How can I tell if my cart is bent?

[MagicTheMini]

So after driving Magic yesterday he ran away with the cart still hooked. Just like after every drive I "command" him to stand while I close the gate. I can't hold the reins while I close the gate because they are not long enough. I should just untack him and then go back and close the gate, but I don't (I will from now on). Yesterday he decided to leave. He headed straight back for the corrals and tried to go through another gate. The gate post went between him and one of the shaves of the cart. I know the shaves are bent. Can they be bent back (by me) and have the cart still be safe and comfortable for him? It is a metal EE cart, so new shaves would be about $100. Should I just buy new shaves? How can I tell if the main "body" of the cart is bent? I was thinking I could take a level and check the dash and the axel. Thanks! L

P.S. Please don't tell me how much I messed up...I know it ended better then it could have...I will make sure it NEVER happens again. But feel free to tell me about times similar things happened to you.

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[ibquackers20]

Bought a horse from an owner who said trained to drive and I even saw her ground driving him and photos of him driving, but at my home and after freeking out at the sight of an harness and a leaf falling (no cart attached) I called my trainer and she says what I bought was a wreck. So now I have 3 to train instead of 2.

I bought him so the summer would not be a total loss and would at least get in some driving actually sitting in the cart. Now I do sit in the cart buy no horse is attached :no: :no:

I have a small enough area with nothing around, all fenced in so when it is time to drive I have the perfect area to hook one up and off we go, WHERE i HAVE A MUCH LARGER CORRAL ALL FENCED IN SO UNTIL my guy gets miles under his harness/cart we will have a safe place to drive.

I hope your guy is ok and maybe next time he will stay put , just like kids sometimes they do not listen.

 

[mountain_waif]

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[Reble]

Maybe someone who welds can help?

Yes, when we got into horses about 20 years ago, broke a horse to cutter, everyone said oh if he drives in a cutter no different in a buggy.

Hubby and I went out with the buggy and great drive, than all of a sudden a dip in the pasture a little hill, well the gelding thought something was coming after him and a way he went, I was younger than, so jumped off and said good luck be safe. as I am laughing. Sorry but if you know my hubby and I things do happen this way, full speed ahead back to the barn and gate was shut, oh my goodness steel gate and horse is not slowing down, while my husband yelling whoa whoa, whoa Reble, and at the last second turned and stopped dead, Glen ended up kissing the horses butt........ Sorry :risa_suelos: was funny.

No one hurt but yes the shaft snapped hit the corner of the gate.

Had to get a new shaft and did start ground work all over again but was an excellent driving horse and took Santa for many years after that into the Kitchener Mall on carpet right in doors, with kids and balloons and people all around. :aktion033:

You might just have to take a few steps back and take it slow. Good Luck

 

[HGFarm2]

:lol: :lol: I don't mean to laugh as I am glad that at least no one (2 or 4 legged) so far seems to have been physically hurt. I am new to driving so am sure that I will end up with something going on at some point. I have had plenty of big horse adventures that, yes, I can now look back on and laugh since thankfully I never suffered serious injury. However, now with something new with the minis I have some new adventures to look forward to I am sure!! This will be a fun thread! Can't wait to hear of folks adventures or misadventures in the cart. At least I will know then what I am up against!

I do hope your little guy isn't to traumatized and hope that your cart is easily fixed.

 

[MagicTheMini]

After I got him out of the gate I walked behind the cart and ground him around. We trotted too and he didn't seem fazed by it at all. I have been checking him a lot to make sure he isn't sore anywhere. So far I have gotten no reaction other then "Yes itch me there!!!"

He was really calm while I was untacking him. He really knows that he is not supposed to run away, so I don't know if he was in pain or if he felt sorry for being bad.

Today I am going to hitch him up and make sure he isn't worried. I had my dog tied to the cart too (she like to work with us) and I think she was the most traumatized.

I am looking forward to more successful cart accident stories. Keep 'em coming. L

 

[MiLo Minis]

This is my best one. Years ago my driving horse Willie and I took my Fresh Air Fund visitor, a little girl from New York city, for a drive in the country. When we returned Willie was standing while I unhitched him. Just as I reached to remove the last trace my little visitor suddenly screamed and flapped her hands in Willie's face. Now she could probably do the same thing without result but at that time Willie had only been driving for less than a year. He threw his head up and turned away so fast the cart went over and, still attached to him by one trace went dragging after him as he bolted through the barnyard. As he passed the apple tree the cart hung up on the trunk of the tree, the trace snapped and Willie ran straight into the barn and into his stall. I asked my wee friend what on earth got into her? She said a fly crawled into his eye!

It took some patient retraining but Willie came around and became probably the best horse ever, for me anyway!

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