I’m interested in the pony road cart -
Small Pony Road Cart -
Painted w/stained wooden wheels,upholstered/tufted seat & seat back, brass rein rail, spares box, 4 position adjustable seat. 2575.00 + shipping.
Nicky who?
I ran across a website for carts by Nicky some years ago but didn’t save the link and don’t remember much about the carts except that they were wood. It seems like Nicky made a whole lot of things, not just carts, if I remember correctly. I briefly tried Googling Nicky’s carts and didn’t turn up anything. Perhaps the OP will provide a link to the site.
Never heard of them
Perhaps the OP would like to post specification details.
Also good for what???
[edit]
Good for pleasure driving training. Good construction, maintainable, repairable, low price, etc.
It is a standard Meadowbrook-style cart. Caution - it will be heavy for a pony. The Amish build their “English market” stuff with oak which, while sturdy, is an unreasonably heavy wood for any cart/carriage.
Not that it’s not doable … novices usually start with these … then soon discard for a better vehicle. Not an overly comfortable ride (your neck will feel every trot stride), hard to balance, and an unnecessarily heavy weight to pull compared to a real road cart. They sell used at the auctions for about $800.
That’s a shame. I’ll continue to look for a better quality used vehicle, like I was before, but that is proving very difficult. I’ve checked out a few recommendations from people here on where to look for used carts, but found only very expensive and not in the size of my pony (12 h), either smaller or larger. Any suggestions are very much appreciated. I’m hoping to spend around a thousand dollars.
I am very handy and could fix up a vehicle that is older or in need of repair or painting. Weight is important, for a small pony, I don’t want to overload him. Of course I have drooled over many of the marathon vehicles, but what is really necessary vs what is ideal? I see many people driving inexpensive carts. Will I really be taking such a risk with something less than a top of the line vehicle? What’s involved? Please excuse me for asking, I do think it is a fair question. I have experienced what it feels like to use one of those really bottom of the line carts without the springs, and I do want to avoid that sort of metal cart…but is there a compromise between that and a top class marathon vehicle?
I’ve been following the two-vs-four wheel vehicle discussions here as well as the discussion of weight of vehicles for more advanced competitions. I don’t anticipate doing anything very demanding with this vehicle - this year, driving it in my indoor arena, and next year, perhaps on some easy trails around here.
Have you looked at Country Carriages (in North Carolina) road carts? They and well built, attractive, reasonably priced, light weight, and you can do training, pleasure shows, and lower level (TR/PRE) CDEs with them. We have a Running Brook road cart which is very similar, love it although we don’t use it so much anymore.
Good post, Ginger. 
Their pony cart is built with the shafts going to the axle, with the seat perched on a spring AND featuring adjustments to move the seat back and forth to obtain balance based upon the # of riders and weight. Very good feature. It looks like this will give a much better ride since it follows the build of any antique road carts (which tend to be VERY comfortable).
Points to ask the company to incorporate if one is going to order this cart is:
- length of shaft to meet length of pony's body (bend should be where the saddle/tug is)
- height of wheels correct so driver's hands are on level with pony's back
- what is the cant of the seat (is it level or does it tip forward slightly (preferred!!) so that driver has a more open angle to waist while sitting which is important for correct posture while driving)
- and what the distance from floor boards to seat is as it needs meet the length of the driver's leg (from knee to foot) -- too shallow a distance will find oneself sitting with one's knees in one's face.
BTW - the 4 wheel antique pony carriage featured on my website headline photo this week is super lightweight – weighs about what the County Cart weighs. The Welsh Sec C pony put to it is 12.1 3/4h – and he pulls it like it isn’t even there.
Why don’t you contact Harvey at Journey’s End? He’s had some good used ones lately going for well under $1000 and now with his new shop opened I’ll bet he’s got a good inventory
I had some (expensive) trial and error while searching for the ideal cart when I started driving. After a couple of years of sorting through what worked and didn’t work, I bought this: http://www.ahonen.com/training.htm
This cart served me very well for four years through the initial training of my two ponies. I even did driving trials and trace paces with it. 
It’s lightweight, easy to balance, has a lowered singletree that makes for a good angle of draft and the heavy motorcycle tires have been ideal for our sandy terrain. It’s also very decent-looking, even after four years of me tearing it up. :lol: I sold it to a friend last year after I started her Paso Fino in harness for her. She had it re-painted and it looked good as new. They took Reserve Champion in driving at the Paso Fino Nationals in Perry, GA this year with this very cart. :yes:
It may not be what you’re looking for, but it was a good choice for me. I often regret selling it but at least it had an illustrious career after it left my clutches. :winkgrin:
Driving is absolutely no different to riding in that there’s a host of disciplines.
Your question is akin to saying “what is Wally’s saddle like”
Good for pleasure driving training.
There’s a huge difference in the requirements for a carriage for pleasure driving and one for training.
Good construction, maintainable, repairable, low price, etc.
http://www.nikkisponyexpress.net/
Now you’ve taken the trouble to explain what you want it for and posted the link you’ve got your answers so I won’t bother too much about that vehicle.
Any suggestions are very much appreciated. I’m hoping to spend around a thousand dollars.
You’ll not really get a good quality vehicle for that price.
Will I really be taking such a risk with something less than a top of the line vehicle?
Yes
What’s involved?
As far as what??
Ordinarily though you’ll find that cheap vehicles are constructed out of poorer quality materials and don’t have the adjustments required to ensure that the balance is perfect.
That’s important no matter what size the driving horse and so you don’t end up with it jibbing.
When you’ve a small pony, with a big person then it’s critical.
but is there a compromise between that and a top class marathon vehicle?
If you’re pleasure driving then I’d say you don’t want a marathon vehicle at all. The epitome of pleasure driving would be something like a beautiful original spindle back gig.
For every day pleasure driving you’d be much better off with a small modern construction reproduction version of a 2 wheeler gig. That will be much better for a small pony and it will be well balanced and a comfortable ride.
I’d suggest if your budget is limited that something like the Country Carriages or the Bennington Intro 2 wheeler 2nd hand
http://www.bennington.co.uk/carriages/Specs/intro2wheeler.htm
I agree they look too heavy for a small beastie, but may I just say how very much in LOFF I am with their dashboard tray??
Note to newbies: Such a thing would NOT be comme il faut for competition driving of any variety, but ohhhh the times I wished I had had such a thing when just tootling around the roads and tracks!
I wonder if someone handy could make one that was removeable for showing purposes??
[QUOTE=War Admiral;3746837]
I agree they look too heavy for a small beastie, but may I just say how very much in LOFF I am with their dashboard tray??
Note to newbies: Such a thing would NOT be comme il faut for competition driving of any variety, but ohhhh the times I wished I had had such a thing when just tootling around the roads and tracks!
I wonder if someone handy could make one that was removeable for showing purposes??[/QUOTE]
thomas could, and i betting tandum could to
Ya know…we made one of those for our Meadowbrook (now long since sold to another home), and it was really nice. There is always a need to store stuff somewhere within reaching range. That spares box under the seat just didn’t cut it.
We bolted our dashboard caddy in place – wasn’t removable. But it didn’t seem to bother the judges in the show ring… probably because antique Willisville carts had caddies, too.
Absolutely. Are you on a good diet ? :winkgrin:
What does jibbing mean?
[QUOTE=slc2;3745659]
You don’t have to cop such an attitude. It is a simple question.
Good for pleasure driving training. Good construction, maintainable, repairable, low price, etc.
http://www.nikkisponyexpress.net/[/QUOTE]
I looked through their site… their prices seem a bit high? I’ve seen some really nice carts that seem to look lighter for less on the internet.
Refusing to go forward despite all encouragement, including whipping. Horse can jibb with planted feet, or shuffling/dancing feet. Considered a severe vice in a driving horse. Illustration cartoon of a jibbing horse.
[QUOTE=gothedistance;3747174]
Refusing to go forward despite all encouragement, including whipping. Horse can jibb with planted feet, or shuffling/dancing feet. Considered a severe vice in a driving horse. Illustration cartoon of a jibbing horse.[/QUOTE]
Thank you! Light bulb!!!
