# EZ entry adjustability questions



## Southern Grace (Feb 15, 2013)

My 2 driving horses are a 14.2hh Arabian and an 18hh Shire. I've gotten an idea that I might be able to adjust a single EZ entry cart to fit both and wanted to run it by you for opinions on if it would work and be safe.

So my plan would be to purchase the horse sized cart with either the 27" or 30" motorcycle tires and 72" curved shafts for my Arabian, and then purchase the 95" draft shafts separately and add blocks between the axle and cart body with longer U-bolts to adjust it up for my Shire. It's a perfect solution in my head, I just don't know if it would really work out and be practical to be changing out a few times a week.

Also, I don't believe Kingston makes curved draft shafts. Since the curve would typically make a lower cart sit correctly with the horse, would it not be reasonable to have curved shafts on the smaller boy and straight shafts on the monster? Does anyone make curved draft shafts (38" rear width and 90+" length)?


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## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

i thought i saw curved shafts on kingston saddlery, but i could be mistaken.


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## CaliforniaDreaming (May 8, 2011)

I didn't see any in draft sizes.


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## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Maybe I just cannot see it properly in my head, but I don't understand how the curved shafts are going to make any difference. The shaft tips won't be pointing up to the sky that way, I guess. 

How often are you thinking you will swap this out? It makes me nervous to think about having bolts that are easily taken off on a carriage. They NEED to be tight to keep from randomly coming undone, which happens all the time, without ever being taken off.....

If you had a 4-wheel carriage, it would be easy to have 2 sets of shafts. The draft set could be set up like they are on a Pioneer fore cart. Sorry I don't have any pictures.

I will check out that Kingston, now...


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Ok, I am seeing it now. I would call them about doing the curved shaft for the draft, and straight for the horse. I would not try to change anything else, but I cannot turn a wrench, so.......I would see if they can make it with the seat a bit higher than normal. You will sit higher behind the Arab, and be more comfortable behind the draft.

I bet they will work with you!


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## CaliforniaDreaming (May 8, 2011)

Since you mention sitting higher, greentree, I got the extended seat brackets for my Kingston cart. It really makes a difference.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

The problem is going to be the width most likely. That is too much of a size difference to use the same cart.


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## Southern Grace (Feb 15, 2013)

churumbeque - how would the width of the cart body made a difference, so long as the entirety of the shafts is changing for the horse? With the Kingston carts, the removable shaft is a U-shape, so the draft one is 38" at the singletree and the small horse is 31"









greentree - the only time I've ever seen the nuts come loose off of bolts on a carriage or cart is when they were not inspected regularly. As neither area I am looking at should have any sort of rotational pressure on the nut, regularly changing them should actually just mean I am tightening them on multiple times a week. And yes, I emailed them to ask about curved shafts in draft, no reply yet. But I would really prefer the curved shafts on my Arab as well, preferably adjusted to where they curve more inwards than upwards, which will just depend on how tubby my boy is at his girth (their curved shafts are designed to rotate before the curve, so you can rotate the curve inward more, but you will lose upward curve).

For a while, I'll need to be swapping them out a few times a week, but once my draft mare is steady enough to go up to a 4-wheel carriage, she'll be making that switch and the easy entry will be set continually for the Arab. I'm just really trying to avoid spending an extra $800+ on a cart to get the draft started out and steady (she's had maybe 10 drives to date) if I could put a little more time into adjustments and make a $200 pair of shafts work for us.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I didnt know the rear also changed. Some cant change the width. But 29.5 doesnt seem very wide at G for a draft I have a 15 h horse and I am at 27"


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## Southern Grace (Feb 15, 2013)

churumbeque said:


> I didnt know the rear also changed. Some cant change the width. But 29.5 doesnt seem very wide at G for a draft I have a 15 h horse and I am at 27"


Oh, I posted the picture of the cob one, just for an example of the shafts they design. The straight draft shaft is 33" at the narrowest, and if they do make a curved one to fit, it would be adjustable from 20-38" at narrowest.


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