What our customers are saying...

We get enquiries from people all over North America, most of whom have never seen or test driven a Tidaholm.  They are often hesitant about investing in a carriage, sight unseen -- but they do.  Some find us via the website, others have heard about them from friends or have seen our ads in driving publications.  Others have taken their time to check things out and visited people who own them or saw one being driven at a competition.  There are only about 2 dozen in NA total, so far --but the reputation is growing by leaps and bounds.  This is your Volvo which delivers Mercedes performance, at a mid-range price.  Our customers range from beginners to top competitors, like Sterling Graburn, NA FEI Challenge winner in 2004 and 2005.  Without exception, they all love the carriage  .. its stability, safety, speed and silence.  We can put you in touch with some of them, who have offered to give testimonials and you can ask for their 'real' views.  In the meantime, here's some of the feedback we've received since we sold our first carriage in December, 2003.  

 
" (At) Indiana we were 6th out of 12. I had a problem in the first obstacle. Navigator error.  Carriage is fantastic. We maneuvered easily through very difficult obstacles. It is great.  The carriage is light that is true. However it is also very agile in as much as on several occasions when we took very sharp corners my navigator could easily lift the carriage with a jump. As well we cantered through most of the obstacles and once we had the feel for the carriage I was not fearful of balance and my navigator could easily keep it upright in the sharp turns. When I first commented that I felt the carriage was low I would now modify this by saying it sticks to the ground in the turns . Stability and narrow misses were definitely the order of the day. In the last obstacle I had to pivot around a post twice and the second time I knew I was short and was ready for a severe blow. Steve was able to gently lift the carriage in the air with a jump and set it down without any leaning or waiver even though we were turning when he lifted it. Amazing. "   Dwayne Wanner,Ontario, 2004
 
 
" Hi:  I am ready to get in line to give a testimonial.  We hooked up yesterday. Still have to cut off the shafts, but wanted to drive not just measure.  We mananged to find long enough traces and drove.  It was GREAT!!  While I was only driving in an arena, I was very pleased with how the carriage handled and rode.  It was a lovely day here and there were several others around to observe and to ooo-and-ahhh.  Everyone was impressed with the carriage.I can't wait to shorten the shafts and drive in the pasture, etc. You can assure your future customers in the US that I had no trouble at the border with the information you provided ... The owner of the Lessing was impressed with my Tidaholm."      
 
And after Metamora, his first first CDE driving his new CD 207 ..
 
"Your "Home Boys" were all there and had a great time.  All that was missing was our "Den Mother".  Dwayne and Peter were both great fellows.  Do you screen your customers to be certain they will be good representatives?  It was terribly hot.  Both of the Canadians placed well.  The carriage worked wonderfully. This was my horse's second CDE and first outing this year so I went Training and conservatively in the hazards to not overface him.  He did pretty well--except for dressage.  That was the all time worst.  I would like to attribute some of his disobediance to the heat and humidity but I don't know.  On the other hand the cones went very well.  As Peter says, if the front wheels go through so do the rear ones.  The carriage was great on the marathon as well.    Chuck Kranz, Wisconsin (CD 207)
 
 
" I finally got my new carriage picked up from eastern Iowa on Tues .. I have only driven it twice with my own horse, but someone would have to pry it out of my cold dead hands at this point.  LOL. It is the easiest carriage I have ever had to get in and out of  (I have had a Bellcrown, ECC and most recently a Kuhnle).  It is verified to weigh 357, including the pads on the single tree and groomstand, which considering they claim 353 is darn accurate.  It is silent to drive and much smoother than my Kuhnle.  Haven't driven a hazard yet, but it appears to be very stable.  It is the carriage driven by the two drivers that have won the world singles on the marathon, so it should be well tested there .. If you have a chance to see one or drive one, you should give one a whirl. "     Marjean McIntyre, Nebraska  (X-treme)  (and new owner of Camptown Harness as of Feb 2006)

 
" Well we are back from Vermont, totally exhausted but pretty happy - we finished fourth overall, we had a terrible dressage class - Beau got his tongue over the bit and did some interesting things during the halts and reinbacks however we did stay on pattern and did not get eliminated - in  Cones we had the fastest time however we knocked one ball ending up with  three faults and a second place tie - in the marathon despite the heat (35degrees C + humidity) we tied for first place moving us up to 4th.  Overall - not too shabby for our first time.

The Extreme was marvelous in the marathon - it was quick and stable and  tracked amazingly well through the gates where because of our inexperience  we had to make some pretty sharp turns etc  ..  I did not know until after the event that I could have used it in Dressage and cones as well - it would have helped in both events because my pony is much more relaxed pulling it than the 2 wheeled road cart and the Extreme would have been much faster for me in Cones because of it's superior turning ability - for the next event I will leave the road cart home and  just take the marathon vehicle. 
 
I am a very happy and satisfied customer and would gladly recommend this vehicle to anyone. The marathon in Vermont was pretty tough with 8 river  crossings and five obstacles, three of which were very very hard - also there was once section in E with a straight up hill that the pony had to  nearly crawl up and once on top there was a very sharp turn to the left  and then straight down again....the wheels of the cart never even lifted from the ground - I actually felt like the man from Snowy River going down  the bank - the stability of the Extreme sure gave us a lot of confidence for it's use in the future.  Thanks so much. "     
Bruce Collins, Nova Scotia  (Xtreme)
Afer his first time out with his new Tidaholm Xtreme at the 2005 Winchester CDE, where he won Intermediate Singles, Sterling Graburn, commented ..
 
We were trying out my new  marathon carriage before the Laurels at Landhope CAI-B. I've had some issues with Q not wanting to pay attention to me in the hazards so we did sacrifice speed for style a couple of times but the new Tidaholm (marathon carriage) was awesome and we just kept getting faster. 
 
Sterling's partner Wendy Ying was so pleased with Sterling's carriage that she took it over and he bought another which was delivered in January 2006 and which he promptly crashed at Black Prong. 
After his first time out with his new Tidaholm Xtreme at the 2005 Winchester CDE, where he won Intermediate Singles, winner of the NA FEI Challenge in 2004 and 2005, Sterling Graburn, commented raburn commented  ..
 
We were trying out my new  marathon carriage before the Laurels at Landhope CAI-B. I've had some issues with Q not wanting to pay attention to me in the hazards so we did sacrifice speed for style a couple of times but the new Tidaholm (marathon carriage) was awesome and we just kept getting faster. 
 
Sterling's partner Wendy Ying was so pleased with Sterling's carriage that she took it over and he bought another which was delivered in January 2006 and which he promptly crashed at Black Prong. 
 
" Tis true, D gate in the first hazard, missed the turn a little, cut back into it at an unplanned angle, spun off the post too hard, (untrained navigator didn't know to move us off it) and over we went. Not the carriages fault at all. Wendy won four of the six hazards, second in one (took the safe routes) and fourth in one (tried two button hooks, neither worked). We both still love our carriages. .... Wendy also says we are going to start saving up for a  pony pair 207.  I'm saving up for a training cart, but not until I get this one paid and repaired! I have been training with my Kuhnle, and boy do I rather drive the Extreme! "  
Sterling Graburn  (Xtreme)
 
" My 207. I really like it. I competed last year in Prelim Single horse. I drive a big 16.2 Hannoverian mare.  The vehicle is extremely stable but yet very responsive and quick. Once I have the front part of the front wheel clear of the post on a turn, I don't have to worry about the back. The vehicle is light and easily maneuvered but not tippy. The cant of the back wheels as well as the 45' bevel on the wheel rubber provides good stability. The 207 is my only 4 wheel vehicle so I use it for everything. I do have a 2 wheel cart for some training. It is dressy enough for dressage and very acceptable for presentation. The performance is excellent. .. I have suggested that the pin stripping be done in paint instead of the tape which mine has. It has been washed so often that the water spray tends to lift the tape. It is easily replaced and they did give me extra tape for such situations but it is just getting to do it. The paint also has been chipped by striking posts in the hazards. So really this is a compromise. .. The favorite feature is the torsion suspension in the front end. This is very functional but also, it allows me to hitch the horse closer to the vehicle without interference. If you have leaf suspension then the horse has to be hitched longer in order to avoid striking the front springs. All of this adds up to a shorter length to navigate turns in the hazards, thereby a quicker time in the hazard.  I really do not have a feature which I would wish changed -- The makers of the vehicle as well as Cheryl  have been very helpful with any questions which I have had. "    Peter Trainor, Listowel Ontario  (CD 207)
 
" Still very happy with the carriage.  A friend drove it the other day and was RAVING about the smooth ride!!  ... We are not anywhere near the class of some of these other Tidaholm drivers, but we are having fun with horse and carriage and that of course is what it is all about!  "    Ann Moody, Lynne Jupp, Alberta  (CD 207)


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