# Wish and our Aerocrown



## drivin*me*buggy (Jul 27, 2011)

I managed to have my son take a break from playing and take a few pix of Wish and I getting used to the Aerocrown.

In this pic we just came down a slight hill...I think I may try the middle slot on my traces next time.







Here again we are headed down a slight grade. I want to fiddle with my kicking strap a bit more too.






About to go up a slight grade here and turn right...






If anyone sees anything else that I should change, feel free to mention it. My saddle still wants to tip back which has been an ongoing issue



I am happy with the trace carriers





Here we are trotting up a grade....











Wish and I thank you for looking





Angie


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 28, 2011)

Hey, good lookin' cart, lady!



You need to shorten your shafts as well as the traces to tighten your turn radius and I'd consider raising the tugs a notch too as you want the straight part at the bottom of the shaft to be level, not downhill. Other than that it looks great!

Leia


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## LittleRibbie (Jul 28, 2011)

Leia, when you mentioned that she needs to shorten her shafts...are the shafts on those carts adjustable? My carts are just the generic type nothing fancy but I needed 2 carts because of the shaft sizes and I didnt want to keep taking them on and off and switching them. Are these shafts easily adjusted on this particular cart/ Thanks for the help

Great pictures by the way....your cart in harness would be my dream!! And i love the dapples on Wish too!


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 28, 2011)

LittleRibbie said:


> Leia, when you mentioned that she needs to shorten her shafts...are the shafts on those carts adjustable? My carts are just the generic type nothing fancy but I needed 2 carts because of the shaft sizes and I didnt want to keep taking them on and off and switching them. Are these shafts easily adjusted on this particular cart.


Yes, they're adjustable but no, not easily.



They're very easy to take on and off but it's hard to get them back exactly as you had them before because they simply tighten down with screws rather than having predrilled holes or attaching with pins or something. This allows for very individualized fitting for both rotation and length but is a bummer when you need to change them.





I suppose you could drill a hole once you had them perfectly fitted and use a cotter pin to make future reinstallation quick and easy but I still wouldn't want to have to change it quickly between one horse and another of a different size. For one thing too many holes close together would weaken the shaft (which is why they don't do it in the first place) and for another, there would be paint damage visible on the rear part of the shaft when you lengthened it for the larger horse.

Leia


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## LittleRibbie (Jul 28, 2011)

Thank you Leia, for explaining this to me....I'd still give my right arm for that cart..its reallynice looking.


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## bannerminis (Jul 28, 2011)

Well you both look great and its all such a learning curve. It didnt stop raining yesterday so I couldnt take my own cart out to make the adjustments. Today is looking better.


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## drivin*me*buggy (Jul 28, 2011)

Thanks guys! It is a fun cart to drive.

Leia, I will work on getting those adjustments made today.I will have to work on wiggling those shafts in to shorten them more LOL, but I agree, it all looks a bit too strung out yet. And Ash said she thought I should raise my tugs one hole too...so I will give that a try. I LOVE the cart. It is so comfortable, turns well, is stable...and it is pretty easy on the eyes. Wish really seems to enjoy it too. I hope to put Buck to it once he is better.

Angie


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## jleonard (Jul 28, 2011)

Looking great! Congratulations on your new cart! I really like the look of the Aerocrown, everyone I've met that has one has always been very happy with them.



hobbyhorse23 said:


> Yes, they're adjustable but no, not easily.
> 
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> 
> ...


My new cart's shafts adjust the same way. I got them lined up the way I wanted then put a tiny paint dot on the underside of the shaft where it connects to the cart so that it is easy to line up and where no one would see. I have to take them off for transport, so needed an easy way to realign them.


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## RhineStone (Jul 28, 2011)

I don't think that you would want to use pins or the like as that would probably make the shaft rattle unless you got a REALLY good fit. I CAN'T STAND carts that rattle. I have enough to think about without the cart banging in my ear!





Myrna


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## shorthorsemom (Jul 28, 2011)

AWESOME photos, so glad you shared them. You look terrific in your new cart. I love the color combination you choose. guess I am a little biased on the color... wink..





On the shaft adjustment...Leia told me to take some black tape and put it on the shaft going over the place where you attach the shaft. Then she said to slice the tape and as you push your shaft in, you peel back the tape and you can keep the two sides lined up while you shorten the shaft and the tape amountyou peel back can help you adjust the length in the same amount and keep the width the same and only adjust the length...and then you trim the tape and leave it on.. Hard to explain... Leia did a better job on my aerocrown post explaining. I still need to bring in my shafts, but since we don't have our new bucking strap as yet, my trainer said to leave him out there a little bit farther until we do. She isn't worried about tight turns in our lessons yet and we are at 12 inches from swivel tree to hock... we may eventually go to 8 inches where I was with my meadowbrook.

.

You are going to LOVE your new cart. I really enjoy mine and so does my boy. It pulls like a dream and it is just so darn cute.

Which holes did you use for your seat? I keep wanting to bring mine forward more hole, but can't do with the wing nuts. I will have to get some different nuts for mine. I really do think the cart was worth saving for.... might cost a right arm and a leg too... but it is so balanced and easy to pull, and so well made. I hope you didn't have as much "fun" putting on your shafts as I did. Almost took my whole driving lesson just doing the shafts. Ugh. Definately not user friendly, but I do like the idea that I could adjust this cart to accomodate another horse, but I would never make shaft adjustments frequently, that would drive me crazy.

Congratulations,... you look GREAT.


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## drivin*me*buggy (Jul 28, 2011)

Thanks everyone



It is nice to share this with everyone. Although I didn't drive today I did make the adjustments to my shafts. It wasn't too bad actually so we will see how it looks next time we hitch. I am very lucky that my husband helped me put the cart together and get my shafts set initially.

He has a great eye and knew I was proud of this cart and wanted it just right. After we had the shafts on and set he advised me to put a piece of tape where the shafts meet- at that seam, if that makes sense, so that I could watch and make sure nothing was loosening or moving on me as it breaks in. So I took a piece of red tape that I use on my dog agility jumps and put it there.

Today, when I went to adjust them, and was by myself, I knew I wanted to go about another inch shorter and angle them in a tad. So I put a piece of tape past my first,and a piece on the main body of the cart frame with the edges lined up. I removed the original piece and slid my shaft in and then tightened screws a little- checked length...looked good then used the tape edges for angling in a touch. Tightened everything up. I used a milk crate set under the singletree to hold my cart up while I worked. I us a piece of pool noodle sliced open to slide over the singletree to cushion it and keep it from getting scratched while stored..I also slide old socks over the end of the shafts to keep them from getting scratched.

My pony kicking strap is a touch bulkier than I'd like, but it is a tradeoff for the length I guess. It's just us messing around here anyway, otherwise I'd have one custom made.

Angie


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## shorthorsemom (Jul 28, 2011)

drivin*me*buggy said:


> Thanks everyone
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> ...


Hey Angie, I am having a bucking strap custom made, if I like it and it works right, I will give you the info.

My cart came with shaft covers. I love them, they go the whole length of the shaft.

I scratched the back of my cart putting it away last time, I was bummed, took it in too close to the tractor.. I need to do touch up in some spots. especially where I was adjusting the shafts.

I like your tape ideas. I got one of those plastic saw horses and it has sort of a v notch across the top. The tug stops fit right in the groove like it was made to be there and it holds the shafts nicely.. I am going to try the pool noodle idea, maybe I can bumper the tractor so I won't ding my cart putting it away again. I know it will get scratches using it, but it sure drives me crazy, like spilling a milkshake inside a new car I guess.

keep posting along the way on your new adventure... I am taking notes



You can't learn too much. Adair


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## drivin*me*buggy (Jul 28, 2011)

LOL I have those shaft covers too....guess they'd protect more than socks, I will get them out to use LOL...but in my defense, I use them too for taking my carts outside and when I set the shafts down, especially my Pequea with the stainless shaft tips.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 29, 2011)

I can see it's time to post my Amazing Patented Shaft Tip Travel Cover idea.





Leia


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## shorthorsemom (Jul 30, 2011)

hobbyhorse23 said:


> I can see it's time to post my Amazing Patented Shaft Tip Travel Cover idea.
> 
> 
> 
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okay, lets see...


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## shorthorsemom (Jul 30, 2011)

Hey Angie, still loving the new cart?





I am sidelined here for right now... drives me crazy... Weather is awful brutal hot and I am still dealing with hoof issues from that horrible trim from my ex farrier. sigh. I wanna get out and drive, maybe tomorrow we will try a slow drive. My new farrier says we can try and see how he will do..


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## drivin*me*buggy (Jul 30, 2011)

Yup, still loving the cart We had a nice drive today. Here are some pix with the adjustments.
















Adair, I hope you get to drive soon!

Angie


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 31, 2011)

Oh, VERY nice!









She looks totally CDE-ready right down to the ear net! Love it!

Leia


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## bannerminis (Jul 31, 2011)

Looks really good and love your mare


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## shorthorsemom (Jul 31, 2011)

awesome Angie! Thanks for including photos, since Leia loves your setup, now I will try to adjust mine, take photos and see if I can match your balance, I agree, you look terrific and so does Wish. Can you tell me the distance out you are from swivel tree to hock? I have my shafts too long on my setup, your distance in those looks great. I am going to wait until I get my longer bucking strap to move my boy closer though, tips on how you got that bucking strap to lay right in line would be appreciated. It doesn't look to be slipping on the shafts at all in your photos. I am going to try to get out today for a short drive if I can find the time. I wrapped his feet yesterday because the crud was packing in the white line and making it worse, I could really use some little boots. Bad trim equaled my boy walking on the outside of his foot equaled the white lines separating on both front feet on the outside. Fly stomping and crud packing in has made the problem worse, amazing how a bad trim can snowball into an ongoing problem much longer... While Ike is not doing much it is time to get out there and start line driving my boy Chips again.

By the way... I have that same blue helmet you are wearing. LOL, we are a color match for sure from cart to helmet. I am intriqued by the ear nets that eagle eye Leia mentioned you are using, can you send me a posting as to what she is talking about? Ike hates things around his ears. Adair


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 31, 2011)

shorthorsemom said:


> I am intriqued by the ear nets that eagle eye Leia mentioned you are using, can you send me a posting as to what she is talking about? Ike hates things around his ears. Adair







It's that hat thing on Wish's head. See how it covers her ears under the bridle and comes down her forehead a bit? I always thought they were more of a European/show jumper turnout thing but I guess they're quite helpful for their original purpose of keeping bugs out of the horses' ears so they are not distracted and shaking their heads all the time. I've never had a problem with my boys luckily but sure love how they look! I'm considering getting some for the pair in the future and do have a nice source for mini ones finally but I don't know if it's the same one Angie got hers from.

Leia


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## RhineStone (Jul 31, 2011)

I know people who also use ear nets to cover up the cotton balls stuffed inside their psycho horse's ears! One shows at advanced level!

Myrna


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## shorthorsemom (Jul 31, 2011)

Oh my, never heard of putting in cotton balls... LOL.





My guy has so much hair in his ears it might as well be cotton balls.

I don't trim his ear hair because I figure around the farm here we can use as much protection from the bugs as we can get.

I think I have a large horse set of the ear nets around here somewhere that my brother sent my way thinking it would fit my boys.


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## drivin*me*buggy (Jul 31, 2011)

Thanks for the nice compliments, I will share them with Miss Wish. She is a sweetheart.





Adair I will measure the distance for you, I am guessing it to be about 12 inches and am thinking of shortening my shafts a tad bit more.

I find new betathane has a lot of bounce to it...so I am not thrilled w/ the wrap on my bucking strap. It looks good to start then when we get going, it sortof boings apart a bit. I am running the strap back thru my first wrap to kind of lock it a bit from slipping on the shaft. This strap doesn't let my backstrap run through quite like my other, so it is secured with black shoelace



For economical reasons, I picked up the beta strap- eventually it will lose a little of that bounce...but if I were showing, I'd probably get a leather one.

Ear nets....this one is a pony sized witht he fringe trimmed back and the ears flipped inside out and sewn smaller. I got it at vendor at HITS, a jumper show that is near me each summer. I think it was like $6 or $7....

I may get some in other colors from here:

ear nets

The nicest ones made for minis that I have seen are at Hats Off Boutique. They were at the Lorenzo show that I went and watched...gorgeous...but $45

more ear nets

They do help keep flies away. Wish doesn't like deer flies on her delicate ears LOL.

Angie


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## hobbyhorse23 (Aug 1, 2011)

drivin*me*buggy said:


> Ear nets....The nicest ones made for minis that I have seen are at Hats Off Boutique. They were at the Lorenzo show that I went and watched...gorgeous...but $45
> 
> more ear nets


Those are the ones I knew about. I'm not surprised they're a bit expensive- they're from Australia! On the other hand I'm told they fit the A minis, which is worth a few bucks to those of us who don't sew a stitch.





Leia


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## shelterwood (Aug 2, 2011)

Thanks so much for the links to the ear nets, we have terrible deer flies here and my girls shake, shake, shake their heads. I knew that large equines had them and had been wondering about them for my mares, especially once we are actually driving the trails. Thanks again....I may just splurge on them eventually.

P.S. Your new cart is beautiful! I am so jealous! I have had to delay my purchase of a hyperbike because my car needed replacement. I'm bummed, but I guess I need car transportation more than cart transportation right now, unfortunately!!

Katie


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## drivin*me*buggy (Aug 2, 2011)

Katie,

If I remember right your girls are a little bigger than Wish. I bet the ones Just for Ponies sell would fit and they are just $6 a piece. Include a note when you place your order (or call) and tell them you have very small ponies and could they send the smallest earnets. Trim the fringe if you need to, I had to on this one. They do help. Just watch your bridle adjustment after you put it on so things aren't too tight. Sorry about your car. I am in love with this new cart





Angie


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