Post your Vehicles!

I think I'd have trouble getting in and out on the bad days. It is so pretty though. The pinstripping is artwork.

Does anyone use brakes on their carts? I have read a few threads here and on other sites and it seems to be a controversial topic, people being either for or completely against having a braking system on the cart.

I ask because my hands are weak and I thought that having brakes might be an "assist" if I ever needed it in a pinch. I know that brakes won't stop a cart if the equine is determined to go, but I thought it might at least be a reminder that "someone IS back there that wants a whoa".

I only have breaks on my wagonette since it's heavy enough to push Clem down a hill.

I wish I had them on my EE cart. ...

Is it easy to adjust to using the brakes?

Frontier has easy entries with a brake and I was considering one of those. There was one on the Graber site too, but for some reason I thought they went out of business. They had some nice carts.

It took me a little getting used to. I only use the brakes to keep the weight off her going down hills. The part I had to get used to was how much brake to use to just barely keep the slack out of the traces. I didn't want her to have to pull the cart down the hill but I didn't want it pushing on her and lifting her butt either...which can happen with a heavy cart and a box breeching. I've yet to find a yankee breeching for a mini horse....

Here's a pic of my wagonette. My dad thought it would be fun to line it up behind the big guys. Please note the mans legs you can see sticking out between the team. He was there holding them for the pic The pumpkin head was just cause we share a love of all things Halloween.



I got this carriage from Frontier Equestrian in Missouri. It's not a top of the line marathon wagonette but it's been a great little vehicle for me. I couldn't be happier with it. I would think their EE carts would be good reliable vehicles.

It takes a real knack to use brakes on a two wheeled cart. The action of applying the brakes forces the shafts downward because you stop the forward rotation of the wheels. On a four wheeled vehicle this isn't a consideration because the shafts or pole act independently from the body of the carriage.

I have a Tadpole. It came with a pole and shafts. I thought it would be too heavy for a single mini to pull, with me on it too. When I wanted to drive Flash as a single I decided I'd put the shafts on that Tadpole just because I knew he wouldn't be able to run away with me. He loved it and drove very nicely. I didn't need the brakes after all! I've used it with other horses since and they all seem to think it's wonderful.

MajorClem, you mention Yankee breeching. Do you mean breeching straps that go under the horse's belly and attach to a false martingale? You can't see it too well but I have straps that go from the breeching rings to snap on the false martingale. I've also used straps from the breeching rings that buckle into the collar with the traces like in the second photo.





I'm not sure you could use either set up with a single and two wheeled cart. They count on the carriage rolling up and hitting the collar and the collar engaging the straps to the breeching. You need a little bit of "slop" so the horses can move freely without constantly getting smacked by the breeching. Why I love my brakes for the pair.

The yankee breeching comes across the butt just above the tail so that when the shafts move forward and engage the breeching it pulls down on the rump rather than potentially lifting the butt of the horse or pushing their rear legs out from under them like a typical box breeching can. This is especially important in hilly areas with heavy loads.

It's explained well about half way down the page in this link.

https://2014teamdonk.wordpress.com/tag/driving-donkey-teams/

MajorClem, did you pick up your Frontier cart or was it shipped? If it was shipped, were they good to deal with?

I had it shipped and yes they were great to work with. I felt like the shipping was a fair price and it was palleted and packaged very well. We also had a larger horse size marathon wagon shipped from them a few months prior to the mini one and that was also a good experience. Us being so happy with not only the vehicle, but the service is why we decided to go ahead and get the mini one.

Good to know, thanks! I didnt realize that you had purchased your wagonette for Clem. I like it, I wonder if my husband and Cappy would. I see that you got black, no bright colors?!? ☺

I have been keeping an eye out locally for a used cart but no luck, they are scarce and if you do find one its either beat up or priced so high that I might as well buy a new one.

Here is my favorite vehicle. It was originally built in 1983 by Ray Ross. I received it after a friend passed away about 5 years ago. It had been sitting in a carport for about 16 years and was in need of being restored. Hubby did most of the restoration work and made the swing pole, events and neck yokes. I made all but two of the harnesses, made all the scotch housings and did all the training, both horses and myself!

That is impressive and looks like so much fun! What a nice team. They look as if they are enjoying themselves.

I hope you had help with all the harnessing. I will have to show your post to my husband, he would enjoy a team like that.

Thank you Cayuse! I did all the braiding and harnessing by myself. The only help is hitching and having a walker to and from the arena.

i have watched you on u tube. i am so impressed , you should be so proud.

This is my first good cart (I started out with a pony size pipe cart that I shortened the shafts on). It's from a Silver Penney Farm, made by Stolzfus. Inexpensive, including shipping, but I learned a lot about cart construction because it came in pieces (lots of assembly required!) I use this for pleasure shows, CDE, trail driving, just about anything. Great ride with the elliptical springs. Weighs 107 lbs. Currently waiting to refinish it; after years of use and abuse the stain is yellowed and needs a coat of poly. Great cart!

This is my Itebte cart made by Mike Groose (sadly no longer in business.) Great ride with torsion axles and mega adjustments. I compete CDE and trail drive in this cart. Heavy at about 140 lbs, but well balanced and neither of my horses has any issues with the weight on long drives.

This is my Itebte cart made by Mike Groose (sadly no longer in business.) Great ride with torsion axles and mega adjustments. I compete CDE and trail drive in this cart. Heavy at about 140 lbs, but well balanced and neither of my horses has any issues with the weight on long drives.

This is my hyperbike. Love it! Weighs about 35 lbs. Breaks down to fit in the back seat of my truck. Extremely stable on hills, tight turns, etc. Takes a little practice to get in and out of, my horses both have a great "stand ", and I often use their rump to balance myself on exit.

This is my Mullet carriage. Light weight (I haven't had this one weighed yet) enough that my singles can pull it loaded with me and 4 or 5 kids easily (pavement with gentle slopes). We did Christmas caroling in the subdivision next door and had a total blast!

This is my Kutzman Cute. Sold to me as a single mini size, it's way to heavy at 250 lbs for anything but short, flat drives. So I had a pole custom made for it and drive my mismatched team for tons of fun! The boys really enjoy going out together.