The right size cart

[earthchild]

My husband and I are looking for a cart for our mini, but we are not sure how to tell if it is the right size. What measurements do we need to take of our little guy and the cart to see if they fit properly? We're worried about the shafts being too long, too short, too low, etc. Thank you.

 

[susanne]

When I purchased my easy entry cart from CTM, they asked these questions. Most simply sell A- or B-sized carts, but these will help you get proper length and width of shafts as well:

What is the height of your mini?

What is his length, chest to tail?

What is his width (widest point).

Is he a big mover when trotting?

They recommended that I add a lift kit, since Mingus is a big boy (B+, hehe). This gives us a truly well-balanced cart.

 

[Minimor]

What height is your horse, and what does he measure from point of shoulder to back edge of his back end?

Most people will tell you that you need 10-12" between your horse and the cart basket--I personally like a little more than that.

My EE training cart has 54" shafts and 20" wheels. I use it on horses 34-38" tall and it does give them plenty of room in the shafts. I am planning to get 24" wheels for it as bigger wheels will make it pull/ride just that little bit better. I know people do drive their B horses in 48" shafts with this same cart but I personally don't like the way those turnouts look; my opinion is the horse simply doesn't have enough room and I suspect that in some cases if the horse were moved out at a long trot or a free striding walk (both of which I encourage when I drive) his heels would hit the basket.

If your horse is smaller, under 34", then you will very likely do well with 48" shafts and 20" wheels; if he's extremely small then you may want to look at something smaller--there are places that sell smaller carts for the tiny Minis.