

I don't know Leia... They are selling a driven-only-once easy entry and harness so it sounds like they bought a ton of stuff and didn't go anywhere.

They were asking $400 and then $600 for it but now are backing out on selling at such a loss.

Maybe it's a sign to save for the road cart.