Aerocrown

[Ann knight]

Well, I have had my Aerocrown for a little over a month and really like the ride . It is much different than my EE cart , which I always felt like I could be tossed out of at anything faster than a walk on our trails

. My question is about the wieght of the areocrown . It feels heavier to me than my EE cart when it is pulled on the flat . I have the cart balanced well ( I think ) but when we are going up the hills my poor guy seems to really work hard. Now I know he should be in better shape and we are working on that but i don't think I am that big ( 132 lbs) . I "get" why a Hyperbike and the weight would be perfect but I didn't think I would feel comfortable until I had some more experience . I think I would like a hyperbike but need to save up and just want to make sure that I have my Aerocrown set up right . If anyone has any suggestions I would really appreciate it . Thanks...Ann

 

[shorthorsemom]

Well, I have had my Aerocrown for a little over a month and really like the ride . It is much different than my EE cart , which I always felt like I could be tossed out of at anything faster than a walk on our trails

. My question is about the wieght of the areocrown . It feels heavier to me than my EE cart when it is pulled on the flat . I have the cart balanced well ( I think ) but when we are going up the hills my poor guy seems to really work hard. Now I know he should be in better shape and we are working on that but i don't think I am that big ( 132 lbs) . I "get" why a Hyperbike and the weight would be perfect but I didn't think I would feel comfortable until I had some more experience . I think I would like a hyperbike but need to save up and just want to make sure that I have my Aerocrown set up right . If anyone has any suggestions I would really appreciate it . Thanks...Ann

Can you take some photos of your set up for Leia to critique? My boy is very out of shape and pulls me and the aerocrown up hills like I am weightless. Before I lost all that weight, I weighed a bunch more than you do and my boy didn't struggle on the hills. Have you had someone hold your shafts while you sit in it to see if you are balanced? Are your tugs and britching and breast strap set right? All questions that come to mind when I read your post. Mine feels heavy pulling it with nobody in the seat, then get weightless on the shafts when somebody is sitting in it. It only weighs a little over 100 lbs. My boy loves mine. He gets a bit zippy at times, our old cart was very heavy. I think the different tires feel different when pulling empty. Best wishes

 

[Ann knight]

Thanks for your reply Shorthorsemom . I have attached a picture ( I corrected the trace holders) . I have not had anyone sit in it . Maybe my guy is taking advantage of a newbie too

. The shafts lift up when he is pulling uphill , so I think they are okay . ....Ann

 

[shorthorsemom]

Thanks for your reply Shorthorsemom . I have attached a picture ( I corrected the trace holders) . I have not had anyone sit in it . Maybe my guy is taking advantage of a newbie too

. The shafts lift up when he is pulling uphill , so I think they are okay . ....Ann

Hi, Leia is the pro...(and quite a few others on this forum)... I am a newbie too, but I have a couple of observations. My tracecarriers hang down from the britching so you don't have so much trace dangling where a foot could get over the trace. Your breast collar looks somewhat low to me which would affect the pull on hills. Also, how tight is your britching? Can you get a fist between your horses butt and the strap? Not sure what you mean about the shafts lifting up when you go up hill. My shafts stay the same, my trainer is very picky as to how I do the tie down after the girth so you don't get pulling and rubbing between the two. My cart doesn't pop up that I can see.

Your horse is gorgeous and you both look terrific by the way... I am sure Leia will be chiming in, you have a perfect photo for critique. I need to take new photos of my boy, my trainer is tweeking my harness and fittings and bridle and I am curious how my turnout is looking according to the pros.

Adair

 

[Ann knight]

Thanks Adair

Today I put 2 - 66lb bags of concrete on my cart and I couldn't believe how light is was with a load , very dead wieght but easy to pull ! I have the trace holders where they should be ( actually right after the picture was taken , so they are in the right spot now . I will put the breast collar up and see how that is . When I look at DL from the front, I think it is okay but it won't hurt to try it . I will check the britching too ...good tip . It really is an art to get this right !

Thanks again ...Ann

 

[drivin*me*buggy]

Hi Ann,

A few questions, how big is your mini, how old, and what is his current fitness level. I don't think you are too big for him to pull, we just need to get you tweaked a bit. I think you may want to shorten your shafts a bit more. And I agree with Adair that you need to raise your breastcollar. Looks like you may need to punch more holes. Trace carriers are a good idea too.

What holes is your seat on? I am wondering if you should move it up one hole. Hard to say without feeling things, but it may be something to try...

Angie

He is super cute!

 

[Ann knight]

Thanks Angie !

DL is 7 years old , probably not too fit , we are working on it . My cart is on the middle bolts ( or whatever they are called0 and I will get my rubber mallet out again to shorten my shafts . Thanks .......I will get this right !.....Ann

 

[drivin*me*buggy]

You are welcome. I hope some of it helps and hopefully others will chime in too. Maybe get him some cross training going. Lunge him doing lots of transitions, no just going round and round. Add some cavaletti and or jumps...and drive him too. It takes time to build the muscle needed.

I think the shortened shafts will help. But I also think he needs some muscle/fitness. I can't remember how long he has been driving. I love his cute face and think you guys will have a blast with him and your cart.

Angie

 

[shorthorsemom]

On the shafts you want to be between 8 and 12 inches from hock to swivel tree. Leia thought my guy was out a bit far at 12 inches, but I don't have a bucking strap yet and my boy can toss one in every now and again so my trainer wanted me farther out there. My boy is totally un-fit and chubby and after most of the summer off due to a hoof issue, and he still pulled my cart like a dream so I do think that tweeking your harness and cart will help a bunch to allow what makes the aerocrown a terrific cart work for you. Fitness is important, but I think that it doesn't take much like a collar too low to make your horse work harder.

You have the design with the aerocrown, you just need to get everything fitted just right so it all works for your advantage. I fitted my new harness to my boy and we were tweeking like crazy and my boy was crabby and swishing and not working and not putting his head down and then we got everything right and you could see my boy relax in the harness, put his head down and his entire body language changed and I swear he was smiling and we had an awesome lesson. My boy is a great communicator and he tells me when we don't have it right.

I think photos are the best thing while you are making adjustments. I notice more when I study the photos than when I am standing next to my boy and looking. best wishes.

 

[drivin*me*buggy]

Adair,

What I was thinking/wondering is how green her horse was as well as how fit he was. With your boy, he came to you as an experienced driving horse, so had driven enough to have developed the muscle and balance and other skills to be comfortable with the cart, even if he wasn't currently in shape. If her guy is green, he is still developing those things. I think he is going to be fine, especially with the harness adjustments and she will love that setup- just wanted to clarify a little more on what I was thinking...

Angie

 

[RhineStone]

The collar is definitely too low. With the "shaped" collars (aka Freedom, Super V, etc.) the point of the shoulder needs to be below the "cut out" for it. And the cut out for the windpipe needs to be below the windpipe. It looks to me that the collar is right on the point of the shoulder. That will completely limit his ability to pull properly. He needs to be able to move his shoulder. Think if you were to take a rope around your body attached to a wheelbarrow, but have the rope low enough on your leg that your leg had to move the load. That would be way more difficult than if it is higher up on your hip.

I would also move the saddle back about 1-2" back from his withers. Most novice people put them WAY too far forward. I think that comes from people thinking about where a riding saddle goes. With that, you might have to loosen the girth some to pull it back. Then the backstrap will also have to be tightened.

As far as the breeching goes, I use the "measurement" of a flat hand between the breeching and the buttock on a mini. A "fist", while appropriate for most large horses, can be too much slack on a mini, especially the "peanut" horses or those not terrific at backing yet. The hip strap should hang vertically, although the fit of that is not as important as the saddle and the breastcollar.

And yes, I do think the shafts could be shortened some, too. I like my horses as close as I can get them safely without them hitting their heels on the vehicle.

Good luck with your "tweaks". As has been said before, once you get it right, you'll know it. I have been known to punch a "half hole" to get it to fit perfectly! And I re-evaluate the turnout as the horse ages, or changes condition.

Myrna

 

[shorthorsemom]

Adair,

What I was thinking/wondering is how green her horse was as well as how fit he was. With your boy, he came to you as an experienced driving horse, so had driven enough to have developed the muscle and balance and other skills to be comfortable with the cart, even if he wasn't currently in shape. If her guy is green, he is still developing those things. I think he is going to be fine, especially with the harness adjustments and she will love that setup- just wanted to clarify a little more on what I was thinking...

Angie

I got it Angie, I liked your answer too,

I was just trying to say my un-fit fat boy could pull a chubbier me up a hill once we got the adjustments on the harness right. LOL. Glad i don't weigh that much anymore though. My last lesson I was amazed at how much resistance we were getting until we got the different harness adjusted. He seemed to be working harder until we got it right. When I get some photos of my new set up I may be asking you to post some pictures for a critique for me.