How to Put a Cover on an Easy Entry Cart

• #1

Driving newbie here..... wondering if there are any ways to correctly dress up an easy entry cart for local shows??

Also wondering... are the fleece pads for the breast plate and saddle on a harness(sorry, unsure of the proper terms for harness parts) proper to use in a local show?

Please feel free to teach me...

Thanks!

Robin

• #2

The biggest thing is to make sure it is CLEAN. Touch up any paint chips, polish up the vinyl (be careful not to use anything slippery where you will sit) and make sure the wheels are shiny and clean.

As to the fleece pads, I'd take the breastcollar one off but the saddle/backpad one is up to you. They do sell saddle pads that are slimmer and more "pretty" but I personally prefer the thick ones, they seem more comfy to me.

Have fun!

Andrea

• #3

Are you refering to the all metal carts with the vinyl seat? If so, there's lots of things you can do.

My first cart was one of those. I took the seat and back off (the padded parts) and recovered them in a velvety fabric.

Mine had the metal grate for the basket. Hubby took a grinder and cut that off. Then I put 2" hardwood slats across and screwed them in. Finished in a clear varnish. I put a thin pin stripe down the shafts, and on various parts. Really looked nice for local shows.

• #4

Ruffian, do you have any pictures? Im planning to de exactly what your talking about for this year. Hubby told me I get a new trailer or a new cart, not both, so looks like I have to make due.

• #5

I will echo the above saying that your cart should be

super

clean--every tiny spot on it!. After that you can always recover your seats with velvet or really nice corderoy (sp?), add a brass or chrome rein rail (or wood dash with rein rail if your cart is wood). You can add a nice pinstripe if your cart doesn't have one already. As for your harness, you can get a nice browband with a gold or silver bar and matching conchos, add a patent cover for your breastcollar front. A fresh coat of polish if your cart is wood (or metal--fresh paint if needed) and polish up or add metal shaft endcaps if needed. Boom--there ya go--a much dressed up easy entry! It isn't an easy entry, but I did all this with a deat up old sulky and I made a basket and a faux-leather boot as well. I was well pleased with my $50 junk cart after about $150 worth of work (most of that was new wheels!)

Have fun!

Amy

• #6

Robin,

I just put a bunch of ideas on Heather's "Question for Drivers that show Pinto" thread. I'll see if I can repost them here as well.

• #7

(RobinRTrueJoy @ Feb 20 2009, 06:03 PM)Is there such a thing as a boot to add on to an easy entry cart?Robin

I am going to attempt to make my own boot out of a strong, patent leather-like vinyl material that I found in the Wal-Mart fabric section using the vinyl boot on my show cart as a guide. I am handy with a sewing machine and/or a needle and thread and I am confident that I can make a boot for my easy entry cart that looks just like the boot on my show cart.

I wonder if you could do other modifications to a cart like this to make it look like a show cart? You could remove that back rest (the back rest on my cob size easy entry cart detaches), attach a boot, etc. Wouldn't it just be a matter of getting a matching metal bar to go from the outside of the wheels to the side of the shafts to make it a closed wheel cart as well?

• #8

I wonder if you could do other modifications to a cart like this to make it look like a show cart? You could remove that back rest (the back rest on my cob size easy entry cart detaches), attach a boot, etc. Wouldn't it just be a matter of getting a matching metal bar to go from the outside of the wheels to the side of the shafts to make it a closed wheel cart as well?
Be careful about taking the back off. The EE seats are straight, and you could slip right off the back without the support. The show cart seats are cupped or angled to help prevent that.

I will look for photos, but it was a long time ago, and not sure I have any. But it's really easy to do. There are bolts in the seats that come out. I just used a staple gun to attach the fabric, and tucked it in along the back rail to hide the staples.

It's easier if you use a stretchy fabric, you can get it tight and get a very custom look.

• #9

Do any of you have pictures of these carts you dressed up? Would love to see them!

I have a green EE with a tan/brown seat and want to get a russet harness for it. I think that would make it much dressier!

Last edited by a moderator: Feb 21, 2009

• #10

name='ruffian' date='Feb 21 2009, 09:00 AM' post='1152035']I wonder if you could do other modifications to a cart like this to make it look like a show cart? You could remove that back rest (the back rest on my cob size easy entry cart detaches), attach a boot, etc. Wouldn't it just be a matter of getting a matching metal bar to go from the outside of the wheels to the side of the shafts to make it a closed wheel cart as well?

Be careful about taking the back off. The EE seats are straight, and you could slip right off the back without the support. The show cart seats are cupped or angled to help prevent that.

My show cart seat is not cupped or angled, it is completely straight. Plus, my show cart seat is a very small area versus how wide the seat is on an easy entry cart.

• #11

I am thinking about the same thing. I have a Jerald runabout. I made a slip cover for my seat and back rest.

Went to the bicycle shop to see about ordering new wheels, as the aluminum on mine has some oxidation/discoloring and doesn't polish up. Not possible, as the wheels are an industrial design. But he suggested I take them off and have a body shop paint them. The new bicylcle wheels have some new finishes, and I liked the matte black. So, I am thinking of taking off my wheels and having them painted, since they are still in very good condition, but just don't polish up anymore.

• #12

" They do sell saddle pads that are slimmer and more "pretty" but I personally prefer the thick ones, they seem more comfy to me."

I looked all over the internet for the slimmer type saddle pads. I have seen one in person, but I dont know where to get them. Do they make one in some kind of gel pad?

If someone could impart the knowledge of where to get a slimmer pad, I would appreciate it. In the meantime I do have a comfy fleece pad.

Thanks in advance

Georgiegirl

• #13

Ozark has a very nice black "velvet" pad that is slim.

• #14

All great suggestions!

Thanks!

Robin

• #15

This is my "tricked out" easy entry cart.

• #16

Where could one buy those black wheels, journeysend?

• #17

Where could one buy those black wheels, journeysend?

They're steel wheels and Mike Groose of Ite Bte Buggy made them for me.

http://www.itebtebuggys.com/wheels.html

He also made me a new axle so I could widen the wheel base on the cart.

I had the cart over at Al B's place not to long ago and Al joked "Now, that did use to be an easy entry cart, right ?"

I've done some more tricking out for CDE marathon. I need to take pictures and post.

Anyway, Mike's a great guy and really nice to work with.

scottclereatifich.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/threads/any-way-to-dress-up-an-easy-entry-cart.104822/

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