Cart/buggy size for pony & horse?
First you should know I don't have much experience with harness/driving horses/ponies - hence this question. Up until recently I thought you just pick...
First you should know I don’t have much experience with harness/driving horses/ponies – hence this question. Up until recently I thought you just picked a cart that looked about right. Now I’m seeing the different shaft lengths, wheel heights, etc. as going with different size horses. I have a 15hh horse that I want to put in harness, what size cart will I need(wheel height, shaft length)? Also have a Shetland that will probably mature around 10+ hh, a cart that works for mini’s will work for a small pony right? Or again what size do I need? Thank You!
I am planning to get two separate carts. One would be cheaper but I know better…
PRS covered it on your shetland..
On your 15H horse.. 76 in shafts up to 80 depending on if your horse is a longer bodied animal.
I have 46in wheels and 72 in shafts on my 15.2H mule and he is at the upper limits of that cart. If he was any taller, the wheels would be too short. The shafts fit him just barely also. So use that as a starter for you. He is a shorter bodied mule also.
Carts basically come in 3 or 4 sizes. Mini, pony, horse and suitable for draft. I just bought a pony sized cart for my too big to actually be a mini donkey. He is 38" tall so he is small but too big to be a mini (36" or smaller) If you get one that your horse can pull it might be too big for the pony. You have to be concerned with the weight of the cart, wheel size (26" works for my pony cart) shaft length and width.
For the shetland you can get a cart with 60" shafts, 26" wheels. Here is a link to the one I just bought for my donkey – my friend bought one just like it for her pony. It is a little big for my 38" donkey (9.2 hh) but he can pull it fine so should work perfectly for your 10hh pony. It would be too small for your 15hh horse though.
http://www.ttminihorse.com/tackstore/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=196