# Question about shafts



## sugarbear (May 25, 2011)

Hello everyone. I am new to the forum and appreciate the experience. I recently bought a two-wheeled cart for my Haflinger mare. There is a metal loop towards the front of the shafts on both sides and I am not quite sure what they are for. They are too far forward to run my breeching straps through. I have not seen this on the carts I trained with. Thank you!


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## goodhors (Jan 25, 2011)

Do you have loops for the breeching straps on the shafts?

I have seen the holdback loops in some very odd locations on those metal carts. If you don't have loops where you need them, you can take the cart to a welder. He can add some loops in the correct places, remove the others. Make the new loops open, easy to get a strap thru.

I can't really think of a use for welded on loops in the forward part of the shafts. If I can't use them, I would have them removed. Shaft tips should be even with point of shoulder of the animal in a correctly fitted cart, so no chance of shaft end falling out of the tug loops. Marathon cart short shafts have a quick release tug loop that locks thru a holder loop on shaft end, so shaft ends can't fall out of the tug loops.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Could it be for the tugs to go in? A picture would help. They could be for breeching and just put in teh wrong place


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Only the easy entry cars put loops on the shafts and they are never in the right place. there is a method for wrapping the straps that grab the shaft and as the leather tightens it holds the shalft better. I don't know if I can describe it so you'll understand. Wrap the leather around the shaft three times a bit loose. Take the long leftover end and slide it along the shaft under the loops, adjust and pull tight. The weight of the cart will keep it tight.


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