# Bouncing cart????



## Horseychick94

I drive my mini mare, Ruby and every time she goes out in her cart, especially while trotting, the cart bounces all over the place. We got the cart for free. It was used on a fjord but we got the shafts bent in to fit Ruby. Why is this happening?


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## CheyAut

You're using a horse sized cart on a mini???

Is it two wheel or four wheel?

If it's two wheel, this cart is NOT balanced for her and you should find a proper sized cart.

If it's four wheel, sure hope it's light enough for her!


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## churumbeque

Posting a picture would be helpfull. Does sound strang that you could uses a Fjord cart on a mini.
Terrain and the horses trotting will also cause bouncing. Too many unknown to give an educated answer


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## Horseychick94

CheyAut said:


> You're using a horse sized cart on a mini???
> 
> Is it two wheel or four wheel?
> 
> If it's two wheel, this cart is NOT balanced for her and you should find a proper sized cart.
> 
> If it's four wheel, sure hope it's light enough for her!


It is a 2 wheel


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## jimmy

it sounds like it is a home made cart with no suspension ,but your own weight, should stop it bouncing,but if you mean its a hard uncomfortable drive ,it does sound like a lack of suspension,[springs or shockers]


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## Horseychick94

Would it help if we moved the seat back so the cart is more balanced?


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## jimmy

try it ,all you can do is experiment until you get it right


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## Reiterin

My cart is really bouncy when I'm in it alone. Rides fine when I have more weight/a passenger in it. (not really what you want to do driving a mini, I'm just saying.. I know the feeling of a bouncy cart.)

I also think it's strange that you can fit a horse cart to a mini. Do you have pictures?


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## Horseychick94

Reiterin said:


> My cart is really bouncy when I'm in it alone. Rides fine when I have more weight/a passenger in it. (not really what you want to do driving a mini, I'm just saying.. I know the feeling of a bouncy cart.)
> 
> I also think it's strange that you can fit a horse cart to a mini. Do you have pictures?


It bounces when her back raises and I think there might be too much pressure on her back causing the cart to bounce. I dont have pics but I can prob. get some. All we did was bent the shafts in


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## themacpack

I would guess a lot of the problem you are having is due to the fact that the cart is not really fit for the horse you are using it on. Simply bending the shafts does not a mini-cart make.


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## Horseychick94

themacpack said:


> I would guess a lot of the problem you are having is due to the fact that the cart is not really fit for the horse you are using it on. Simply bending the shafts does not a mini-cart make.


Wasnt my idea lol. You think we can overhaul it to fit?


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## churumbeque

You tell if it is balanced by holding the shafts level and someone sits in it. It shouldn't be heavy on the shafts but balanced. When hooked to the mini the shafts should be level if not then you can tell if it is leaning down and putting too much pressure on pony then it is too big


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## Horseychick94

churumbeque said:


> You tell if it is balanced by holding the shafts level and someone sits in it. It shouldn't be heavy on the shafts but balanced. When hooked to the mini the shafts should be level if not then you can tell if it is leaning down and putting too much pressure on pony then it is too big


ok, thx!


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## Reiterin

Horseychick94 said:


> Wasnt my idea lol. You think we can overhaul it to fit?


depends on the cart, I think. sometimes you can put smaller wheels on a cart. but there is a lot of height difference between fjord and mini.


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## CheyAut

I repeat:



CheyAut said:


> If it's two wheel, this cart is NOT balanced for her and you should find a proper sized cart.


I own a Fjord who drives, and I own minis who drive (and a Fell, but that doesn't pertain to this). I would NEVER EVER use a cart that fits my Fjord on my minis, no matter what one could do to the shafts.


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## themacpack

Please read what CheyAut has said. She raises minis and drives them competitively - in short, she knows her stuff. As she has said, your cart is not designed for use with a mini. No amount of retrofitting is going to change that fact. Your horse is best served by using equipment that is meant for use with her.


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## themacpack

Horseychick94 said:


> Wasnt my idea lol. You think we can overhaul it to fit?


I understand it may not have been your idea, but it CAN be your idea to stop using equipment that isn't working.


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## whiskeynoo

what height is your mini? and how big is this cart? is there anyway you could maby post a picture of it.


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## Phaeton

Horseychick94 said:


> I drive my mini mare, Ruby and every time she goes out in her cart, especially while trotting, the cart bounces all over the place. We got the cart for free. It was used on a fjord but we got the shafts bent in to fit Ruby. Why is this happening?


 
You are going to get a bounce with all carts. Depending on the horse their action and how you are harnessed it's hard to say without a photo.Does the cart have springs? Shaft loops secured down could be one problem. Shafts to high or to low another.
With a four wheeled vehicle you don't get a bounce because the shafts connect to the axle and shafts are able to move up and down without carrying the bounce to the carriage.


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## Horseychick94

I will post pics sometime


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## Phaeton

churumbeque said:


> You tell if it is balanced by holding the shafts level and someone sits in it. It shouldn't be heavy on the shafts but balanced. When hooked to the mini the shafts should be level if not then you can tell if it is leaning down and putting too much pressure on pony then it is too big


 Shafts should be level or tips up a slightly. You should be able to lift the tips with one finger on each tip with someone in the cart. There should be a strap from the shaft loops that go under by the cinch and hold the loops down. This puts the weight on the cart not the horse.


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## Horseychick94

Here are some pics my mom took today! Opinions pls! My papa moved the seat back (the seat we didn't know was adjustable!!!!!) and it seemed a lot better  Please excuse my ugliness and fatness


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## Horseychick94

Bump! I posted pics!!!


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## churumbeque

check and make sure it is not too far back. In the 2nd pic it looks to be pulling up. Sit in it and have someone hold the shafts up, it should be pretty well balanced and not fall up or down very easily


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## Horseychick94

churumbeque said:


> check and make sure it is not too far back. In the 2nd pic it looks to be pulling up. Sit in it and have someone hold the shafts up, it should be pretty well balanced and not fall up or down very easily


Okay. What can I do about her lugging (head off to one side) which is what she is doing in the second pic? So the cart is fine for her and I should be able to continue using it?


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## Horseychick94

is she hitched properly? I made the mistake of threading the shaft loops through the tug stops LOL


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## churumbeque

Horseychick94 said:


> Okay. What can I do about her lugging (head off to one side) which is what she is doing in the second pic? So the cart is fine for her and I should be able to continue using it?


 It looks like you are pulling her that way?? But if you are trying to get her over and keep her head straight the whip is a good cue for her to learn to move to the side. So I would be gently pulling the right rein but if she moved too far right then gently tap her on the right side to keep her to the left.


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## churumbeque

Horseychick94 said:


> is she hitched properly? I made the mistake of threading the shaft loops through the tug stops LOL


I can't tell from the photos on where your breeching is hooked to so that may be in question


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## Horseychick94

churumbeque said:


> It looks like you are pulling her that way?? But if you are trying to get her over and keep her head straight the whip is a good cue for her to learn to move to the side. So I would be gently pulling the right rein but if she moved too far right then gently tap her on the right side to keep her to the left.


I actually wasn't pulling her that way, I always have to keep my reins taut because if I don't , she will run. There was a huge ditch there so I didn't want to pull my right rein :lol: I will try a whip but she is scared to death of them because she was abused


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## Horseychick94

churumbeque said:


> I can't tell from the photos on where your breeching is hooked to so that may be in question


There is a ring thingy on my shaft loop so I just hook it there or on my tug stops


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## churumbeque

Horseychick94 said:


> I actually wasn't pulling her that way, I always have to keep my reins taut because if I don't , she will run. There was a huge ditch there so I didn't want to pull my right rein :lol: I will try a whip but she is scared to death of them because she was abused


If your worried about the whip practice while line driving and not hooked to the cart


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## Horseychick94

ok. I will try that! thanks!


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## Horseychick94

Is the cart okay enough for me to continue using it?


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## Phaeton

Horseychick94 said:


> Okay. What can I do about her lugging (head off to one side) which is what she is doing in the second pic? So the cart is fine for her and I should be able to continue using it?


The cart you have is a little big so it is hard to balance it. The shafts look a little high. You might look into smaller wheels.
You might also start carrying a whip even if you don't use it it is a good habit to carry one. The whip is a tool it can be used for affection and correction and keeping stray dogs away.


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## Horseychick94

Phaeton said:


> The cart you have is a little big so it is hard to balance it. The shafts look a little high. You might look into smaller wheels.
> You might also start carrying a whip even if you don't use it it is a good habit to carry one. The whip is a tool it can be used for affection and correction and keeping stray dogs away.



So the current cart may be okay with smaller wheels is what you are saying, right? I will start carrying a whip. I had a loose dog come around us on our property and he tried to bite me


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## CheyAut

I wouldn't say smaller wheels, that is actually harder on a horse to pull.

Have soemone hold the shafts at the level they're at on your horse while you sit in it. If you sitting on it puts weight into the shafts, the cart isn't balanced right for the horse. But the seat is behind the axel, which should shift the weight OFF the shafts, so to me it looks like it's ok, but the only way to know is having someone hold the shafts at that level to check


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## Horseychick94

Ok. Thanks!


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## eliduc

Aside from the cart being not the right size for a mini it sounds like it is not balanced. If the seat is too far back the shafts will lift in the shaft loops allowing the shafts to bounce up and down it the seat is too far forward too much weight will be applied to the saddle and horses back. When you are in the cart and another person picks up the shafts to driving height there should be no more than 10 pounds of weight on the shafts. Also the ends of your shafts should not protrude beyond the point of the shoulder of your horse. If your shafts are too long it could change the balance of your cart.


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## Horseychick94

eliduc said:


> Aside from the cart being not the right size for a mini it sounds like it is not balanced. If the seat is too far back the shafts will lift in the shaft loops allowing the shafts to bounce up and down it the seat is too far forward too much weight will be applied to the saddle and horses back. When you are in the cart and another person picks up the shafts to driving height there should be no more than 10 pounds of weight on the shafts. Also the ends of your shafts should not protrude beyond the point of the shoulder of your horse. If your shafts are too long it could change the balance of your cart.


Found the problem! The seat wasn't far back enough and the thingers that keep the shafts from flying up were WAY too tight putting pressure the saddle


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