Cart modification question

[whitney]

I have an easy entry with metal shafts. I was wondering if I would be able to have the shafts shortened and bent in a hook like Minihgals "PURPLE" cart. Would it make the cart safer? Or would I TOTALLY mess up the balance of the cart?

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Several people up here have done it and say it hasn't caused any problems. Simply lopping off the end of the shaft might affect the balance but curving the front down and back into a hook or loop at the tug area shouldn't change much. You'd have the same amount of metal up there, just in a different shape! Does your seat slide for balance? If so you can always readjust the balance to compensate.

Leia

 

[Al B]

You would have the same amount of metal up there but by bending it you will make it shorter thus change the moment of leverage and move the center of gravity back toward the seat. To compenste for this shift I would lay off the second donut.

 

[whitney]

You would have the same amount of metal up there but by bending it you will make it shorter thus change the moment of leverage and move the center of gravity back toward the seat. To compenste for this shift I would lay off the second donut.

Is there a way to test it before I hack it off. Could I test it by moving the shafts back? Instead of point of shoulder like 3" from tug?

Al I was just going to hack off my excess too

 

[Al B]

I would do the bending first. I doubt that you will have to cut off any excess. I don't remember if she just had the bent shafts or the marathon shafts but the actual bending might be fairly difficult.

 

[MiniHGal]

Hi Whitney,

I love having the shortened shafts...what we did was a local welder bent the shafts (I believe she did this first) to where I wanted them, then cut off the excess and welded a 'ball' on the end to cap it. We had previously experimented with closed shaft loops and other ideas, but at the time it didn't work out. We also squished the shafts in. So you may need to pull the shafts inward to make them 'fit like a glove' on your horse (obviously wider if you will be using on multiple horses).

I don't think you could just bend them down and not have to cut off the excess. That's a good, what, 7 inches at least to just in front of the saddle from the point of the shoulder?

What I've found (and now have had two carts that have this done to them) is that really it doesn't make a whole lot of difference to the balance. The purple roadster has always been exceptionally well balanced, and lopping off the front of the shafts made little difference (Leia, this is one of the few carts I can have the wrap straps loose on and it truly floats, no vibration...a dream to drive on FLAT ground). Same with the other.

If your cart sits a _little_ heavy in the shaft loops, then shortening the shafts would probably make it perfect.

Here are some shots of my purple cart:

Inside shaft

Outside shaft

As you can see, it fits fairly snugly, but with room for the harness to easily slide.

Hope that helped your decision in some way.

 

[Doobie]

Question about this ....

Do you have to use a special harness to use the shorter shafts?

MiniHGal, your harness looks like it has a collar ? or am I mistaken??

And just what type of harness is it! (cause it looks very comfortable for your horse!!)

 

[whitney]

THANK YOU EVERYONE!

My arena is 60' x 120' made up of the large horse round pen panels. I've been DEATHLY affaid if something happened that the horse could get "CAUGHT" on those panels. It could easily have happened when I started Tweet (long story too embarrassing to write about). Minihgal with your shaft configuration it would significantly reduce that possibility. THANKS AGAIN!!!!

 

[Margo_C-T]

After reading all of the responses, and seeing the latest pics of MiniHGal's purple cart, it occurred to me to mention--most of the metal shaft EE carts I've seen have a somewhat lightweight metal 'tubing' used for the shafts(if they didn't, they'd be a LOT heavier; a couple of homemade/Frontier 'knockoff' carts I've encounter were JUST that--MONDO heavy and unwieldy!)

That said, that 'lightweight' stuff *might* be very challenging to bend, especially if you want it 'seriously' bent back, as in Breanna's cart. I would urge you to do as she did, take it to a knowledgeable welder, let them bend first, cut off any resulting excess AFTER!

Also, though I don't have a physics background--unless you change the point where the shafts are positioned in the tug loops (essentially, the length of your traces), I don't see where it would change the balance point much if any! It appears to me that all you are doing is changing the configuration of what 'projects' in front of the tug loops--yes, redistributing the weight of that projecting amount, perhaps, esp. if you end up cutting some of it off, but I don't see it making much of a difference, at least, if you have an adjustable seat.

Margo

 

[MiniHGal]

Well, Whitney, I'm glad to be of help. And actually, I have done what you mention...not a pretty picture, and fairly easy to do depending on the shaft style (esp with a big horse...)

Doobie, nope, unless you get closed loops on the end of your shafts, pretty much all harnesses should be able to work on the cart (some better than others). My mare is indeed in a 'collar'...its a "California Soft Collar", made by Lois Anderson of Tanglewood Farms. I don't know if she is even making them really anymore...In any case, she make the collar and the bridle and reins, the saddle and breeching are plain ol' Mini Express harness. And it (the soft collar) IS very comfy for the horse.

Margo, you bring up some good points...I'm not sure I'd want to bend that lightweight tubing! I guess I would have to ask the person that would be doing it if that would be safe enough.

 

[whitney]

Thanks Margo for the heads up. I do believe they are hollow.

I think I will have some "custom" shafts made by our local welder.

THANKS AGAIN to all that responded.