I downloaded
Dragonkiller Cart to check out, as it appeared to contain all the pieces I needed. Of course, it has way too many features, so now I need to figure out what's essential. Most of the extra stuff is related to camping equipment (taken to extremes, as you can create a smithy or alchemy lab on the road). I won't be doing that, as the Wainwright's house can provide the base station needs.
Activating the wagon should let you get on or off the driver's seat, harness or release the horse, and open the wagon as a container (cargo), but what else?
Dragonkiller Cart has a "Battle" option as well, which appears to be a combo of get off and release the horse as one fast choice. It also has multiple containers, partly because some of them relate to the extra features (tent and other equipment, especially). I'm not sure I need more than one.
If the player sleeps in the wagon, then I need a sleep option. Get off option should work whether the player is in the back, or on the driver's seat, so that only adds one. I'd like it all to fit on one menu, if possible. Showing only available options will keep it simple. I.e. harness / release won't both be there, and get on + sleep will swap with get off + combat.
Sleeping on the wagon avoids the need for a tent, with its attendant problems of finding level ground, enough space, orientation etc.
Since the player can separate from horse and wagon, and the horse can die leaving the wagon stranded, I need a method to locate each of them. Does anyone know a mod that does that for horses?