R Whiteman said:
And yes, Leia, you are right about the 4 wheelers. My personal opinion is that they are heavy even for the largest mini. I guess my point was that nobody ever questions that weight, but the smart cart which really weighs only 10 pounds more than a Jerald show cart, is constantly in question.
Nope, it was a good point Dorothy and I apologize for not giving it its due! You know me, I question the weight on EVERYTHING, definitely including the four-wheelers.
I think sometimes it's easier for a horse in a four-wheeler to manage that weight as it turns far better, has brakes, the weight is never on the back, etc., and those things probably make a difference and might be enough of a trade-off to be worth the heavier weight on a straight line pull as the overall management of the vehicle is easier for the horse. You know all that so understand I say that for the "observers" here.
I've weighed every one of my vehicles and have found that the carts I judge light enough for any horse are the Hyperbike (37 lbs with add-ons), my Frontier (74 lbs if I recall right) and my Graber at either 74 or 76 lbs. (I can't recall which vehicle was which weight.) I don't have a Jerald so haven't weighed one but I know they are heavier than the Grabers although it's well-balanced and well-engineered weight with a better ride and is probably worth it if you can afford one. The Frontier is a rough ride and is definitely a training type cart but I enjoy using it on the beach and for green or out of shape horses because they can concentrate on learning their own balance and movement without being hampered by the cart and yet it's heavy enough to let them start building up some strength for the better vehicles. And of course I don't have to worry about keeping it nice!
Once you've gotten into speed work, rough terrain, hilly areas or anywhere with big rocks or roots or such to maybe flip you over, that Frontier becomes far less attractive as the weight sits up too high behind the horse on a narrow wheelbase and yes, it is actually
too light (yes, I said it!
) to remain stable with the way it's built. The Hyperbike weighs half as much but is both wide and low and engineered to flex as you hit obstacles and such so is FAR more stable over even the worst terrain. For work like that you want a cart with the weight centered low, which the Bellcrowns have and the Smart Cart certainly can if adjusted correctly.
I could go on and on here, but the point is that you must use the appropriate cart for the sort of work you are interested in pursuing. For a weekend driver I'd stick with a light, tough, take-a-beating training cart. For CDE work or a serious trail driver I'd be eyeing a cart with a low center of gravity, lowered draught, wide wheelbase and adjustable shafts. For shows, yet another type of cart. And remember that you can custom order most of those type of carts with the features of some of the others if it really matters to you! They make show carts with better suspension, a lower singletree, wooden wheels and other small changes that work great for ADS driving. You can upgrade your training cart in many small ways to make it better suited for more advanced events if you want to. And if you want a Smart Cart for a lighter horse, well, leave off some of the heavier features, ask for the wider axle and lowered singletree and set the cart so it rides low and close behind the horse!
Buy what suits YOU. The comfort of your animal and yourself is the only real concern here.
Leia
