12.09.07

4-Wheel Carriage for Single or Pair Driving

Posted in Horses for the horse crazy at 3:35 pm by petArtist Cmoses

We’ve gone and bought a 4-wheel horse carriage!! Hubby has long wanted one– now with Gilford driving nicely and young Glendale doing so well learning to drive, an opportunity came up for a used one so we took the plunge! This is Gilford’s first hitch to a 4-wheeler.

Our visiting friend Kim helps us with hitching and fitting young Gilford.

After adjusting and checking harness, Gilford and I are ready to roll! On this day it looks like we should have a sleigh!

This 4-wheeler is called an Eagle. It is a multi-purpose, lightweight, convertible design, which can be adapted as a show vehicle or a competition vehicle, for a single horse or a pair. (Yes there are driving competitions, called CDEs or Combined Driving Events! Competition driving can be done with single horse, pair horses side-by-side or in tandem, three horses usually in a unicorn hitch, or four horses in-hand!)

We made only three short excursions out and back on this break-in drive. On the first trip Hubby headed up Gil and held his lead line while I drove, with no passengers.

Gilford trotting put to the Eagle 4-wheel carriage. Me driving, Kim and Morgan passengers. You may notice Gilford’s trot rhythm is a bit uneven and short strided as he feels his way through the dusting of snow on the pavement.

This used one, pretty as it is, is set up for competition use– note handles and step on rear where the Navigator holds on, who counter-balances the cart in competition while they are galloping around sharp turns doing cross-country hazards (an obstacle course!!!) by leaning his body weight out to the side. The driver is called the Whip. The facing rear seats, called wagonette seating, can carry 2 passengers on a pleasure ride (making it a 4-person vehicle).

My Hubby ready to take his turn, with Kim’s Hubby Jack aboard. The driver, or Whip, sits on the right; I assume because it is better vantage point to keep from running your wheels off the edge of the road…


Hubby and Jack head out with Kim and Jack’s daughter Morgan in the Navigator seat.

Video of Hubby walking out, passengers Jack in front and Morgan in rear, Kim walking behind.


Hubby trotting Gilford back uphill. Good load for a single horse, lucky for us Gil is big and strong (thanks to the Percheron blood!)

Gilford handled this new experience very well. We could tell he was aware of the extra weight and he accepted it well and was not at all nervous. He had to work a little harder, especially uphill. Going downhill, Hubby and I both were learning to use the Eagle’s foot brake (a Meadowbrook does not have a brake). We were higher above the horse and looking down, affording a better view of the horse. We will have to gain practice with the wider turning radius, and backing up a 4-wheeler is much more challenging.

The ride itself was spectacular; with this design, 4 wheels and 3 springs, the ride is smooth and no bouncing at all. (In a Meadowbrook cart you are essentially sitting on the shafts, and bounce with every stride of the horse as well as with uneven ground.)

The Eagle’s most desirable feature for us is that its shafts remove with pins and can be replaced with a pole setup for a pair hitch! Also, Hubby would like a forward-facing rear seat, and on this Eagle the wagonette seats/Navigator’s step is removable as a unit, and can be replaced with a rear double bench seat facing forward. So he has the option of dressing it up that way for pleasure drives and picnics someday.

Catch the scenery down the hill! Our favorite Lake Winnipesaukee, with White Mountains and the Ossipees behind.

Our good friend Kim who has Abby now is planning to get into competition driving with HER Hubby Jack! She already has a 4-wheel marathon cart– Jack is to be the Navigator! Will keep you posted on our progress, as we learn more about this and eventually as we prepare both our boys to drive as a team! Any advice is appreciated!! Stay tuned!

Related stories:
Combined Driving Event 4-in-hand
carriage driving posts

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