Your dream has come true; you’ve just bought your very own Eastern PA horse property! But with that property comes the responsibility of taking good care of your land, pastures, and arenas, and that requires some special equipment.
So what are the necessary tools needed for property maintenance, and how much can you expect to spend?
The most-used pice of equipment on any horse property is a tractor. Tractors come in all shapes, sizes, and strengths; and the type of machine you purchase will depend on just how much work you expect it to do. Most “at home” horse farms can get by with a 25-45 horsepower tractor for general mowing and maintenance as long as you also purchase implements that aren’t too big for your machine to handle. Even if buying used, expect to spend several thousand dollars on a tractor.
For a property that might need some serious clearing, your best bet is to purchase or borrow a Brush Hog or similar rotary mower. This piece of equipment will power through thick brush, tall shrubs, and vines, and get your overgrown pastures looking presentable. A Brush Hog is also a great choice for properties that have rocky or uneven areas, as the blades are designed to be more durable than the average mower. New, these mowers can cost between $1,400 - $1,600.
Even if your pastures aren’t overgrown, they still need mowing! Horses prefer to eat young, tender grass, and will often graze the same areas while leaving others to grow, making for an unsightly turnout area. Mowing frequently encourages the grass to grow evenly, and horses are more likely to graze the entire pasture if it’s made up of tasty young shoots. A finishing mower will do the job here, and though it costs more than a Brush Hog at around $2,000, it’s the best tool for keeping grass tidy.
If your horse property also includes a riding arena, you’ll need to maintain it to help your footing last as long as possible. Thankfully, there are a lot of options! One of the most inexpensive is a home-made chain drag. By affixing a length of chain-link fence to a pipe, and then anchoring the pipe to your tractor with a chain, you can make an effective arena grooming tool. You can also purchase a spring-tooth or drag harrow, which can do double-duty spreading manure in your pastures as well.
With the right tools, managing a horse property can be simple and satisfying, and make your farm a beautiful place to be.
Comments(6)