# Pony cart



## imported_GoatGirl96 (May 24, 2011)

I am just getting into cart goats and I am trying to find a cart that my wethers can pull. 

I have two Nubian wethers that are a year old and are about 28 and 29 inches at the withers. I got a harness for Hoegger supply. Right now it is way to big. Should I be concerned about my wethers size? 

For the cart I am wondering if an easy entry pony cart will do the trick. 

What size shafts do you use? If I get a pony cart I may need to adjust the shafts

Forever a goat geek  

GoatGirl96


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

I don't think that you should think about buying a cart before your wethers are grown to full size. The cart has to match your goats, not only the shafts, but the height and weight of the cart.

I also wouldn't let them pull any load for another 1,5 years at least.

Goats grow until they are 4 years old, sometimes even for another year. So right now nobody can make more than an educated guess if your wethers will fit into their harnesses at some point or not.


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

I wouldn't worry about the size. At only one year, your goats have a lot of growing to do. We first got Cuzco his harness from Hoeggers when he was almost two years old, and it was on all the tightest holes. We did not know at the time that he still had quite a lot of growing to do and we started driving him when he was really too young. It didn't do him any harm, but I wouldn't risk it again with a person in the cart before they were at least 2 1/2 - 3 years old. Cuzco did not stop filling out until he was about 4 years old, and now his harness is on the last hole in quite a few places!

I've got pictures on this thread from when Cuzco first started pulling next to a picture of when he was full-grown, and there's quite a difference! 
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=881


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## duffontap (Apr 8, 2010)

Because your goats will grow so much more, you would probably be wise to wait on the cart, but that doesn't mean you can't have some fun training them now. Get an old dog harness, or a large horse halter that will fit them and have them start pulling a garden cart, or a little red wagon, or a modified bicycle trailer, or you on roller skates (which would allow you to help them as necessary of course). I don't think it is necessary to wait until a goat is fully grown to work it, but you do need a healthy, conditioned goat in its prime years to work it at full capacity (packing 1/3 body weight, pulling 2x body weight, for example). For now, just employ common sense, keep loads light and training sessions short and fun.


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