Question about Sizing a Cart

Hey everyone - I have a question about purchasing a cart. I have a 13.3 hh draft pony who was broke to drive by the amish as a young horse and I want to reintroduce him to it. I have a harness that fits well, and I am looking to purchase a cart. I enjoy driving, and while I have trained horses to drive before, I've never actually purchased a cart. It's kind of a big purchase, and I want the cart to be able to be used for a long time.

My question is this - the pony I have now is a long term training project that I rescued, and I am looking to resell him next summer. I would like to buy a cart that will fit him, but one that I could possibly use with a larger horse. How long should the shafts be for his cart? Or, alternatively, what is the maximum length that the shafts should be for a pony his size? Like I said, I want the cart to last for a while. He is as wide as a full size horse, just a little shorter. For example, I am looking at a cart right now that has 74" shafts - too long? too short? Thoughts? I've never really thought about sizes of cart shafts before :)

Any information will be extremely helpful!


Thank you in advance!

i suppose you should measure the lengh of your cob from his chest back i,ve had hundreds of carts but i just generally can tell by eye,you can get shafts too short but very rare too long obviously there are exceptions such as clydesdale/shire shaft but your horse would be okay to fit up to a 14 ,15 hands set of shafts

Ok, that's what I thought. Thank you!

I think 74" shafts are too short if you want to possibly use the cart on a little bit larger horse. I would look for a cart with 80" shafts. You could use that with the draft pony and a horse up to about 15 hands. Also if your are looking for one of those cheaper easy entry carts a lot of them have 80" shafts.

thanks so much - I am looking for one of those easy entry carts :) If you know anyone in PA with one to sell, point them my way!