New cart lots of questions!

[jegray21]

Ok so I got the G & S cart put together and hooked up my mare today for our first drive.

but I just have so many questions and was not confident that she was very comfortable during her ride so I cut it short. First she seems to have a lot of room in the shafts. How much space should there be on either side of her between her and the shaft? The traces have the spring loaded clips that attach to the cart and they don't feel very strong. Is she supposed to have a lot of tension on the traces when going up hill? I was afraid they were going to pop off...

ok next I have to put the breeching metal loops that attach to the cart on myself and I am worried I am going to put them in the wrong place is there are rule of thumb for this?

I will take pics tomorrow for sure and post them. Other than that it is very pretty and seems well balanced. I just am not convinced I have her hooked up right. Our other cart was a little roadster cart and weighed nothing at all so I am sure I got away with not having everything totally perfect...

K thanks guys!

 

[RhineStone]

First she seems to have a lot of room in the shafts. How much space should there be on either side of her between her and the shaft?

Enough that she can move around a little bit, but not so much that the tugs are pulled away from her sides. Maybe about 3-4" on either side.

The traces have the spring loaded clips that attach to the cart and they don't feel very strong.

Huh?

I would be very skeptical of any "hardware" used to attach the traces to the cart.

Or do you mean something that looks like this?

If that is the case, you don't attach the trace to the trace holder. The trace holder just keeps the trace from slipping off the sword end singletree. You slip the slot in the traces over the wood, and the trace holder keeps them on. BTW, spring trace holders should be stored in the "down" position, or you will wear out the spring faster.

Is she supposed to have a lot of tension on the traces when going up hill? I was afraid they were going to pop off...

YES! IMO, the traces should almost never be slack. Maybe just a little bit slack when stopping or backing. Properly adjusted traces shouldn't just "pop off". The traces should be taut because that is what the horse is pulling the cart with, her chest. Any other way is uncomfortable for the horse.

ok next I have to put the breeching metal loops that attach to the cart on myself and I am worried I am going to put them in the wrong place is there are rule of thumb for this?

The best way is to put the breeching straps on the cart the way you would attach them and then figure out where to place the Footman's loops (or sometimes called "holdbacks"). The reason they don't put them on the cart is because some breeching straps are longer or shorter than others. I like to have at least two wraps around the shaft before I buckle the breeching strap back into itself. If you look at the photos on our website, you can see where we put the Footman's Loops in relation to the horse and harness. ( I need to take some good photos of how to adjust breeching straps.....)

Myrna

 

[jegray21]

BIG help..I was doing the traces wrong..poor girl boy do I feel stupid

I am so glad we stopped and I started asking questions..yikes

Good news is there is not more than 3-4inches between her and the shafts. Going to try again tomorrow and will take pics.

Thank you Myrna! I so wish you lived in Ga!

 

[RhineStone]

Actually, I had a student whose mother did put the pony to using the trace holders, so I thought that is what you might be doing, too. It isn't as uncommon a mistake as you might think.

Myrna

 

[Sue_C.]

Actually, I had a student whose mother did put the pony to using the trace holders, so I thought that is what you might be doing, too. It isn't as uncommon a mistake as you might think.Myrna

I know of someone who did that as well...it was a hard lesson, as the horse bolted when the traces broke away from the whipple tree, and she was pulled right out over it, and onto the ground...still holding the reins. She broke BOTH wrists.

:shocked

 

[susanne]

...She broke BOTH wrists.

:shocked

Okay...now I feel like a wimp for complaininf about ONE broken wrist!

 

[Knottymare]

:::::::::::::Knottymare runs in, sees thread, sweeps it under the rug so hubby won't see it... scampers out::::::::::::::::::::::::

Nothing to see her folks. Nothing to see.

OUCH!!!!

 

[Sue_C.]

Okay...now I feel like a wimp for complaininf about ONE broken wrist!

I know...I cannot imagine. I have had surgery on both my hands, but they were done several weeks apart...I cannot imagine having both done at the same time. she was sooo lucky...she moved right in with her best friend and her husband, as she was single and unable to "do" for herself, as you can imagine.