# Looking at starting to drive?



## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

Anyone?


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## jimmy (Aug 26, 2009)

I think for a person who has ent drove before the 1st cart would be the one to go for,they are called an exercise cart over here,and are very easy to jump on or off ,I would ent be a lover of the wheels on it,they look like bicycle wheels,but the cart itself looks ok, what would five hundred dollars work out at in sterling,about £350, it's pricey enough


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

The easy entry cart looks small. What size horse do you have?

I would prefer a solid wheel, because the pneumatics require CONSTANT vigilance.

The easy entry is going to sit you low behind the horse, so you are looking at its rear, and have to lean over to see around.

The metal shafts bend quite easily.

The metal carts do not hold as much value.

Now for the wooden road cart...

Quite hard to enter/exit.

A bit heavier to move around, load up. 

Needs care of the wood.

Best to have a stand to hold the shafts up, so the tips do not get damaged.

Good luck making a decision!

Nancy


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

This is my EDIT:

PLEASE...do not put the cart before the horse....get the horse TRAINED first. Driving a trained horse looks deceptively easy. Safe driving horses take time and skill to train. Some dead-head horses do NOT take to it. Check out Lilley's thread, or the lady who WAS training the pony to drive(sorry, I cannot remember her name...). 

Nancy


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I also think you need to start your horse training before getting your cart. If your horse doesn't take to driving, you have wasted a lot of money on a cart. It was Lilly that was well in to driving her horse when something happened. Still trying to find out what, for a learning reason. 
There is a lot of training that comes before the cart purchase.

Some driving clubs in your area:
Arizona

Arizona Driving & Carriage Society
25375 N Feather Mtn. Rd.
Paulden, AZ 86334
United States
Phone: (928) 636-4228
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: ADCS Home
Primary Contact: Mary Jane Atonna

Grass Ridge Equestrian Foundation Inc.
PO Box 141
Sonoita, AZ 85637
United States
Phone: (520) 455-5093
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: Grass Ridge Equestrian Foundation
Primary Contact: Leonard Anderson


It is best to find a trainer or a mentor to help you. Put an ad on craig's list to see if there is another driver around.
Don't use a check rein, and stay away from a trainer and/or mentor that insists on one.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Another thought on a check rein:

Sometimes they can be used as a training aid, such as in the beginning of training a horse that is a confirmed grass eater. While you could use a check rein for training to keep the horse from putting his head down to the ground, never use a check to keep the horses head up.

I hope I have made the difference clear.


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## Maartje1990 (Dec 30, 2013)

Make sure you get your horse trained by a proffesional and take some lessons yourself. 

And the cart, I can't see the second one, but I wouldn't go for the first one. The tires are more for a bike and aren't very strong, will bent very easily and you don't want that for your horse. 

A good cart will be a bit more expensive but a lot safer too.


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