finish mower vs. sickle bar

[LD1]

Yep, smart move. You'd be burning belts off and going really slow trying to mow 12" grass down to 6" with a RFM

 

[DaleHotz]

The clippings can ferment, can become impacted, or otherwise cause digestion problems. Big difference in cow and horse digestive systems/ stomachs.

 

[powerscol]

The clippings can ferment, can become impacted, or otherwise cause digestion problems. Big difference in cow and horse digestive systems/ stomachs.

Very true - he would be better keeping the horses in one pasture and let the other grow and hay (12 inches is very good for haying). Find someone to cut and bale. That would maintain the pastures better. Rotate through the cut and uncut with the horses.

 

[jimmysisson]

Here's to an open can of worms: think about a flail mower!
Jim

 

[powerscol]

Here's to an open can of worms: think about a flail mower!
Jim

You know that might be a viable option for the OP. Interesting

 

[rbtjr]

I have a 7 1/2' sickle mower and a 5' 6" brush hog. I previously had a 7' finish mower and a 6' brush hog. Based on my experience, and IMHO, I would not buy another finish mower, because the brush hog mows large areas about as well as the finish mower. The brush hog is indispensable for mowing rough stuff. I use the sickle mower to a/ mow around the edge of a pond and b/ to mow the edges of trails, roads, etc., with the sickle bar turned up 90 degrees. The application of mowing with the cutting blade turned 90 degrees up saves a huge amount of time that it would otherwise take to trim the edges of the roads and trails by hand. But if I had to pick one and only one, I would choose the brush hog because of its versatility and the fact that on average I do more mowing of fescue in the open without baling it and of brush, weeds, etc., on the roads and trails.

 

[zzvyb6]

I use a 9' sickle (NH479) to cut hay for baling and also for trimming pastures. I mostly use a Woods 84" rear discharge finish mower to trim to a higher length. The Woods does a better job because the cut grass rots off a lot faster and it distributes the horse poop nicely if set down to that height. My JD1070 runs it in high gear easily. I set the gauge wheels down for the highest cutting height. I only use the two lower links and don;t bother with the top link. Then you are just dealing with a trailer mower.

Sharp blades are mandatory.

 

[CTWright]

Ever consider a flail mower?