The use of equid-drawn vehicles is a common practice in many parts of the world, with vehicles usually being manufactured by local craftsmen, or by the users themselves. There is a huge variety of models, with 2-wheel carts being the most widely used as they are cheaper and easier to manufacture.
Results obtained by TDS in recent studies which focused on both harnesses and welfare assessment of working equids, showed that poorly designed and ill-fitted harness leads to inefficient transfer of power and serious health and welfare issues. Carts may also play an important role here, as their incorrect use, often combined with poorly designed models, can be a cause or at least a predisposing factor.
This research project intends to develop an easy to build multipurpose prototype 2-wheel cart for donkeys and hybrids, replicable anywhere in the world, using local resources. The project also includes the creation of a set of guidelines focused on good features of a cart and its correct use, including hitching techniques, pulling capacity of working equids, and good practices for the use of the cart.
The research team involved in this project will gather a team of internal and external experts to achieve the aims described above. Following the strategy developed in the harness project, on-line resources focused on the DIY process of the prototype will be developed and will include all relevant theory and training material.
From a strategic point of view, this project aligns closely with The Donkey Sanctuary Strategy, as it informs welfare, community, voice, and knowledge. The project will provide welfare improvements for donkeys and hybrids in a sustainable way, providing owners and users with support in providing good welfare for their donkeys and hybrids, by supporting them in cart building. The project will increase awareness of the needs of donkeys and hybrids when using carts and will involve knowledge sharing with communities and experts, using research to create learning resources and achieve positive practical outcomes for these animals.
Phase 0: Invite a group of experts.
List of experts:
- The Donkey Sanctuary team: - Welfare Assessment team: João Brandão Rodrigues; - Education team: Michelle Whitham-Jones, Tracey Warren; - Research team: Laura Kubasiewicz; - Equine Operations (Sanctuary): Andrew Judge, Maxine Carter; - El Refugio del Burrito: Francisco Zambrano; - Regional teams (IPP): Luis Aguilar (México), Asmamaw Kassaye (Ethiopia), Obadiah Sing'Oei (Kenya).
- FECTU: Cesc Aldabó.
- School of Technology and Management, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança: Luis Queijo.
- University of Melbourne: Mathilde Merridale.
Phase 1: Online research on existing animal-drawn vehicles used worldwide. Selection of best models / desirable features of different models.
Phase 2: Online discussion among experts, focused on aims 1 to 4. Creation of technical drawings of the prototype. Development of guidelines.
Phase 3: Complete aims 5. Filming of the do-it-yourself process taking place at the School of Technology and Management (Bragança, Portugal) facilities, in straight collaboration with their technical staff. Build the DIY donkey cart online course.
Phase 4: Complete aim 6. Lab tests to simulate different scenarios related with position of the cargo and the operator, to take place at the School of Technology and Management facilities, using our multipurpose donkey cart prototype. Specific tests will be decided by experts, depending on the final aspect of the prototype.
Phase 5*: Field trial of the multipurpose animal-drawn prototype (place(s) to be decided). Phase 5 is the only phase directly involving donkeys. Prior to this phase, an Ethical and health and safety considerations form will be submitted for approval, ensuring that there are clear ethical standards in place for any donkeys involved in the trials.
Phase 6: Complete aim 7 and 8: Selection and training of local manufacturers / Train the trainers’ process
The development of a multipurpose prototype 2-wheel cart for donkeys and hybrids, and the creation of guidelines that improve the knowledge and skills of equid owners in relation of how to properly use the cart and interact with the equids, will undoubtedly improve the welfare of the donkeys and hybrids. The development of on-line contents and their inclusion in a Train the Trainers approach will exponentially increase the knowledge transmission process, with a positive effect on equid welfare.
- Understand the features of a good/ high welfare cart that is suitable for donkeys and hybrids, that is able to be used for different purposes and manufactured locally.
- Develop a donkey cart prototype, based on simple technological solutions that will have a positive impact on health and welfare of working donkeys and hybrids.
- Develop guidelines about good features of good 2-wheel cart (including safety).
- Develop guidelines focused on the correct use of a 2-wheel cart:o Hitching techniques and harness (1 equid, 2 equids, 3 equids).
o Pulling capacity of working equids (how much a donkey should pull). - Develop on-line resources focused on the DIY process of the donkey cart prototype.
- Understand the influence of the position of the cargo and operator in the correct balance of the 2-wheel cart.
- Develop a training programme for carts users: o Equid behaviour;
o Human-equid interaction;
o Safety. - Develop the Train the Trainers process for external partners / deliver training to local communities of equids' cart users, that will include all information generated on points 2 to 7.