Smart Cart Question on fitting to Lance

[New mini]

I have my Smart Cart and really love it. I have been trying to get it fit to Lance but have some questions. The Smart cart has the bent shafts. I see some pictures with the bend right at the tugs. I was taught that the shaft should come half way to the front of his shoulder. Which is correct? Also in the attached picture I believe that I need to shorten the shafts. The old cart had 46 in. shafts so I set the new shafts to 46 inches. I really think that Lance needs to be closser to the cart. The last question I think I need to take the tugs up a little bit. I think everything is riding to low and Lance's side. Any help would be appreciated as I have never fit a cart to a mini before.

 

[Minimor]

First thing--unless they have started making the shafts longer than when we got our carts--you may not have enough overlap on the shafts where the front part joins the back part--my shafts on their longest are only 44". you need to have plenty of overlap there to make them solid and safe. If I made mine 46" long they would not be safe to use. But, it is possible that they make their shafts longer now. I assume yu got the standard shafts, and not the extra length ones that they offer for bigger ponies? I'd have to look at mine again--I know I asked how much overlap there should be (minimum) and I want to say the answer was 4". In any case--44" should be plenty long for your horse, maybe even 43". And yes, I agree, the tugs should be raised--everything does look a bit too low.

 

[happy appy]

Can you psot more pictures of the setup? It looks like the shafts are very wide and then turn sharply into the horse. I think I see where you can shorten the shafts by the color change on the sides of them. I think the britchen is a little tight across his rump. I agree that the tugs should be raised a little. I think there is a check in place and that you might want to loosen a little.

 

[New mini]

I have shorten the shafts 3 inches and it seems that everything on the shafts has fallen into place. The breeching may have seem tight but now I can get 2 fingers between him and the breeching strap. There is a check but that has been the same since I bought him and it is not really tight. I think the pictures on the check is not really what it seems. I am letting his mane grow in and that throws the picture off. It seems that when I shortened the shafts that they fell just a little low on his shoulder. The way the shafts are they had to turn a little to get the width that Lance requires. The are not tight on his sides.as we have the same width that he requires. Thanks for mentioing all this as I need to be checking for all these things and feel good that I have checked them all. I do not have the last picture that we took as I was driving to check everything out. It is on my husband's phone..

 

[hobbyhorse23]

One thing to be wary of with a heavier cart like this is the stretch it can create in your light leather traces. You may find that a cart which fits perfectly when standing still is suddenly too far back when he's pulling because the leather stretches and digs into the horse's shoulders as he moves. I saw a Smart Cart's shafts fall out of the tugs once, it ended up so far back!

It really is best to get a heavier breastcollar for a rig like this to distribute the weight more comfortably and keep your traces strong and sound. He also needs to be able to get his head down a bit farther to deal with the greater weight compared to a regular EE or show cart.

Leia

 

[New mini]

Thanks for that information. I will check into a new breast collar. I have been watching where the shafts are after every drive and so far they seem to be staying where I tie them down. I really do not think Lance's head is that high as I drive. My husband took the picture when I was just stopping and having a slight problem with the whoa and stand. I will have someone check that out the next time I drive and will take the check off if I have too. Sice I just got the cart I am trying to check everything as we drive and then stop and make adjustments if I have to. thanks to all for all the help and suggestions.