Horse drawn sickle bar mower

I have no personal experience but I've seen quite a few that were changed to be pulled by tractor power. It was common back "in the day" when transitioning from horse-power to tractors a farmer would use what implements that he had that could be converted to pulled by his new tractor. JMHO Stan
 
It's works great if the sickle is sharp and guards are in good shape, and no dead grass to cause a plug. Or, a good wind from behind, or half laid down tall grass that falls forward. At least on the first cutting of the year.

If it's not gathered off the field, the next time you mow, the first cutting can give you fits, but that even happens with a PTO driven mower.
 
DJ54 said:
It's works great if the sickle is sharp and guards are in good shape, and no dead grass to cause a plug. Or, a good wind from behind, or half laid down tall grass that falls forward. At least on the first cutting of the year.

If it's not gathered off the field, the next time you mow, the first cutting can give you fits, but that even happens with a PTO driven mower.
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Thanks. I would only use it to mow the field edges and roadsides. I wasn't thinking of gathering it up but it sounds like I'll have issues if I don't.
 
Not gonna work! Dad used a Deere 4 Big horse mower behind his Oliver 70 and the mower always plugged up if he tried to mow roadsides with it. Clover hay wasnt too bad. I had to ride the mower to raise it at the turns and get off and unplug the stupid thing!!!
 
Roadsides are a whole different story with all of the beverage cans, fast food bags, and anything else people toss out the window going down the road. I mowed along state highways here in Ohio for more than several years so have firsthand experience at that. One thing that is pretty much a must have is the ability to lift the cutter bar so as to back up and hopefully unplug the cutter bar. Not going to be possible with a horse drawn. A side mount PTO mower would be a better option but may tie up the tractor for any other mounted attachment you may have.

Dad mowed our field with a Farmall A and an IH horse drawn many years ago. No trash, but dead grass, or windblown tall grass would give him fits. At times it would plug bad enough to lock up the drive wheel. I was young/small enough I rode on the seat between his legs as it had a deluxe seat. I expanded my vocabulary at a very young age riding along mowing.

A flail mower may be a better option, especially along a road. They don't throw trash like a rotary type of cutter. I have a 6' Mott I use on my Ford 2000 to clip the pasture here, and barber up around the same hayfield I rode around with Dad on the A 60+ years ago. Does a great job and doesn't throw trash that may have gotten tossed into the pasture along the road.
 
I should have explained better. I meant the sides of the roads in the fields, not the public road. Either way it sounds like I need to get a Cub sickle bar. Thanks for the inputs.
 
I recently saw one on Craigslist with the tractor. You wouldn’t have to change it if you bought the whole unit with tractor.
 
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