# My first show (:



## BannerBrat (Aug 22, 2010)

Hi Guys, I thought that I'd share some pictures from Banner and my first show. On Aug. 8th we attended a Continuous Drive, which is so great that you get to do so much and then have enough time to get home. It is a great format. Banner was very good, though in the beginning he did not like the big horse carts. But he got over it soon enough. We did Super Reinsmanship, then Progressive Obstacle, then a Pleasure Marathon Pace, then finished up with Reverse Psychology.  We ended up Champion of our division, and Champion of the show! Hopefully next time he'll remember that he can indeed pull without his head in the air. 

Anyway here's all the pictures in this album. Hopefully it works!

Pictures!


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## Sue_C. (Aug 23, 2010)

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This is all your link took me to...


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## BannerBrat (Aug 23, 2010)

maybe this will work...

My link


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## Kendra (Aug 23, 2010)

Congratulations!! Banner looks great!


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## Sue_C. (Aug 23, 2010)

He looks fantastic...!!








LOVE that ladybug picture.





Did you use the same cart for marathon? Did you find he had a hard time with the weight of it? How big is he?


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## ssshowhorses (Aug 23, 2010)

He looks really good! and very happy, with those ears pricked right forward


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## BannerBrat (Aug 23, 2010)

Thank you Kendra, SSShowhorses, and Sue! 

Sue,

The cart is 110 lbs, and I'm about 165lbs and Banner had no problem with it in marathon. Well he did have a problem with a very steep hill, that was covered in loose stone. but that certainly wasn't a condition issue. He is 36''. He was is good condition (not his best, but not too bad.) and was tired after all of that, but also would have done it again if I asked him too.

Thank you guys!


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## Sue_C. (Aug 23, 2010)

Thanks for the info. I would love to "strip down" my meadowbrook if I could use it with my up-n-coming new driving mare, but fear it would still be too much for her. She isn't quite 33", and is of a much slighter build than I think best...but she is mine, and I love her to death...so whatever works for her is what I will drive.


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## jleonard (Aug 23, 2010)

Congratulations on a successful and (looks like!) fun show! You guys look wonderful!





On a side note, I was so happy to see that you have the chain browband. I am getting ready to order a Chimacum harness for my small pony and really wanted the chain pattern, but it was not listed as one of the options for the mini/pony harness. Yay, I'm excited now!


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## RhineStone (Aug 24, 2010)

BannerBrat said:


> The cart is 110 lbs, and *I'm about 165lbs* and Banner had no problem with it in marathon.


You are not!



If you are, you certainly don't look it!! (Ashley and I got to meet at Walnut Hill, that was cool!)

It's amazing how much power the structural Bs have!

Glad you did so well and had fun!

Myrna


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## BannerBrat (Aug 25, 2010)

Sue_C. said:


> Thanks for the info. I would love to "strip down" my meadowbrook if I could use it with my up-n-coming new driving mare, but fear it would still be too much for her. She isn't quite 33", and is of a much slighter build than I think best...but she is mine, and I love her to death...so whatever works for her is what I will drive.


No problem Sue. I wish there were lighter options without compromising the strength of the wood for the cart. Have any pictures of your girlie? I'd love to see her. 



jleonard said:


> Congratulations on a successful and (looks like!) fun show! You guys look wonderful!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hi Jessica, I would think that the chain browband would still be an option, I got mine 2 or 3 years ago.  I hope that it is still an option. And thank you for your kind words!



RhineStone said:


> You are not!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hahaha, aw thanks Myrna. I'm glad I don't look it, Banner says I certainly feel like 165lbs.



Thanks, I can't wait to see how Banner measures up at the Fair we are going to on Sunday, there is usually pretty stiff competition.


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## dreaminmini (Aug 26, 2010)

Congratulations! You guys looked great together. He is such a good boy.


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## Sue_C. (Aug 26, 2010)

> No problem Sue. I wish there were lighter options without compromising the strength of the wood for the cart. Have any pictures of your girlie? I'd love to see her.


As to the wodden cart...me too. Wish those wooden wheels didn't weigh so much, and dig into the footing so badly. Ah well, if I decide to use this cart, I will strip it down a bit more...I have already taken off the fenders and thier metal braces. I am pretty sure the balance won't be affected with the removal of a few of the rear slats, as the spares kit etc...probably weigh about the same...but every little bit helps.

The mare, well, it isn't like she is tiny or anything, but just not my ideal when considering a mini for combined driving. Actually, her half brother was...but unfortunately after grooming him from birth to BE my CDE VSE...he not only outgrew his AMHA, papers...but ALSO his AMHR as a five year old!! He is now in British Columbia competing as one of a pair in _pony _division. Go figure.





Myrna, if you read this...is it at all _proper_ to paint a meadowbrook style of cart? Another thing I do not like, (although I LOVE the look of natural wood) is a colourfully spotted black and white horse put to a natural cart. I would love to paint it black. Is that a huge faux pas?





Here is the cart complete with my former maxi-mini.(During training so please don't pick him apart. LOL!)






And here is the mare I am starting now.


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## RhineStone (Aug 26, 2010)

Sue_C. said:


> Myrna, if you read this...is it at all _proper_ to paint a meadowbrook style of cart? Another thing I do not like, (although I LOVE the look of natural wood) is a colourfully spotted black and white horse put to a natural cart. I would love to paint it black. Is that a huge faux pas?


Well, there are two thought processes here. No, it really isn't "proper" to paint a Meadowbrook. However, you can _stain_ it!



There are very few carts that we produce that are just varnished (polyurethaned, spar urethaned, clear coated, whatever) without being stained first. You can "match"/complement the horse better and it will be different than all the other carts in the ring. A nice ebony stain might look good with that horse. Get some stain samples from the hardware store and some scrap wood (the same species as your cart), stain a piece and then hold it up to your horse. Sometimes even one coat will look better than two depending on the horse. The challenge with staining the cart is that you will have to strip whatever finish is on there first. It isn't impossible, but call it a _winter project_.

However, if you are stripping the cart down, you really won't have a Meadowbrook in the true sense of the word. A Meadowbrook is a rear entry cart usually with fenders if it has two seats for two people. I don't call _my_ cart a Meadowbrook, but a "Meadowbrook-style" cart because it is not rear entry. (We have built true Meadowbrooks, too.) We decided that the engineering for the rear entry added too much weight for my 34" mare it was built for. It is a step-over without fenders. Yes, you can take off the fenders, spares box, dash, and a few floorboards and you will have more of a lighter "road cart". Road carts _can_ be painted.

If you are going to paint, that is a process in itself if you want a _great_ finish (and another thread topic!). Don't just brush it on unless you don't care how it looks. Yuck! (And it won't get you very good Presentation/Turnout points, either.) In order to do it right, it will be MUCH MORE work than staining it (and more expensive). If you don't care how it looks and just use some Rustoleum, then yes, it will be less work and cheaper. One reason some vehicle makers' painted vehicles are cheaper than the stained ones is that they use crap wood and cover it with crap paint. Natural vehicles need good wood, but so do well painted ones, as every imperfection in the wood will come out in the paint.

While you are tearing your cart apart, you might want to consider mounting the cross/circle bars and singletree on under the shafts. That way your line of draft is not going uphill. That is a typical problem with mini carts, because it is a typical mount with big horse carts. Inches (and 1/4 inches) matter in mini carts, where you can "get away with it" in big carts.) Mount the cross bar underneath and put the singletree on top of that if it will fit between the shafts. Sometimes they are too long and you are stuck, though.

Yes, I agree, a black spotted horse to a natural (not stained) finish is ugly. Especially when there are so many other options!





I think your maxi mini looks great! He looks like he would have made a nice wheeler in a tandem!

Myrna


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## Sue_C. (Aug 26, 2010)

> While you are tearing your cart apart, you might want to consider mounting the cross/circle bars and singletree on under the shafts. That way your line of draft is not going uphill.


I had _just_ been talking about doing this a couple of weeks ago.



I never did like how the traces go up, and especially now with the Super V collar, the lower line of draft would be perfect.

I have this cart for sale right now, but if it doesn't sell soon...it might just end up my winter project...LOL! I would definately turn it into a road cart though...but might still stick to the stain idea. I do appreciate the rear entry though...even as relatively small this cart is, I am just under 5'2", and stepping over that wheel and shaft isn't so much an option...as a joke.








Sorry BannerBrat for hogging your post...I am going to start a new one about this cart and some more questions for Myrna.


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## BannerBrat (Aug 28, 2010)

Aw, Sue your mare is a cutie! I really like your Maxi Mini as well. 

Thank you dreaminmini as well!





And no worries Sue, I enjoyed reading you and Myrna's posts.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Aug 29, 2010)

Hey Ashley- nice horse!











It's so great to see you and Banner finally out in competition and I'm not at all surprised that you did so well. He looked wonderful! Keep up the good work.

Leia


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