Copyright © 2004-2010 DogStar Kennel    

 

Goat Carts vs. Goat Wagons

Carts need to fit so very well on animals and especially on a small animal like a goat. If the shafts on a cart are tipped up or tipped down, the fit is incorrect and the weight will matter on the goat's belly or back. Remember, some adults weigh as much as their goats, add that weight to the cart's weight and have the wrong size cart so that it comes down on the spine of the goat...and you have an unfair and unsafe set up for the goat.

I personally like wagons (4 wheels) for goats. There are so many sizes of wagons and so many brands. You can buy one at the hardware or toy store or at a garage sale. They are not had to come by or to convert. It will cost less for all of your equipment, depending on where you buy it of course, if you decide to use a wagon, than it would cost for the shipping of a new cart to your home....and the cart may not fit your animal when it arrives.

Have you ever seen a Sacco Cart? Wonderful thing!! I own one and have used it for many, many, many miles with our sled dogs (paln to use it with my goats soon). Mine was made by a friend and is not the name brand, it is a little bit bigger and has larger, heavy duty wheels. It will jump curbs and it has hand breaks as well as my "Fintstone feet" It is made so that you can use one or two sets of shafts that come off the cart/wagon......let me see if I can explain this plainly.....
The cart, that is really a wagon with four wheels, has four bolts for shafts to be hooked into. The two in the middle shaft holes, are spaced so that, when using for one animal, one shaft set, goes right into those holes.

WHAT IS THE SAFEST TO USE?

Wagons are easier and will fit more animals of different sizes due to the moving shafts. A wagon, with the correct shafts, will not need a single tree and therefore has less to break or come undone when out driving your animals.

Carts will not tip over (as easily) and animals can back up in them better then with a wagon. Carts must have a singletree as well as be more correctly fitted to the animal.

Judge for yourself: Pick up the shafts of first a cart and then a wagon at the very end of the shafts and slowly lift the shafts up and down. Now move back into the shafts where the goat would be hooked in and move the shafts the same way from there. Have someone sit in the vehicle as you hold the shafts. Now, hold them so that the balance on the shafts are a bit high and pull the vehicle forward, and do the same for the low balance. It is important that vehicles are balanced but to be honest, many vehicles aren't always balanced, even when you buy a "goat" cart or wagon, because goats come in different and/or many sizes.

It comes down to this: The safest vehicle for the animal, and for the driver of the vehicle, is the one that fits that animal the best. The one the driver/owner prefers. The one that is kept up in good repair and is well suited for the harness you own and the animal is wearing.

MORE TO COME, I have to go milk goats right now


 

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DID YOU KNOW?

Milk goats must be "refreshed" each year to be able to give milk. Refreshed means that she was bred and had kids.

TRUE PYGMY Goat Wagon Harness

Price: $59.95
DogStar KennelIn the high plains of South Dakota, USA
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marna@workinggoats.com

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