[mellowyellow]

Ok my hubby has just made a cart for Poppy.
Poppy has been going really well in it, going forwards and backwards however when it comes to turning that is a big no no.
I'm not sure if it is her being so green or is it the shafts, but she really panicks whilst turning, the shafts appear to dig into to her sides is this because she needs to push the cart sideways rather then bending like she does, or does the shafts need to be bent outwards to stop them from digging in.
I do not want her to fear this as she has been doing really well.
Would really love some advise, i have posted a pic to show the shafts

[garden cottage]

had a look at similar carts and the ends seem to bend away from horse or some are a long slow s shape?.................

[doganjo]

If you type pony carts into yahoo you can see a  number of them for sale - the shafts all seem to bend away from the pony at the end

[sabrina]

Could be she is just green, she needs to learn to step sideways when turning. Teach her without the cart to move away from your hand by touching her side and saying over, once she gets the idea put her back between the shafts with you still on the ground still giving the voice comand, praise her if she steps away without trying to turn her body. Do not hurry, give her time and she will work it out. Having straight shafts is not unusual 

[mellowyellow]

Thanks everyone my hubby is on a mission now to bend the shafts out lol

[Blinkers]

Yes agree, she just needs to learn to push against the shaft and step sideways.  Its always a bit scary for them to start with, but once they understand that the thing will actually move when they push, they're away then.  Just another learning curve for her 

[Hardfeather]

The shafts look fine from here.

Some driving horses, because of the restrictions of the shafts, need help to learn to turn without being able to bend. It helps to have a person on the ground to assist the horse. This person would take up a position on the offside of the horse, that is, so that the horse is asked to turn away from them. As the whip asks the horse to start the turn, the person assists the horse by pushing on the outside shaft. This helps prevent the horse feeling the shaft too much on the nearside as it turns. This can be done from the halt.

The other thing which helps a green horse to learn how to turn correctly is for the whip to hold (not pull) the horse firmly on the outside rein, to signal to him that he is not required or allowed to go forward to any extent, as the inside rein is lightly taken up to ask for the turn. The weight of the contact on the outside rein should prevent his quarter on that side falling out, and will help keep him straight.  With patience and practise, this will encourage the horse to find a way to turn, other than bending, and he will soon learn to step round with his forelegs. This can be practised along with the above, and also from halt.

[Pony-n-trap]

As long as they are not too long (so as not to foul a rein) they dont have to bend outwards, some shafts end at the tugs if they are tilbury tugs, plus the horse still needs to follow its curve when going round a corner so it doesnt fall in on its shoulder.  Dont forget your balance if its a 2 wheeler, the shaft should float in the tugs when the whip and groom/passenger/load are in the vehicle.  There shouldnt be any weight on the horses back from through the saddle pad.

Keep us posted!