Reality check: How many carts & harnesses do you own

[hobbyhorse23]

Dr. Pam, good to hear from you again!!

Driving horses:SR Desert Sun--National Grand Champion Country Pleasure, Prelim level CDE

Erica's Gimmie Another Glance--Nation Champion Country Pleasure, Prelim level CDE

SR Desert Mist--Res Nat Champion Pleasure driving, Prelim level CDE

Sounds like they not only convinced you to move Sunny up, but Lance and Misty as well? That's great!

Leia

 

[Peggy Porter]

I started with one metal pipe pony cart that I cut down the shafts, painted, upholstered the seat and added new wheels

Then found a home built 4 wheel wood buggy that I am going to refurbish ( am going to for 6 years!!!)

Almost forgot the sulky that I bought for $5 to use as a pattern (someday!)

Then bought my "dream cart" a Stolzfus wooden wheel pleasure cart from a Silver Penney

Then had another dream (VBG!) and bought my CDE cart, a Mike Groose Itebte slightly used from Martha D.

At this point I said "How many vehicles can one horse use?" so I bought my second mini from a friend who's friend rescued him

Last year at the National Drive my husband bought me a Kutzman "Cute" carriage!!

Harnesses?? I have my original, bought from an auction, didn't know what the heck I was doing leather harness that although not the best fitting has held up very well for 14 yrs

Then I have my two Iowa Valley Carriage beta; one brass , one polished

One crappy Ebay leather (what was I thinking??) that I use mostly for ground driving or parts

One Camptown Freedom collar

One Chimacum full collar and hames

Horses?? I have a 17 yr old mini gelding Sundance Kid

and a 6(?) yr old mini gelding Butch Cassidy

and a 13 yr old OTTB that doesn't drive, but happily goes out under saddle with the minis in their carts (don't get me started on the # of saddles for one horse! I can think of at least 6, without really trying!)

TOTALS: 6 vehicles, 4 harnesses, 3 horses LOTS of great FUN and wonderful memories!!

 

[Genie]

I guess that we're putting the carriage house before the carriage...
So far, we only have one (EE) cart, one (ugly but comfortable) harness, and one (nearly perfect) driving horse, but in the (hopefully) not-so-distant future we'll be building a carriage house to live in.

In the real world, it would be called a carriage house-style garage with overhead living quarters, but for us the garage portion will be foul-weather barn/3 season living space, with a separate music studio.

Here are a few plans we are considering:

I'm a sucker for Craftsman style homes:

http://www.architecturaldesigns.com/PlanDe...2d-9bd3010e8460

This one would be perfect for our hillside:

http://www.cadsmith.com/garage_plans/hill_...g3-2442hill.htm

This is a bit more practical:

http://details.coolhouseplans.com/details....9&sid=chp23

This one is pure Shakespearean fantasy:

http://www.architecturaldesigns.com/PlanDe...4f-9b0600cef69d

Our daughter lived in Redmond Washington and we spent a lot of time taking pictures of buildings to get ideas for our garage with living quarters above.

We found a small viceroy cart, made by Jerald and quite old that we refurbished.

The small building to the side of the garage is our "dog house" and I also store some tack there for the winter and in the lower level of the dog house are carts and riding mowers.

 

[Margo_C-T]

I've been driving and training to drive since '85--I have owned three Jeralds(the original closed wheel, bought before they even began offering the open-wheeled, or model "A"!-then sold it to get an "A" including the (originally offered, 16 spoke, 30")wooden wheels--sold it several years ago when I decided I wasn't interested in breed shows anymore. I also owned a Jerald 'obstacle cart'--a design I had to special order. Nice light little cart, but with certain drawbacks, so I sold it within the past year/year and a half or so. I also owned a mini Meadowbrook-very handsome and authentic in design, but was just too HEAVY-sold it--and an IteBte 'Missouri Flyer'--great cart; I got the single seat, and larger wheels--but, I wanted something appreciably LIGHTER in weight, and it ended up being almost exactly the same weight and 'application' as my Bennington (see below), so I sold it. Currently, I own:

A Smuckers "LITE" russet harness--first harness I bought when I got minis, and STILL my everyday harness after 25 years! Thankfully, I had good advice back then, got a sturdy-enough harness w/ breeching! (I bought another several years later, sold it last year.)

A Smuckers black leather 'Pleasure' harness, brass fittings.

A black leather w/patent accents, brass trim, 'show' pair harness, made by someone no longer building harness

A bio-beta Yonie-made harness w/ 'deep V' breast collar,white metal fittings (includes both stainless and chrome), from the Carriage House in FL...fits my B-sized driving horses.

A bio-beta pair harness,white metal fittings from the Carriage House.

A neck collar and hames from Chimicum Tack

I've also owned two Lutke harnesses--sold both for similar reasons to the sale of the Jeralds...no more breed ring showing, and wouldn't use them otherwise, so they went.

Vehicles--two wheeled:

A Frontier EE 'pipe' cart(my second in those 25 years; the first one is still in service w/ its second owner; was in good shape, but I wanted a different colored upholstery!)

A extra 'set' of longer shafts for the Frontier(54"), for my B's.

A Bennington miniature cart; made in the UK; their original design, which fits B horses best.

A Pequea Carriage Shop 'top end' country road cart w/ button-tufted cloth upholstery, brass fittings. This cart could be used even in the breed show ring, w/ my Smuckers Pleasure harness.

Four wheeled:

A back-to-back English trap, custom built for me by Jack Stewart of Golden Horse and Carriage of Golden, CO. A LOVELY vehicle--cut under, patent dash and fenders, Button-tufted upholstery. I really don't use it anymore, though,so will probably be parting with it-(and the patent-accented 'show' pair harness that was custom-ordered for use w/ this vehicle.)

An oak buckboard...what a FUN pair vehicle it is, too! I have a 'homesteader' outfit, and some accessories to look like the homesteader coming home from shopping in town, for parades...it's a HOOT!

A Glinkowski 'mini-mix' marathon vehicle. Another great pair vehicle--nearly sold it 'way cheap' in a weak moment several months ago; thankfully, it didn't happen, and I am looking forward to using it more this year and in future...after all, I have a great little bay pair!

I am the only driver here! Of my six minis, 5 drive--the most recent acquisition is still greenbroke, as he came(winter hasn't allowed much horse work!); others are all solid. The half of my pair that i bought(bred and raised the other) didn't get his training from me,but it was from someone knowledgable, and he is pretty solid, though still needs work on backing straight--I just haven't found the time for the individual work with him on that. I trained all the others.

Speaking for myself, one reason I have 'kept acquiring' vehicles is in a search for ever-better-suited single vehicles for minis! I am STILL on the hunt for a LIGHT-IN-WEIGHT two-wheeler that would be suitable for CDE, even above Training level(although I don't really expect to be able to be a serious CDE competitor, I do like the features of a CDE-type cart--that is, the metal wheels w/ rubber inserts, torsion bar suspension(or something equally as comfy), a COMFY seat, deep front-to-back(my Benny has a 17" seat, front-to-back, and I LOVE it!), along w/ other features)--BUT, weighing no more than a Frontier, at @ 76 lbs. I know of two currently--the Scotsman(which unfortunately, just increased a good bit in price, and doesn't have much of a seat, IMO...and Bennington's newest mini cart...but the exchange rate isn't favorable now--and the shipping would be a KILLER, in these times, I fear.) Bellcrown's 'Aerocrown' looks good, but the weight is still higher than what I seek, from what I've heard. I HAVE, in the Benny, an ideal cart for my B mini, but I STILL am seeking something similar for my A sized horses!

Margo

 

[susanne]

Our daughter lived in Redmond Washington and we spent a lot of time taking pictures of buildings to get ideas for our garage with living quarters above.

We found a small viceroy cart, made by Jerald and quite old that we refurbished.

The small building to the side of the garage is our "dog house" and I also store some tack there for the winter and in the lower level of the dog house are carts and riding mowers.

Genie, I love both the carriage house AND the viceroy! I'd love to see the floor plan or even a rough idea of how the living quarters are laid out.

Mingus' New Year's Resolution is to persuade us to buy him a harness and carriage befitting his sense of style and pride, so I had better not let him see that viceroy -- I'll never hear the end of it!

 

[Genie]

Our daughter lived in Redmond Washington and we spent a lot of time taking pictures of buildings to get ideas for our garage with living quarters above.

We found a small viceroy cart, made by Jerald and quite old that we refurbished.

The small building to the side of the garage is our "dog house" and I also store some tack there for the winter and in the lower level of the dog house are carts and riding mowers.

Genie, I love both the carriage house AND the viceroy! I'd love to see the floor plan or even a rough idea of how the living quarters are laid out.

Mingus' New Year's Resolution is to persuade us to buy him a harness and carriage befitting his sense of style and pride, so I had better not let him see that viceroy -- I'll never hear the end of it!

The ceiling is lofted with three large beams crossing front to back. It is just one large room with a propane stove to heat, There is a large four piece bathroom as well.

My husband and a friend built it and the total cost, including the flooring, heating system and garage door openers, etc. the whole deal, was 66000.00. They built it in 2000 as his centennial project

I can get some more pictures and size specifications for you and p.m. them if you would like. Many people have driven by and stopped asking for plans, which are in hubby's head, and also measurements. One person took all the measurements and pictures etc, then proceeded to build something similar, but larger. When they went large the roof span was then unable to retain the lofted look and had to have an ordinary ceiling which took away from the total effect.

The viceroy was a bargain from a barn that was falling down. Hubby refurbished the wood and cleaned the wheels. Luckily the seat was good enough to leave as is.

 

[krissy3]

1 easy entry, 3 or 4 sleads wooden, we live in snow, 2 show harnesses, 2 bitting rigs, 1 very old donkey harness for the slead, and a harness for skiing. I ski behind my donkey on the cross country trails because I am too lazy to do the work myself.

 

[Katiean]

I have;

4 carts (1 show, 2 ez entry and 1 farm wagon)

4 harnesses (3 show and 1 heavy patent leather look parade (?) harness)

1 bitting rig

4 horses 3 trained to drive and 1 starting this spring.

 

[hairicane]

Well I dont feel bad now! I only have a "few" driving items compared to lots of u, lol.

carts--Wilform pony cart, was a sulky but Garyo on the form made a basket for it, its removable and works great.

houghton show cart, B sized- I love it!

fronteer easy entry cart and trailer, Goes from 2 wheels to 4 wheels and a back seat, pony/B mini size

easy entry A size wood/metal

Harnesses--Black patent leather B sized show harness, I had this custom made to fit Rio but it also fits Grey my Shetland its from Diane at Mini Express

Black leather shetland/B mini harness

biothane A sized training harness

pieces of another harness or 2

horses--Rio, B appy gelding, Nat Ch 2009, Res. Nat Ch. 2008, #4 All Stars WCP

Grey, Shetland Stallion, Congress Grand Ch senior Foundation Stallion, HOF, now working on CP HOF

1 A size mare in training and many more prospects

 

[MBennettp]

One pony harness, one pony cart, one full size antique surrey, one full size antique buggy. None are driving currently but the shetland is ready to hitch, all ground work done.

 

[Performancemini]

We have 6 horses; 5 of which drive/drove (one's retired due to stifle/back problem and one's started).

We have: 2 easy entry carts

1 wooden wheel meadowbrook-type cart

1 Jerald show cart

1 rubber tire hitch wagon (with 1 team set-up and 1 set of shafts)

1 wood wheel "Queen Elizabeth" carriage

2 chariot (with 1 team set-up and 2 sets of shafts)

and 2 sets of Western mini saddle/bridles

then: 3 sets of single Harness; 1 "A" extra nice show harness; set of team harness and collars.

There's gotta be more odds and ends than is worth listing. Like my husband says: 'We have more in equipment then we do in the price of the horses!'