To fit a 15- 15.3 horse? And do you measure the shaft from the “front” of the vehicle forward?
It depends on the vehicle. A gig will have shorter shafts than a breaking cart. A lower vehicle like a Jerald will also have longer shafts than a taller cart.
Shafts for older style carts, buggy or 4-wheelers, should come to the point of horse shoulder to be fitted correctly.
Gigs with truly hooked “Gig” shafts or those vehicles with curved shafts that have bent downward shaft tips, on older style vehicles, will measure differently than straight shafts in fitting correctly. Curves allow horse to bend a little more, good in tight turning places like City driving conditions. Also add a bit of “style” to the flowing look of vehicle.
With the curved type or hooked Gig shafts, the narrowest point between them, which sits at harness saddle, would probably measure the same length from horse to singletree or trace hooks, as the straight shafted vehicles measure. Of course there are always exceptions, like the very tall 2-wheelers that let horse get hitched closer because horse can stride and not hit anything behind with the height clearance.
This measurement length from saddle to vehicle, is probably also most correct in fitting horse, should you be fitting the modern short shafts on Marathon vehicles. These modern shafts have almost nothing ahead of harness saddle. Getting the correct length from horse to vehicle is like fitting a Gig with the big hooked shafts.
The ADS chart is helpful for average vehicles using straight shafts. Sizes given are the most common for most horses. Certain individual animals or breeds, might be shorter or longer bodied, but you will be “near” the correct sizing using the chart. That is where adjustments on harness help get things better fitting, closer or further away from vehicle for that “little bit” better fit.
For Jerald basket carts and jog carts (and Houghton, Serafin or other similiar carts) 96" is horse size and 88" is cob size.
