pony cart transformation

[deschutes dawn]

Hi all and especially you Nanno!  I just got hold of a pony cart that needs some TLC for $100!  I'm going to switch it to a goat cart.  Has anyone done this before?  Any suggestions and ideas are welcome.  I pick it up Tuesday morning and I'll try to get pictures posted.

[Sanhestar]

First of all, make sure it's light enough for the goats, rolls easy (try to pull it yourself).

[Nanno]

I'd love to see pictures! Is it a pony cart or a miniature horse cart? If it's for miniature horses it may not need modification at all. If it's for ponies, it will probably need the shafts shortened and narrowed and it may need smaller wheels so it sits lower to the ground. You want the shafts to sit level with the goat's point of shoulder, but it's ok if they tilt up slightly. What you don't want (and what often happens when people hitch an unmodified pony cart to a goat) is for the shafts to point downhill. This puts too much weight on the goat's back. Good luck! Have you got a harness?

[deschutes dawn]

No harness yet. I wanted to make sure it could be modified first. It must be smaller because the lady I am getting it from could load it by herself in the back of a Ranger pick up and it fit. I'm kinda' excited about it!

[Nanno]

If the cart is light enough for a woman to lift it into a truck by herself, then unless she's some kind of He-man muscle woman, it should easily be light enough for the average packgoat to pull.

[deschutes dawn]

Picked up the cart today. I was able to load it into my big truck fairly easily. It's a standard pony size, needs the seat redone, the metal needs sanded and repainted, the shafts are bent but need redone for goats anyway. I'm not in any hurry to get it done and archery hunting season isn't too far away. I'll take care of current priorities then go for the redo on the cart. Next will be finding the harness to be used.

[Dave-Trinity-Farms]

Maybe while Im down Ill take a look at it. If its just some easy bending I can bring my torches next visit. Heat em up and bend em.

[deschutes dawn]

Dave, you saw the cart.  I'm thinking I'll take you up on the rebending offer.  The one shaft could use a little tweaking.

[Dave-Trinity-Farms]

When I get my bow money, ill head down and put some work in on it

[deschutes dawn]

Thanks!