Thunder Cycle

[Willow Flats]

Kelly, that's awesome!!!!! Tell your husband how impressed we all are with what he has made, and treat him like a king! He is a keeper for sure.

 

[Dragon Hill]

You and your ponies are going to have so much fun! What a wonderful talented generous hubby you have.

 

[HersheyMint]

Your smile says it all. Nice job hubby.

 

[Kelly]

Critique my set up you guys… have any pointers for me?? See anything that I need to adjust??

Here is a silly video of the first time I drove Stormy in my new bike….

 

[Cayuse]

You need a cup holder for your beverage of choice.

 

[Capriole]

WOW! That is impressive!! Your husband has skills, that really looks professional!

How did your husband like making it? Maybe enough to start his own business making them .
(Seriously....I'll place an order now )

 

[Kelly]

Yes! I need a cup holder AND a whip holder.

I told hubby he could probably make some of these bikes and sell them, but he has already moved on to making a car, a BMW 507, from scratch!! he can’t sit still!!

 

[betwys1]

Dumb question. Your cart is provided with a swingletree or singletree. It looks like the rig would work quite well without it. Does it?

 

[Kelly]

Yes, it does have a singletree, it is under the seat. I think you’ll be able to see it better in this photo…

 

[HersheyMint]

I can see after watching your video, how it is as close as you will be to riding Stormy. You are tailgating!!

 

[MindySchroder]

That's awesome Kelly! Whoot whoot for hubby!! I hope you and your ponies have many wonderful drives with it

Your hubby did an AMAZING job!

 

[ServiceMini]

I am LOVING this cart!! Makes me so excited for when Sodapop is old enough to start learning how to drive Had to share the video with my partner; he loves it too!

 

[MaryFlora]

Absolutely wonderful....like Disneyland wonderful! As HersheyMint says, your smile says it all! I bet hubby was pretty tickled also...well done for sure!

I do have two small critiques.....that’s not my pony and I’m not in the driver’s seat!

 

[betwys1]

Yes, it does have a singletree, it is under the seat. I think you’ll be able to see it better in this photo…
View attachment 45214

It finally dawned on me: if the traces are fixed to the cart, it will swing side to side as the horse pulls first with one shoulder then the other. The pivot of the swingle-tree in the middle keeps the cart pointed in the desired direction.

 

[MindySchroder]

It finally dawned on me: if the traces are fixed to the cart, it will swing side to side as the horse pulls first with one shoulder then the other. The pivot of the swingle-tree in the middle keeps the cart pointed in the desired direction.

a single tree is super important. Without one the pony will become very sore and bruised in the shoulders. No matter the vehicle or the weight of the vehicle.

 

[MindySchroder]

Critique my set up you guys… have any pointers for me?? See anything that I need to adjust??

Here is a silly video of the first time I drove Stormy in my new bike….

I would love to see you trot with this! That is when the balance is really tested personally I would want to have less weight in the shaft loops. Your pony is the ultimate decision maker for that. Zorro prefers a floating shaft and lets me know that by being more willing to go forward if the shafts are floating, versus being reluctant and less immediate when I ask for gait changes if I have weight in the shaft loops.

Looks great and you look so happy!!

 

[betwys1]

a single tree is super important. Without one the pony will become very sore and bruised in the shoulders. No matter the vehicle or the weight of the vehicle.

Here is an irish pony cart - as you can see, there appears to be no swingle-tree.

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

Here is an irish pony cart - as you can see, there appears to be no swingle-tree.
View attachment 45247

Go Pony! Gooooooo!! That looks like a racing set-up. Is it?

 

[Kelly]

I would love to see you trot with this! That is when the balance is really tested personally I would want to have less weight in the shaft loops. Your pony is the ultimate decision maker for that. Zorro prefers a floating shaft and lets me know that by being more willing to go forward if the shafts are floating, versus being reluctant and less immediate when I ask for gait changes if I have weight in the shaft loops.

Looks great and you look so happy!!

Thanks for the feedback Mindy!! I’ll try scooting the seat back another notch and see if that helps. I’ll try to get a video of us trotting.



Hubby is painting my bike today. Here it is in DP50LF Epoxy Primer.




Base coat is 2010 Ford Kona Blue:





Clear coat:

 

[Abby P]

So I think the thing with those racing-style carts is that the horse pulls them off the shafts. So the breast collar isn't really coming down across the shoulder points like in a normal harness - you can see the pony's shoulders are free, the breast collar just keeps the surcingle/saddle part from sliding back. There are no traces either! Just the shafts. I doubt this would be a good setup for longer drives.

Kelly, your cart looks awesome! I'm so impressed.