Which tractor for small operator? 5'1" petite farm owner

[can do]

I haven't posted in a while, but the time is coming to think about a new tractor. I have a 2WD Case 585 (mid 80s vintage) that I bought in 2004. It has served me well, but I'm starting to want a new tractor, with a narrower footprint, and one that I can actually reach the controls on. And even if I don't decide on a new tractor, I need

The property: 15 acre horse farm with 3-4% grade (so no steep hills), riding arena maintenance, mowing, manure management, and moving snow in winter are the required uses. I'll be honest, a snow blower is desired, despite that being a silly thing in Northern Virginia...moving 3-4' drifts with a bucket gets old...fast, even if it is only once every 3-4 years.

Currently have a 93" finish mower, blade, & bucket and a 10' 3 pt hitch drag/harrow.

I took a spin (in the parking lot) of our local JD dealership, and was really thinking I'd like to go green, as I could leverage my USEF membership discount, but I hated driving the one they put me on. And, I don't think it had enough HP.

I'm likely going to have a Kubota rental/loaner next week, while my current one is in the shop, because the grass is tall! So that will give me an opportunity to drive a Kubota and see how I like the feel of that.

But, do any of you have a smaller operator in your usual drivers of your tractors?

Hey mvoght! Have tried looking at a M-F 1526H compact there is a dealer not to far up the road from You ,Where 340&15 come together south of Fredrick Md. on Zion rd. across from the JD dealer & that model You can get with all the features You are looking for & one other thing dealers don't have much inventory on there lots, Massey-Ferguson is offering some good deals that You should look into IMHO.

 

[m1garand762]

My wife is 5’2 and drives my l 3901 the seat slides forward enough my 9 year old can drive it

 

[mvoght]

A good friend lives quite near that Massey Ferguson dealer and I was thinking of visiting that soon. It is about 40 minutes away.

 

[can do]

A good friend lives quite near that Massey Ferguson dealer and I was thinking of visiting that soon. It is about 40 minutes away.

Thank You for your reply mvoght! I run 2 tractors on my property & they are both M-F the newer one is a hydro 3 speed with a FEL & 4wd & I run a 1959 M-F 50 gasoline ,Which I have had for 25 years & I do like that it's gear driven & whatever gear you've got it in that is what your working with 3 speed with a high low & the tractor is very reliable. The 2018 M-F 1526 I bought mostly to work with my small dump truck & because of the FEL. I hope You don't have to much of a problem finding a tractor to suit your needs & hopefully You can find one in stock.

 

[DieselBound]

My wife is smaller! My tractors, though she's only operated on a very limited basis, are HST. I bought our Polaris (diesel) with HST for her: we have lots of distractions around us; reducing the complexity of operation on a piece of equipment lessens the chance of screwing up. She's quite capable of using a manual as that is what she has in her car (a TDI): she also learned to drive a stick. Unless one is doing a lot of ground-engaging work or on hilly terrain an HST is pretty much the way to go.

I am recently involved in moving a large shed and had to pin one corner of it while spinning around the back end of it. I pinned it with my B7800, leaving it in gear and idling (in-place) as I pushed with my Kioti: B7800's brakes are essentially non-functional. Not sure if non-HST can operate like the B7800 in such a situation. Yeah, the safety switch on the B7800 is disabled: I won't do this on the Kioti because it's cabbed; I can quickly jump on the B7800 and stop/adjust.

Also, when you get older your knees might thank you! (and in general, long days on a tractor can make one a bit wobbly- with HST you need only pull your foot off the travel pedal)

 

[5030]

One with an adjustable air ride seat. Any brand, any size.

 

[m1garand762]

It could be worse my buddy bought is tractor 14 hours away and the delivery company brought it to him in a horrible rainstorm with no hydraulic fill cap. He made them take it back the water completely filled the machine we took pictures of the serial number tag and he made them ship another tractor took the pics to verify it wasn’t the same machine a week later with new hydraulic fluid

 

[oosik]

You don't necessarily need a smaller tractor to be able to reach all the controls. My 5' 2" wife could easily reach the controls on my M6040. Slide the seat forward - tip the steering wheel up - away she goes.

 

[can do]

I haven't posted in a while, but the time is coming to think about a new tractor. I have a 2WD Case 585 (mid 80s vintage) that I bought in 2004. It has served me well, but I'm starting to want a new tractor, with a narrower footprint, and one that I can actually reach the controls on. And even if I don't decide on a new tractor, I need

The property: 15 acre horse farm with 3-4% grade (so no steep hills), riding arena maintenance, mowing, manure management, and moving snow in winter are the required uses. I'll be honest, a snow blower is desired, despite that being a silly thing in Northern Virginia...moving 3-4' drifts with a bucket gets old...fast, even if it is only once every 3-4 years.

Currently have a 93" finish mower, blade, & bucket and a 10' 3 pt hitch drag/harrow.

I took a spin (in the parking lot) of our local JD dealership, and was really thinking I'd like to go green, as I could leverage my USEF membership discount, but I hated driving the one they put me on. And, I don't think it had enough HP.

I'm likely going to have a Kubota rental/loaner next week, while my current one is in the shop, because the grass is tall! So that will give me an opportunity to drive a Kubota and see how I like the feel of that.

But, do any of you have a smaller operator in your usual drivers of your tractors?

Just wondering have You found a tractor Yet or have You decided to stick with the Case? & did your friend make that trip to Fredrick MD. to the M-F dealer? & speaking of Massey-Ferguson dealers I don't know if You where familiar with the old M-F dealer south of Warenton 15 & 17 S. by- pass that closed about 10 years ago ( Smith&Sons ) someone decided to purchase the property & refurbish it & it will become a new M-F dealer called Warenton Equipment they have a few tractors onsite & they'er stocking there parts bins & training personal with the help of M-F/ AGCO . I'm just glad to have a dealer close buy now & I will not have to go to Fredrick even though I do like dealing with Cogg Equipment.Take care & let us know if You are close to finding a suitable tractor or going to hang on to the Case.The dealer in Warenton email address is www.warentonequipment.com if your interested.

 

[mvoght]

Thanks! I saw that it looked like the M-F dealer might be returning and I saw a tractor out there a couple of months ago! I don't get that way often, but definitely need to get looking.

I did not get a tractor yet. I sent mine off for service...they sat on it for almost a month, didn't do anything to it, I squawked, they returned it, generously not charging me for hauling it to the shop and not working on it for a month. The international supply chain issues and pandemic pricing makes me drag me feet a bit as well.

I've decided to get my basement finished and get the maintenance done on the Case for this year. I also want a UTV for winter farm chores...I realize I won't use it much in the summer, but boy I want it for the winter. And, the little ones I want, I think will fit into my horse trailer and then I can use it at horse shows in summer.

I'm, obviously, a very slow researcher. And, I'm also ridiculously busy at work. I've got loads of vacation time, but no time to take it!

I am taking a week off, I think I need to make a day of tractor driving/shopping one of the things I do. I should probably make some appointments, walk ins don't seem to be super useful at tractor dealerships so far.

It looks like I have the following, easily accessed dealerships:
Kubota, New Holland, JD, Massey-Ferguson and there might be a Kioti somewhere. The local Kubota dealer is SLOW for service, they used to be a Case dealer, but no longer sell those.

On the implements front, I ended up having to replace my mower deck, after 17 years, it had rusted through, I had a local welder come pick it up, but to refurbish it would have been more cost than I wanted, so instead, we'll donate it to the local welding school, a new DelMorino was in stock, and I got that replaced. This one, we'll do a better job of keeping it cleaned off. The other wouldn't have rusted through so quick if we'd been better at keeping it clean. I went with a replacement as they said it definitely could be operated on a 40-45HP tractor.

So, I've spent a pretty penny on a mowing deck, but nothing else so far!