Homemade Horse Cart
Horse carts cost from $300 to $500. Constructing your cart might pose a challenge, but doing so will allow you to customize it to your horse. Before you begin building the horse cart, decide what size you need. Two-wheel horse carts tend to be preferred over four-wheel carts because they are easier to maneuver. But no matter which size you decide to build, you must balance its weight during construction to keep it from tipping over.
Things You'll Need
- Wood
- Wheels
- Axles
- Vinyl
- Foam
- Metal rings and bracings
- Round, smooth tubes (2)
- Welder
- Safety goggles
- Saw
- Hammer
- Nails
- Measuring tape
Instructions
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Building the Horse Cart
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1
Buy good-quality parts from a reputable supplier. Using Amish dealers is common, but there are also many supply stores for you to consider.
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2
Measure your horse so you know what size your cart should be.
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3
Use a light but sturdy wood that can hold weight to construct the cart's seat. Cut the wood so it is at least 4 feet wide, enough space for two people.
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4
Cover the seat with foam and cover that with vinyl so the seat is comfortable.
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5
Cut a piece of wood that is tall enough to serve as the back of the cart's seat. Measure how many inches from your buttocks to your shoulders to figure out how tall the wood should be. It should be as wide as the seat.
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6
Secure the back of the seat to the seat itself. Use metal bracings to secure the seat to the horse cart.
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7
Construct the cart's frame. Use iron to make your frame. Weld the iron into a rectangle 4 feet wide--as wide as the seat. The length depends on how large your cart is, which in turn depends on the size of your horse.
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8
Cut a piece of light-weight wood, which is as wide as the cart, for the foot board.
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9
Join all the components. Mount the frame to the seat, the floor board and the axles, and mount the wheels to the axles.
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10
Weather-proof the cart so it lasts longer, mainly the frame and floor board.
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11
Build the staves with the two round, smooth tubes. The staves connect the frame to your horse. The tubes are parallel to the ground and level with your horse's belly.
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12
Attach the metal rings to the staves, which is where you will attach your horse's harness.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Be careful when welding, which is required to build the frame and attach metal rings to the staves. Follow the proper safety precautions.
References
- Photo Credit old french horsecart image by maureen dainty from Fotolia.com
