[Ridge]

I had a Case no.5 for a while. It worked as good as the others. I liked it and then a man wanted to buy it so I sold it. The only reason to sell was to make a dollar. Had other mowers.

[Ridge]

We have 2 I&J mower’s. We have done a lot of mowing with them. My wife and I both mow at the same time. They are the best mower that we have ever owned.We mowed about 100 acres each with the mowers last summer. I did have to modify both mowers some after we got them. I did not like the weight they put on the forecart tongue so modified the mowers some to alleviate that.

[Ridge]

I have trained a lot of horses and never used a round pen. I just hook with a trained horse and go.Sometimes it gets a little exciting but not bad. I do buy weanlings and use a straight stall for them. They are handled every day with backing and gee and haw as I let them out in a pasture. They are in a straight stall for half a day and pasture half a day.By the time they are to be trained in harness it is pretty easy with most. I do have one now that is a challenge but he will come around. Already has some. I also use tiebacks until I know how they will be. I also want a decent load but not a big load for them. Enough so they know they are pulling but there teamate can pull on his or her own.We have been know to have them moving rd bales on a skid on the 2nd day of work training. I really have no use for a rd pen but to each his or her own.

[Ridge]

The D-ring is a good harness. I have a team d-ring and have had it for about 20 yrs so I can say that. However I also have 3 other team harnesses that are not D-ring and if adjusted correctly work fine. The D-ring is definitely a heavier harness or at least mine are.It is a leather harness so that makes some difference plus it is a heavy built harness. I do a lot of work with horses and see no problem with belly backer or even side backer harness. I really have had no horse or harness problems with any harnesses I have used and I use them every day.The choice is yours.

[Ridge]

Poison wth the herb idea is not humane,They can have a vet or use a gun but not poison. I would not do it for them though. Some things have to be done ourselves.

[Ridge]

I am located in North Central Pa. I do have a sawmill which is a band mill and is a real good investment. It is a cheaper mill being it is manual without hydraulics. Works great for what I want. I am not interested in doing custom work.I do a little custom work though.
I have had little problems with blowdowns and cutting them. That could be because I have done this type of thing all my life. My Dad did a lot of woods work and we use axe and crosscut saws. It is true that a blown down tree needs a good look-see to evaluate what it might do.There certainly is a need for safety evaluation in all woods jobs. Actually most all jobs.Ridge

[Ridge]

I have taken out many of these type trees. Sawed them for lumber and made good use of them. Seems a real waste to me to leave them there to rot. I hope to take the horses to get one this morning in fact. If I were closer I would be glad to help. Ridge

[Ridge]

Mstacy,
It is not a thing where the engine labors all the time but in thick tough grass the engine can be heard to work a little. The mowers are actually what I&J used before this german mower. I think they are an Italian made mower with guard and knives both reciprocating. A real good mower. The team I use to mow with move along at a fast pace also so that makes for more effort with the engine, I personally think the engine could be smaller than 13hp but definitely do not think a 3 hp would do it. I would not want to go any less than 8 judging by the 13hp we have. We have 2 of these mowers so my wife and I can mow at the same time and get a good amount mowed. For some reason one does seem to run harder than the other and also used more gas. Both do a great job of mowing. Ridge

[Ridge]

I&J uses a 13 hp Honda engine to power there mower. I don’t think that 3 hp would handle the mower. I have the I&J and have heard the engine labor a little even with 13hp. It is set-up with a gearbox and then a powershaft to the mower. Works great.

[Ridge]

Friend of mine had serious horse respiratory problems with one horse due to chicken manure.Got him straightened out but he went into it again and the chickens are not allowed in the barn anymore. I would keep the chickens out of the feed bunk after seeing the effects on that one horse. I thought he was going to die.

[Ridge]

I prefer and use a 48 in. evener and neck yoke. I like the comfort that it gives the horses or at least I think it helps. I also use a 64 in.combination for cultivating,topdressing and spraying so that the horses can straddle 2 rows of corn. It is seldom that I use less than 48in.

[Ridge]

@Jay 26194 wrote:

I saw the 2 blade I&J mower working in Virginia at Southern Draft Animal Days- seems to cut through down hay, weeds, fine. The knives are un protected and I wouldn’t want to cut a rough hay field with any stones or wood sticking up in it…. Jay

The stone thing was one on of my worries but have had little problem.I have broken a couple but replaced and last year we cut about 120 acres without a single knife breaking and we do have some stones.Not as many as some but more than a lot.Haven’t been in a field with wood problem yet.Ridge

[Ridge]

I have 2 of the I&J mowers but they are the ones they used to sell being the Italian made Superior mower.They also have the double reciprocating bars.My wife and I both mow at the same time.I had one for 2 yrs and then got the second one so we could do all or most all the cutting with the horses.I sold a haybine to help with getting the 2nd.
They are a fantastic mower and I&J says the new german made mower is better but I don’t know how if could be better than the one I have. The mow through down hay of windrowed hay or in the middle of the field without plugging.Can go as fast as the horses want or a person wants.I do have engines on mine but I see they are using the ground drive cart now on them.Never have been where they were doing that.I don’t know that they are any more expensive than other new mowers but the german one is more than the Superior was.
I have tuned in to DAP for a long time but never joined until this post made me want to brag about the mowers.
Have a great day. Ridge

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