Looking For Mini Trail Cart Suggestions

[RoyalRain42]

Hello! I am looking for lightweight trail cart suggestions!!

My mini here is Fancy, she is 30 inches tall. I broke her out to drive this past summer and I am wanting to really hit the trail with her.

My current cart pictured is imo a little big for her. We had to do some custom adjustment of the shafts to get them a better width for her. It’s been a good starting cart, but i feel it just seems big. I want to cut as much weight as I can.

I am looking for something light and durable. I do NOT want to use a hyperbike or K bike style cart. Between my last thread and it’s comments, and actually getting to try one with a more broke mini I am not a fan of them.

I have seen a lot of people suggesting Aerocrown carts from bell crown. Another thread I read also suggested a 4 wheel carriage type cart but I am Not sure we are quite ready for that step.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[RMJacobs]

Cute mini, but why doesn’t she have a bridle with blinkers on since she’s attached to the cart?

Rebecca

[2DogsFarm]

I know this is ADS/CAA Must Do.
But, if you’re like me, doing it all by yourself & hitching to the cart was just for pics, I might skip the bridle too
Maybe soft-hitch with holdbacks not done, shafts just run through tugs “in case”?
I think that’s what was done in these photos, enlarging them I’m not seeing holdbacks wrapped

OP:
I’ve modified my Easy Entry wire cart with HD wheels replacing the bicycle spokes.
You can see them here:

Also replaced the bench with a bucket seat, but that was for my comfort.
Both changes done by local Amish & Mennonite carriage makers.

This is what I covet for driving on trails & roads.
All aluminum - weighs 150#.
This one from Canadian company BP Voiture, but I found a mfr in the US that makes similar. OH, IIRC

[RoyalRain42]

As 2DogFarms suggested, I am on my own when it comes to this. I needed to get a rough gage of fit, so i set the shafts in the loops just to snap a few pictures that I could spend more time going over without her sitting. No hold backs attached, just resting in the loops. .

[RoyalRain42]

Oh man that bucket seat looks comfy! That is genius!! Plus the cup holders!!

Just curious, is your base cart the ones iv seen on ebay? I think those are Kingston saddlery.

I am in the PNW, I am not quite sure what we have around here in terms of carriage makers. Got me wishing I was farther east lol

[2DogsFarm]

My carriage is a generic mini cart - one Driving friend calls it Chinese-made, but there’s no mfrs label.
I bought it at an auction 8yrs ago.
I’ve treated it to some off-road driving & it has held up w/o problems.
There’s a local Amish company that made the bucket seat type of carriage popular.
Generally as a 4-wheeler they call The Cruiser. Those have a center console between the front buckets that has the cupholders.
I asked if they could replace my bench with a single bucket without affecting the balance.
They manufacture the carts from scratch, including making the steel shafts, powder coating the finished product & doing the upholstery.
It does ride just a hair higher than the bench.
But the trade-off in comfort for my back, places to rest my arms & of course the cupholders is worth it.
I’ve driven it on my relatively flat acreage & even at a moderate trot, never felt unbalanced.
On groomed trails or roads it’s a pleasure & doesn’t seem to be hard to pull for my mini.
I can give you their info.
They do ship all over the country & do custom work.

[cayuse]

I have a Kingston cart with heavy duty tires. It fit’s my 33 inch mini perfectly and it’s not heavy. Not the fanciest cart but has held up well for me. I drive mostly in fields and ungroomed surfaces. I liked the first one so much I purchased a second for my husband so we could drive together sometimes.

[tabula_rashah]

I have a Kingston carriage for my horses and my friend at my barn has one for her Shetland. I have done a lot of upgrades with mine but hers is the Kingston base model. Not that I’m super knowledgeable but they seem nice to me and are holding up well to trail driving. Kingston has been great as far as customer service and they ship for free (which is amazing considering what they are shipping lol)

[tabula_rashah]

that seat is awesome! Is that an actual cart seat or did they modify like a tractor seat for it?

[2DogsFarm]

It’s a single version of the 2-bucket seats they make for their Cruiser carts. They make all sizes, from mini to Draft.
So, yes, it’s a seat designed for a horsedrawn cart.
You see them in use all over the roads in Amish country here.