Stupid harness. Stupid cart.

[maplegum]

I swear the 'powers to be' are trying to tell me that hooking Bailey up to harness is not going to happen.

1st of all I had all kinds of trouble finding a suitable harness. Finally found one small enough for the little tacker, after trying a few types.

Next the hunt for the cart. Friend sold me her cart. Get home all excited, try it on Bailey - far too big. He just looked lost in it.

Sold big cart, bought smaller cart. Fit's Bailey perfectly. Cart comes with a bonus synthetic harness. Go figure, now I have 2 harnesses!

So, hook the little guy up last night and the stupid cart and stupid harness just don't seem to sit correctly. Here's what is happening..

Stupid shafts keep creeping forward. End up sliding forward to his neck area.

Stupid breaching keeps slipping all over the place. Won't stay centred.

Stupid sway bar (not sure of its correct name. The steering bar on the stupid cart) doesn't seem to have the correct hook thingys to strap the traces to. The other cart had small shaped metal pieces that the trace slots connected to.

It all seems to be balanced ok but I must be doing something wrong.

I thought the harness and cart should all fit firmly and not slide around.

Now I'm advised that the cart I have bought is not safe and made out of weak steel. I thought everyone used these carts? The easy entry cart with the wire basket.

Aghhh, maybe I'm not meant to do this stupid cart thing.

 

[Katiean]

Does your cart have an eye bolt on the single tree (steering thing on the stupid cart). I have a cart like that. In fact, I have one of those cheep china carts. It is plenty strong enough. As for the eye bolt problem I went to the tack store and bought 2 bell straps (you know, for cows) and put them on the eye bolt and buckle the traces with the strap. There is always a fix for any problem. For the slipping forward, mine does that too!! I just had a steller thought!! Why not get a sheet metal screw with a big head and put it where you would place a shaft stop. Maybe? Anyway, I have 1 (China) EE cart with a metal single tree that rattles and clatters where ever we go. Then I have my show cart that is not a Jerald but it works and looks better than a metal cart like I have seen other economically challenged people use. Then I have a farm wagon that someone locally made. it is fun to drive (needs repair). Finally, I have my new easy entry cart that I got for a super deal along with a harness, But the cart has wood shafts and wood floor and an oak spars box under the seat. I got it so late last year I have not used it yet. Oh, I might mention that if your cart is one of those china made carts, my wheel bearings went out in less than 3 uses. We had a hard time getting home and we only drove on the road with it. The bearings I have now are for a printing press. I don't think they will ever give me a problem. I hope I helped. Most likely not.

 

[Peggy Porter]

Don't give up! Driving the little ones is a blast!! Do you have any photos so we can help you adjust your harness and cart combo?

Just a few thoughts based on your descriptions: Do you have a crupper on your harness? This should help keep the breeching in place. Are your holdback straps attached through footman's loops on your shafts? This should keep the shafts from sliding forward. Does your singletree (stupid sway bar VBG!!) taper to flat ends with two holes in each end? If so, slide the slot of your trace over the end between the two holes and use a leather shoelace to hold the trace on. Tie a knot in one end, run up through hole nearest the end from bottom to top, over the trace, down through the other hole. (This is hard to describe but easy to do. I will see if I have a photo of it.) I never had a trace slip off using this, but I do prefer the singletree with the metal ends. Most easy entry metal carts are good for starter carts. I used mine for several years before I bought up to a wooden cart (and then a custom competition cart, and then a carriage....it's really addicting!) Try googling "harnessing 101" for a good tutorial on harnessing and hitching.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Don't give up! With your photographic skills, I'm sure you can post some pictures and resolve everything.

 

[RhineStone]

Yes, I agree. Photos would help us help you!

I have put up a Cart and Harness Parts PDF on my website to help people learn the correct names. http://rhinestone-ridge.wikispaces.com/Car...d+Harness+Parts (I don't have anything for sale...) This might also help you determine if you have all the parts you need, like the crupper and footman's loops that Peggy mentioned. Granted, some harnesses are designed a little differently than others, so some parts that I have may not necessarily be the parts that you have.

Peggy is right about how to attach a trace to a sword-end singletree, but there may also be different "locking mechanisms" to make sure the trace doesn't fall off the wooden singletree in addition to the "shoelace" style. Does your cart have these Trace Holders? (Go to iowavalleycarriage.com then to the catalog, then to shaft hardware, and you have to scroll down and look for "Trace Holder".) (I didn't know if I could post the link or not...) They flip up and you put your trace on the wood and then flip the trace holder back down. I have seen people try to hook the trace on the trace holder hook itself, which doesn't work very well, is incorrect, and technically not safe, as the trace holder isn't designed to do that. The people I have seen put them on incorrectly just didn't know how they were supposed to go.

You're right, the harness should fit snugly, and not have too much play, and the cart should not be able to move too much back and forth. There should be a little room side to side.

Myrna

 

[maggiemae]

Newbie here --

Just wanted to encourage you, don't give up. I'm right behind you in that I have a horse and trainer, but not the harness or cart. Still shopping and yes it is frustrating trying to make sure they are right size, fit, and that the parts work together. Would be a lot simpler to find them sold together wouldn't it?

 

[RhineStone]

Still shopping and yes it is frustrating trying to make sure they are right size, fit, and that the parts work together. Would be a lot simpler to find them sold together wouldn't it?

I have a friend that does sell the cart and harness with the horse, especially to beginner drivers. It is nice that it all fits, as they know what they are doing, and can help the new driver along the way. Really, that is probably the best way to start new drivers, other than having them drive your finished horse for a while before they get their own.

The only concern that I would have is what if the cart that is sold is not what you want?

 

[jegray21]

Yes pictures please! I would love to see how you do it...I am frustrated with my little guy too...but he has such nice gaits I do not want to give up either! They were talking about your guy and how animated he is? or it this a different horse?

 

[Katiean]

I have a different type of singletree on my cheap China made Easy Entry cart. It is about 3" wide and about 1 1/2 inch thick. It has squair corners (like a peice of 2x4 but smaller. I can change it out. I just haven't. In the ends it has eye bolts. I have a nylon harness that the traces work well with this cart because it has loops on the ends of the traces to slip over the eye bolts. My leather harness has the slits so that is why I bought the bell straps (what they were taged as on the rack at the tack store). I just buckle them on. I have seen another cheaper cart that had a post at each end of the singletree and you had to slip the slit in your trace over the post. Why can't they all be the same?

 

[disneyhorse]

Sounds like you may not know how to fit your cart and harness very well, at least by the way you describe everything? When you are inexperienced at something complicated like driving, it may be best to find someone experienced to come out and help you. There may be easy fixes.

That way, you don't get frustrated and can hurry up and enjoy it!

Good luck,

Andrea

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Pictures, lovie! Show us the parts in question, closeups of how you have him attached and Big Picture photos of the whole hitched rig in as many different angles stopped and moving as you can. We can get you straightened out! Sometimes home-made or cheap easy entry carts don't come with the right parts so describing what you should be seeing may not do any good.

Show us what you've actually got.

Leia

 

[maplegum]

Ok. I'll get some pics tonight.

 

[MiLo Minis]

I have diagrams on the education pages of my website (which is below in my signature) of how to "tie" your wrap straps if you have them (they come off the overgirth and wrap around the shafts in front of and behind the tug which holds the shaft at the saddle) and your holdback straps that come off your breeching and wrap around the shaft and through the footman's loop (the little bracket under the shaft) to hold the cart back. It sounds like you may not have the holdback's "tied" on properly and that is what is allowing your shafts to slip so far forward. Looking forward to your photos.

 

[maplegum]

I have diagrams on the education pages of my website (which is below in my signature) of how to "tie" your wrap straps if you have them (they come off the overgirth and wrap around the shafts in front of and behind the tug which holds the shaft at the saddle) and your holdback straps that come off your breeching and wrap around the shaft and through the footman's loop (the little bracket under the shaft) to hold the cart back. It sounds like you may not have the holdback's "tied" on properly and that is what is allowing your shafts to slip so far forward. Looking forward to your photos.

Thank you Lori...!

I never did have the wrap straps tied like that. I just buckled them up under the saddle. I didn't know that they actually wrapped around the shafts! LOL. That would stop the shafts slipping forward!

I did have the holdback straps done correctly though, I believe. Through the footmans loop.

I might have to mix and match pieces from my 2 harnesses as the breaching across his rump seems 'sloppy' and shifts around lots as we move.