Muck cart / Wheelbarrow Cover

[emirae1091]

My girl is on solo turnout with a run-in (12x24 ish?) and a decent sized paddock. Unfortunately she is as far as possible from the muck heap! We’re attempting to keep the poop picked up in the run-in for sure but also out in the paddock, so I bought a big Rubbermaid cart (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-Commercial-Products-7-5-cu-ft-Plastic-Yard-Cart-FG564200BLA/100344354) because that’s easier than the small wheelbarrow we were using before, especially with the steep gravel hill!

There is a good covered place to store in during the day / in between trips to the muck heap, but I’d love to get a cover for it like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHEELBARROW-COVERS-FOR-A-TIDY-YARD-SUMMER-AND-WINTER/251629994793

Unfortunately I can only find covers in the UK, and none of them seem to ship to the US.

Has anyone seen these here, or have DIY ideas? It doesn’t really need to be waterproof since it will be under a roof but I would like elastic or something to keep the bugs out!

[airhorse]

How about a large grill cover?

Home Depot has this, might be too big.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Polar-Trailer-Travel-Cover-for-HD-1200-Trailer-8265/202326953?cm_mmc=shopping--googleads--pla-_-202326953&ci_sku=202326953&ci_gpa=pla&ci_src=17588969&gclid=CNf5ruKaxcACFaVZ7AodfikAVA

[ayrabz]

airhorse got there before me! even some of the patio furniture covers might? work?

[emirae1091]

Aha! I can’t believe I didn’t think about that. I’ll go to Home Depot and look this weekend, since that’s where I bought the cart so maybe I can ‘try them on’ for size.

[MN_Tigerstripes]

I’ve never actually posted here, but a friend sent me this thread. I would consider contacting a boat canvas company (that’s what we do) and having them make a cover for it. Most of those covers you buy in the store are not very heavy duty, they aren’t built to stand up to manure and the daily on/off and such. It’s also going to hold odor and all sorts of nasty, it won’t clean up easily or well.

If it were me, I would get something made with vinyl coated polyester, like the curtain walled semi trucks use, or RSI. Something that is easily cleanable with a hose and won’t hold odor or manure. Just my two cents from a horse person that works for a canvas fabrication company. Take it for what you will.

[trubandloki]

That is a great idea. I never thought of something like that.

[MN_Tigerstripes]

I know! I think I am going to show it to my boss and see what he thinks our cost would be for making something like this to sell. It’s a great idea!

[emirae1091]

Hope this doesn’t break any rules, since MN Tigerstripes wasn’t really advertising, but I would LOVE to talk to you guys about this idea / test prototypes / buy one eventually.

[MN_Tigerstripes]

I’m not sure if it breaks any rules either… I’ve creeped on here on and off, but haven’t spent a bunch of time reading the rules. Do you want to send me a PM so we aren’t getting all business chatty on the open forum? I will see what my boss thinks of the possibility of making something like this as far as pricing and such. He is amazing at figuring out solutions to problems!

[doublesstable]

I used to do something similar because I would clean stalls at night and the guy that would dump for me didn’t come to the barn until morning.

I used an old umbrella canvas from one that the metal frame broke and bungee corded it on my wheel barrel… I love seeing that other people would cover their poo too! I thought I was the only one. LOL

[Christa_P]

Small tarp and a couple of bungie cords

[ayrabz]

I won’t have a BIG barn and a lot of horses, and I always thought of: hmmm…I don’t want to put on/off a tarp or a cover constantly…but? what if I had a ‘park it’ place with something hinged as a ‘lid’ where I could lift it up/drop it down over top of the receptical (muck tub in cart or cart or wheelbarrow, whichever ) y’know, hinged to the run in inside, or in my case the large outdoor washrack wood walls, etc…(out of the actual wash horse space of course) for the ‘parking bay’ kinda idea for the ‘not yet ready to dump’ stuff…
and when ready to dump, remove vessel and the hinged lid simply drops flush to wall area…

[emirae1091]

A tarp was my first thought but bungie cords would be a pain for the other people that are nice enough to help me out. I was this EASY for them.

MN Tigerstripes, I’ll PM you!

[chicamux]

got to Amazon.com and do a search for:
patio table cover vinyl round
There are tons of them with an adjustable elastic cord around the bottom edge, several shapes and diameters, $20-$30 range.

chicamuxen

[emirae1091]

Great idea! I’m still going to talk to MN Tigerstripes but that’s a great backup.

[msj]

While I think the elastic edged tarp or plastic cover is a great idea, I used just have a thin piece of plywood with a handle in the middle that I put over my wheelbarrow. It was cut in the shape of the wheelbarrow top and was lightweight so easy to lift off when I wanted to pick up more manure.

Later I made a round one to cover a muck bucket. I needed it to keep the dog out of the manure and to reduce flies. Worked like a charm.

OK, I’ll be honest, I didn’t make but had my very talented neighbor make it.

[ayrabz]

msj…kinda my preference too. But I’d still like a ‘park it’ location with this idea hinged somewhere! too cumbersome to lug around …

[Plainandtall]

I often am too lazy to dump my wheelbarrow in the evening and park it just outside my barn door. The reason why I started parking it outside is because a picture of a MELTED plastic wheelbarrow came through my newsfeed earlier this year. yes- when I do dump it in the summer time- it has usually heated up considerably- but I never imagined that it would get hot enough to melt a plastic wheelbarrow.

Anyway- ever since seeing that I have been leary about my lazy habit of not emptying right away… Anyway- I’m just tossing that out into the mix of things to think about- does a cover encourage even MORE heat?