[drivingpairs] Two wheelers and pairs (was Poles)

 >I have 2 small minis (31") and
> they just pull a cart (easy entry) with the traditional pole. But I've
> noticed that they are uncomforatble with the weight of the pole hanging on
> their necks. We just do parades and demos - nothing competative - but if we
> did, I can see I need to do more research before buying a carriage. Thanks
> again for taking the time to explain the differences in the poles. 
You are very welcome. I know that we all often need to make due with what we 
have and what is within our means, and I too have driven a pair (close to 15 
hand Arab mares) with a pole cart over 20 years ago, but it's really not good, 
and especially not with an easy entry cart, as with those even more the weight 
of it hangs on the necks of the poor minis, and so you noticed!  Most easy 
entry carts that I have seens are even less well balanced than many other two 
wheelers, since the step up and room for it in front of the axle adds more 
weight there in front of the axle. So most of them are really very front heavy. 
But 
for all two wheelers a well balanced cart is one of the priorities, even for 
a single horse! And a single horse carries the weight of the shafts on his 
back via his saddle. Two wheelers for single horses require WIDE saddles for 
exactly that reason, even with carrying the weight on the back!  There were 
some 
traditional two wheelers made for pairs in the old days to also carry that 
weight on their backs. Two types come to mind: The Cape Carts or Curricles with 
a 
curricle bar (like a big yoke) going over their backs and holding the weight 
of the pole. But those  were very special set-up, and we don't see them used 
these days anymore, other than in old pictures, or perhaps by somebody doing a 
demonstration on unusual turnouts. So I am pretty sure, you don't use such a 
curricle bar over their backs, so in your case, all that weight hangs on their 
necks, and that's really not good, as you also noticed. In that respect it 
really doesn't matter that you don't do competitions, but "only" parades or 
demos. 
To your horses it's the same, and there is a good reason too, that in CDE 
competitions, two wheelers are not allowed for pairs. And it's also something 
else if a draft horse pair with a fore cart carries the pole weight on their 
necks, they are a lot stronger and bigger and usually have the proper harness 
with 
wide collars for that too, but for a pair of minis, I don't think it's a good 
situation.  So at the very least try to get your cart balanced enough so that 
as little weight as possible hangs on their necks. Perhaps you can move your 
seat back accordingly. But then again, don't overdo it either, as we can't 
risk the cart to flip over backwards either with the pole coming up and the 
yoke 
hitting the horses underneath the necks. So we see, a two wheeler really is 
not good for a pair. Yes, I can see that it's an inexpensive solution to start 
some pair driving (and have done so myself, but we had a very well balanced 
pole cart), but other than with draft horses and fore carts, let's try to get a 
four wheeler if at all possible (I did too after seeing the problems with the 
two wheeler :-).
Hardy   


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