Anyone interested in speeding up/improving their hay cutting should view the following video.

[Tx Jim]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2347334801971060

If I understood video author correctly he stated he can cut same amount of acres per hour compared to tractor/cutter with his 4 horse pushed 24' sickle mower using 1 quart of gasoline per acre to power the Honda engine. Tractor & disc-bind uses 1 gallon of fuel per acre performing same task.

He forgot to mention amount of time required to harness & hitch 4 horses to mower.

 

[sea2summit]

How much hay do the horses eat over the course of the winter? Not to mention how much a team of two, let alone four, working horses cost!

 

[repete]

Vet bills for your "tractor". Hmmmm

 

[ddbackhoe]

Vet bills for your "tractor". Hmmmm

for us, 4 horses (checkup and shots) $425. How much is insurance and parts (filter, etc)?

 

[repete]

for us, 4 horses (checkup and shots) $425. How much is insurance and parts (filter, etc)?

I do not insure my tractor so I guess just an oil change is about $40.

 

[Tinhack]

Those horses are $3-4k each, if you can find them. And you sure couldn't work them 4-5 days straight in South Texas. They'd be dead when it came time to bail. Besides, what are you going to do with them the rest of the year except maintain them and feed them.

That reminds me, the Stock Show and Rodeo starts today up in the big city.

 

[Cycledude]

Lots of interesting information about drying hay in the video !

I never heard of the outfit before but the video was actually filmed pretty nearby where I live, I will be paying more attention and will hopefully be able to attend one of their future demonstrations.

 

[Hay Dude]

Horses get sick, like tractors. The smell coming off the arse-end of em isn’t exactly enjoyable

 

[5030]

It's aspiration, not respiration.

 

[zzvyb6]

Sorry, I only need my 35 horses 1 or 2 times per year and don't feed them when not in use. Around here, a tractor suitable for haying is typically $4-6k and comes with a loader that can pick up stuff, bucket, forks, snow plow, etc. Never seen a horse loader but I'm sure he has one. Rake (freshly waxed) about $1000, baler under $1000, Haybine $2500 with new decals. All TAX deductible. Better deals at the end of a season at the local auctions. I use 10 gallons at most per year for cutting, raking, baling & stackwagon machinery on 20 acres. Off-road diesel (no highway tax). I'd say this is an answer to a question nobody is asking, unless it's "The Good Old Days" at a farm show. Plus, it's never a good idea to let the horses poop on fresh cut hay. Customers prefer it un-recycled. Rough on the baler, too from the acid content.

I pitch horse shoes, but don't nail them. Double Ringer brand with hooks.