cart

in the cart in trouble or difficulty. British informal

☞ A cart was formerly used to take convicted criminals to the public gallows and to expose prostitutes and other offenders to public humiliation in the streets.

put the cart before the horse reverse the proper order or procedure of something.

☞ A medieval version of this expression was set the oxen before the yoke. The version with horse and cart dates from the early 16th century.

2013Age (Melbourne) 'It's putting the cart before the horse,' she said. 'You can't really assess parenting competencies before there is a child. There may not even be a child.'