Anyone have any experience with this carriage? Pros and Cons? How well can it be dressed up for dressage and dressed down for marathon?
How is it for a daily driver?
I have a Dartmoor. I frequently refer to it as the best money I ever spent :D. I can’t name one con about mine except the paint bubbles and flakes. I bought mine used and its from the short era Pacific had where they were between powder coaters and made a few models with faulty paint. They’ve since resolved this.
The company is amazing to deal with, they pick up the phone, answer your emails, get products out to you ASAP.
Its my first 4 wheeler so I can’t draw any comparisons for you, and I don’t compete so I’m no help there, but it is my daily driver and I couldn’t be happier. Its easy to use, comfortable to drive, I feel safe and secure, I go EVERYWHERE over hill and dale, through slog and sand, turf and pavement, up and down extremely tight windy hills and my 14.3 morgan manages it just fine. Its light enough for me to be able to grab the frame and scootch it around, or load it on a well placed p/u bed alone, but heavy enough that it absorbs bumps and rubs.
I am continually shocked how nimble it is too. I frequently go out on trails with ridden horses and there has yet to be a trail too tight or difficult for us.
I’ve never dressed it up, but this here is my actual carriage on the Pacific site, the former owner driving, and I think it looks pretty presentable
http://www.pacificcarriage.com/gallery/dartmoor4.html
I rarely have someone on the back step, when going down very steep sandy hills it will try to fold in half if I’m on the brake, but I’ve never lost control. With someone on the backstep its solid as a rock.
One thing I wish I could modify would be raising the single tree. Mine is pony sized and I have it put to a 14.3h morgan so he is a bit tall for it. I wish the line of draught was a bit more even.
Other thing I don’t love is that the seat bottoms are cheap plywood. I attempted to put my bench seat on the other week and was afraid I would crack or ruin the wood when I tried to undo the bolts.
I LOVE my dartie though, and if ever the driving horse should go and I get back to riding again, I will STILL keep it. It is the ideal carriage as far as I’m concerned. I simply could not be happier.
I really want the harness in the pic, i would take the carriage too… But i wonder what brand of harness that is. I like all the patent on it.
To the OP. I have never heard one thing negative about the dartmoors, or Pacific. Most people wont part with them.
Looks like it could be a Freedman or Hunt’s Harness.
Thanks for the comments. Just brought home the Pacific Dartmoor! It is dark green and barely used.
It looks well made and I love the curvy lines. It will serve well using it with a 14.3 hh Morgan.
It has one small seat in the back. I am not sure if the Dartmoors were reconfigured to have two seats or not.
I would love to have the dressage dress-up stuff.
However, it is not as well crafted as my Kuhnle. I sent the Kuhnle to Texas to have new rubber put on the tires. Some lucky person (with a large horse. 16hh+, or team) will get a heck of deal when I put it on the market. If I were rich, I would keep it around to admire the workmanship.
I believe the small seat is called a dickie and to my recollection is very easily removed. Its for a groom to sit for a dressage class.
Congrats on your new toy!!!
Hey Zwarte, if you happen to have photos of the dickie seat installed, and how it does come off, I would sure be grateful to see them.
My BO has bad feet and knees. She’d love to come out with me in the carriage - and I’d love having her along, not to mention having a second person in the back - but she would need to sit down part of the drive.
I thought the dickie seat would be nice for her, but then I was under the impression its quite small, and the way it installs its not so much bolted as it is hooked and sitting and I can see that being dangerous if you hit a good bump.
Thanks, and congrats again!!
Here is how the groom’s seat is installed on the rear of a Dartmoor. Looks pretty sturdy to me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50468270@N00/8252843096/
I only have one of those side seats on the back of mine. I am considering getting a backrest for it for the comfort of backseat riders.
Oh wow, it is sturdy looking. Perhaps even comfortable. Thank you SO much, I’d only seen far away photos and illustrations, never a good look like this. Thanks! And congrats again!
