chair back, roadster looking practice carts?

[keely2682]

some trainers were working horses in them.

anyone know anything about them?

who makes them? who sells them?

prices? durability? comfort?

 

[Make A Wish Miniatures]

Keely I think you are talking about the one that Lyn Yung has.I am pretty sure Ron Van De Grift made them .He is In O.K

 

[Sue_C.]

I think what you saw might have been "Hyperbikes"? Several people on the Forum have them...I know Mary Lou had one for sale...imagine it was sold long ago.

 

[Mominis]

Does someone have a photo they could post of one of these? I don't know that I've ever seen one. Thanks.

 

[Sue_C.]

HyperBike

Is this the one you are looking for?

 

[keely2682]

the ones at nationals were definitely roadster style carts, not hyperbikes

 

[ThreeCFarm]

As already mentioned above, Ron Van De Grift here in OK makes them. You can get his contact info off www.OMHCI.org, our club website.

ETA: Never mind, only his address is on the club website. If you need his contact information, email or PM me and I'll get it out of our club directory. I know it is in there.

 

[Sanny]

I think we have what you saw at Nationals.

At the Taylor Pony Sale last May we bought a cart like that which I think was Bruce Abbott's and he used to use it for training and said he also sometimes used it in the show ring. The one we have bought has natural wood shafts, red metal cart base with white pinstriping and has a comfortable padded seat that goes up about three inches in the back for back support. It does sort of sit close behind the horse like the hyperbike and have that look but looks like a roadster cart not like the carts in the hyperbike pictures.

Looks pretty comfortable but to be honest it has just been sitting in our garage since we bought it at the sale because we haven't even tried it yet. I should get it out and give it a try.

 

[Sue_C.]

Well, I for one hope that someone posts a picture of this cart. I have never seen anything like it except some of our local home-made carts, and the hypercart, and am anxious to see something new and different.

Come on...get out the camera. PLease??

 

[RhineStone]

I'm a bit surprised that some drivers haven't "demanded" seat backs yet. They are WAY more comfortable than a cart without one! The trick is to make sure that they don't make the seat more shallow. You should still be able to "sit back" in a cart with a seat back. Your average show cart is terribly uncomfortable since it doesn't have a seat back. Someone should design show carts with them and make a fortune!

Myrna

 

[angelspeeper]

I actually have a picture of Lyn Yung's cart as he is my trainer. I will try to post it. If it doesn't work then I will get my son to post it on Monday because we will be gone till then. But first I shall try.

hope that worked.

 

[Margo_C-T]

Thanks for the pic. I've been following this thread with interest in what this vehicle might look like. To me, it appears to be something of a 'cross' between a 'standard' type of show cart and a sulky. I'd imagine it is comfy seating for the driver(albeit perhaps not a comfy ride,due to a lack of a real 'suspension'(can't really tell from the pic...) but it appears to me that it might well put a good deal of weight on the horse's back via the tug loops(much like many show carts).It seems to me that the seat back essentially prevents the driver from shifting their balance(in show carts, basically, you can 'lift' some weight off the shafts by 'leaning' back, and bending forward will increase the weight on the shafts and thus, on the horse's back; in a cart like this, there is basically NO 'leaning' back, and bending/leaning forward would make what I see as a problem even worse.

Just my opinions, based on a lot of years of driving and studying vehicles and the wisdom of long-time drivers...but after seeing it, it's not a vehicle I'd choose.Not out to insult anyone, just giving my genuine impresssions upon seeing this vehicle.

Margo

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I'd disagree about not being able to lean back, Margo. In my experience having a low seat back like that, especially one that curves up from the actual seat itself, makes it even easier as you can not only shift your weight off the front of the seat but actively push against the backrest and tip the front of the seat (the part behind your knees) even further up! JMO.

Leia

 

[Carriage]

I'd disagree about not being able to lean back, Margo. In my experience having a low seat back like that, especially one that curves up from the actual seat itself, makes it even easier as you can not only shift your weight off the front of the seat but actively push against the backrest and tip the front of the seat (the part behind your knees) even further up! JMO.

Leia

I agree Miss Leia, If part of the overall designed whole the seat back gives much more leverage to affect balance. In a trail rig comfort is everything for both horse and driver. The overall "secure" feeling is greatly enhanced by a comfortable seat back as well, as it increases points of contact with the cart.

Multiple points of contact with the cart is good when you go zoom zoom....

Bb

 

[Margo_C-T]

Oh, I'm not at ALL 'against' seat backs, you two! I just think that combined w/ the general construction of the vehicle as pictured in this thread, there would likely be drawbacks as I described. I imagine that the attraction of the vehicle as pictured is lightness of weight, DRIVER comfort, rolling ease, and that it would suit those wishing to use it to train for the breed show ring.

If I felt I could spend extensive driving time in a vehicle where the only choice for where to put your feet was in stirrups, I'd choose a Hyperbike, myself, for its 'true-sulky-like' features...shorter shafts, driver very close to the horse(and thus, IMO, better balance and ability for driver to 'affect' same)...(also for its nice wide wheelbase, for better stability)...AND its comfy 'full'seatback seat!

Just my take; yours may differ...

Margo

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Oh, I'm not at ALL 'against' seat backs, you two!

I didn't think you were.

I was only offering another perspective in response to your quote below:

"It seems to me that the seat back essentially prevents the driver from shifting their balance(in show carts, basically, you can 'lift' some weight off the shafts by 'leaning' back, and bending forward will increase the weight on the shafts and thus, on the horse's back; in a cart like this, there is basically NO 'leaning' back..."

Leia

 

[RhineStone]

The vehicle pictured looks like it has a lot of weight in front of the axle stubs. I can see where Margo is saying that you might not be able to "lift" the cart because you can't sit back over the axle. You can't hang your butt over the edge of the seat. If the weight of the driver was just slightly behind the pivot point on the axle stub and wheels (to compensate for the weight of the driver's legs), then yes, a seat back can and will help you lift the front end of the cart. If you are sitting in front of the balance point, leaning back in the seat may only give you a sore back.

However, it could be that it is just the angle of the photo, and the only true way to tell if the cart is front heavy is to test drive it.

It is also interesting to consider the driver's natural balance point in a vehicle. (Not in the case of a sulky or Hyperbike), but generally the driver's knees should be below their hips to help them balance in the cart. All too often I see cart baskets that are too shallow vertically or horizontally, and the driver spends lots of their own energy trying to stay "balanced" in the cart, so they don't feel like they are falling out the back. This "pushes" them forward, trying to get their Center of Gravity (roughly behind your belly button) over their hips, adding more weight to the back of the horse than what was originally intended. Balance is a fine line!

Myrna

 

[Margo_C-T]

Myrna,

Well-put; more salient than what I posted!

Margo

(edited to remove material intended for a diffent subject/thread...My mistake!)