Distribute cargo so that no animal, axle or vehicle carries more than its share and each load stays balanced and low. A cargo of 3,000 kg needs 3-5 two-horse carts at 600-1,200 kg each, or 1-2 four-horse wagons at 1,500-3,000 kg, or about 43 pack mules at 70 kg each, so wheels multiply what one animal can move. Spread the weight evenly side to side, keep heavy items low and over the axles, and match the load to the weakest animal in the group.
Part of Logistics & Load Planning
Dividing a cargo among vehicles and animals, and arranging it on each, so that it is safe, balanced and efficient to move.
Capacity, Balance And Stability Are The Three Things To Distribute
The parent article gives the aim: arrange cargo for safety and efficiency. In practice three questions come up in order. Capacity: how much can each carrier take? Balance: is the weight where the vehicle or animal can bear it? Stability: will it stay put on a rough road? The detailed rules are in Cart & Wagon Loading, Mixed Cargo Planning and Securing Methods.
What You Need
- The cargo list with weights. See Weight Calculation & Measurement.
- The capacity of each carrier — Carts and Wagons gives 600-1,200 kg for a two-horse cart and 1,500-3,000 kg for a four-horse wagon; Pack Animal Management gives a mule carrying 70 kg.
- The route — grades and bridges limit loads. See Terrain Assessment.
Method: Share The Cargo
Step 1: Total the cargo Add up the weights, keeping heavy single items listed separately.
Step 2: Choose the carriers Divide the total by each carrier’s capacity, round up, and check that the animals and drivers exist.
Step 3: Spread across carriers Give each carrier a similar share, rather than filling some to the limit and leaving others light, since the slowest, most heavily loaded animal sets the convoy’s pace.
Step 4: Balance each load Heavy items low and near the axle, side to side centred.
Step 5: Leave a margin Load to less than the limit, because roads, grades and weather reduce capacity.
Worked Example: 3,000 kg Of Cargo
Using the capacities above:
- Two-horse carts: 3,000 / 1,200 = 2.5, so 3 carts at best; 3,000 / 600 = 5, so 5 carts at worst. That is 3-5 carts.
- Four-horse wagons: 3,000 / 3,000 = 1 wagon at best; 3,000 / 1,500 = 2 wagons at worst. That is 1-2 wagons.
- Pack mules at 70 kg: 3,000 / 70 = 42.9, so 43 mules.
A 43-fold difference between 43 mules and 1 wagon is why roads matter. The parent’s route rule for pack animals, handling grades of 15-20%, is the price of that gain: carts need roads.
Common Mistakes
- Filling some carriers to the limit and others half empty — the heavily loaded ones break down first.
- Ignoring the road — the capacity numbers fall on grades and soft ground; see Load Capacity for the drop on grades.
- Concentrating the weight in one place — a heavy item in a corner twists the vehicle.
- No margin — load to less than the maximum.
Safety
Overloaded vehicles and animals
An overloaded cart can break an axle on a slope, and an overloaded animal can suffer permanent injury. Share the load, rest the animals, and unload before a steep descent if the load is heavy.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Cart & Wagon Loading — placing weight on a cart
- Combine with: Mixed Cargo Planning — different cargo types together