Carts - The Runabout and Gig from Barad Dur

The Runabout was the first cart I purchased on getting into SL ponyplay, and is still one of my favorites.

The cart allows one pony to pull it, and a number of passengers - definitely one for the stronger pony.

It looks great, and comes with color change scripts to allow customization.

To get the cart going, the pony has only to tap the "up" arrow key once.

There is no need to keep the key pressed to move; a useful feature on longer trips, but it does make tight turns a little tricky as the cart doesn't slow down.

Course corrections are easy enough at slow speeds, and you might find yourself frequently tapping up to speed up, then tapping down rapidly to enable negotiations of corners.

This keeps the pony alert and I rather enjoy this. Maneuverability is not its strongest feature, but it is a big heavy cart, so, this helps add to the realism.

There are more modern carts, but it still remains one of my favorites, and offers a great ride for multiple passengers. The maker has confirmed that she is looking at updating the scripts.

I would recommend at least a look at this wonderful cart to anyone.

The price has dropped since I bought mine, and it can now be bought for L$700 from Barad Dur.

The gig is the second cart from Barad Dur for me to write about, and it is another favorite. Available in a multitude of colors and at a reasonable price.

This cart, once rezzed, requires either pony or trainer to touch it to tell it to hitch to the pony.

Ponies beware : once hitched to the cart, you will not be able to unhitch without someone else to do that for you.

The cart is a follower, and so does not require the pony to sit on a poseball and it follows rather nicely, keeping a smooth travelling motion most of the time. SL lag permitting of course.

The cart offers a selection of riding heights for the passengers of the cart, and also offers great all round visibility for riders and ponies alike.

(Some carts actually fill most of the ponies view in 3rd person because of camera positions. This is not an issue with this cart.)

Because the cart is a "follower", maneuverability is not hampered in any way, allowing easy crossing of uneven surfaces as well as smoother terrain.

Looks great, and at a bargain price of L$300, definitely worth a closer look.