"Bucking Horse" (C-160) wins - 4½ hours in ER

[Dresden Guy 24]

First off, let me say.... I love my C-160 and hold no animosity towards it - just because it came off my loading  ramps and fell on me. When I tried to load C-160 by myself, I took "Special Kind Of Stupid" to a new level! I was so excited about having plowed two gardens yesterday morning, (for no $, just great seat time) and was enroute to two of my old school Amish friends, who asked if I would plow their garden plots, and I said sure. They have to borrow a team of four draught horses from a mile down the road. I know both of them very well and was excited to "turn over the ground" ........ they assured me that many wheelbarrows of fresh horse manure had been applied last week.

 

Here comes the stupid - I placed my ramps securely on my trailer and got on my tractor. In the past I have always put the tractor in Low Range and in "creeper gear" so as to be able to stay in control. Yesterday, I left it in High Range and chose my lowest gear and pulled to the end of the ramps. The RPMs were too high, and the gear too high, and when I let out slowly on the clutch, the tractor lurched up the ramps about 2 ft. and then the front lifted straight up and came back over on me. I was able to have the presence of mind to roll the tractor ro my right to hopefully avoid snapping my neck. The tractor ended up (still running) on my left left leg and cut it fairly bad (25+ stitches) and some other contusions and abrasions all over. But all will be ok.

 

Fortunately, two ladies who were driving by and went around the block and come back to my aid. One of the ladies was the wife of where I had just 2 hours prior, plowed their ½ acre garden. As it turned out, they are both RNs and saw blood everywhere and took over. Enough details, BUT-

 

To anyone who even thinks about loading a 750# tractor without help, and then don't use the right gears, and say: - "I done this many times, what can go wrong"?

 

I know many of you are asking yourselves the all important question:  - HOW IS THE TRACTOR??  Well, it only has a slightly bent steering wheeling! But other than that ready to plow....... those old C-160s are invincible!! I'm not, but they are!

Score:       Wheel Horse C-160 - 1      One, 68 yr. old, who did a stupid thing and learned a valuable lesson  - 0     Well enough of my pity party and yammering - hope my little episode will be useful to someone.

 

   

[520HC 207]

I myself upset one several years back loading it.  Cracked two ribs. Since then I am too scared to ride a tractor up a ramp. I put it in low range, idle it down, and let it walk itself up the ramps. Much safer for me, and I am 61 years old!!

[puddlejumper 67]

Glad you are allright. done something similar on a round hood with plow. came off clutch to quick with plow out of ground tractor done wheelie plow took ground and away I went plowing with tractor standing up on rear wheels, thankfully I managed to stay in seat, Got to say one thing for the belt drive it never slipped just kept on plowing. Sad part was it was at plowdays and had a crowd watchin me make a fool of myself.

[MalMac 1,328]

Glad all you got out of it was some stitches,bumps and bruise and of course a bruised ego. I learned the hard way not to under estimate these little tractors acting just like big farm tractors. I had a 753 rare up while pulling a cultivator. I caught a root and the next thing I knew I got thrown off the seat when the tractor stood straight up. Landed back on the cultivator with the tractor still trying to go. Got bruised up good. Glad your ok, we don't mend quite as fast so take it easy, you will be back to plowing in no time. Just a little wiser.

[Wheel-N-It 2,967]

Darn glad you injuries were no worse than that!!!  Thank you for passing on the good advice to everyone here regarding how dangerous these little tractors can be if the right safety practices are not used when operating them. You take care of that leg and follow yout Doctors orders!

[squonk 39,161]

I'm curious on how high the ramps were and was the plow still attached. I made it a point to get a trailer with a loading gate.No more  ramps for me.

[stevasaurus 22,275]

Glad you are OK.  There are videos on U-Tube of what happened to others loading and unloading tractors.  We old guys do not heal as fast as we used to.  My guess is that your image of what happened will be in your mind's eye every time you mount that horse from now on.   Don't you just love nurses??

[varosd 1,185]

Just remember Dresden guy, any parachute jump you can walk(ah, limp) away from, is a good jump!  when I was growing up in CT, we had a gear head friend that we hadnt heard from in a couple days and they found him under his car with the jack popped out. Be aware, ski with care!

[SALTYWRIGHT 859]

THATIS WHY I HAVE A TAIL GATE RAMP NOW ON MY TRAILER. I AM 84 AND TOO OLD TO GET HURT.

[AMC RULES 36,961]

Thank God there are Angels here amongst us...sounds like, for those good deeds, you were richly rewarded that day. 

Always amazes me how...when you need it most, the help you are in so in need of, is so close at hand. Glad you're OK.  

[Dresden Guy 24]

Sqounk,

I have a low trailer, maybe 18". And no, I always have to unhitch the moldboard plow. It is so low to the ground, even when lifted up, that it digs in. So, I always take it off.

 

And I would like to have a ramp/gate on my trailer, but in this case it was fault, too many rpms, wrong gear, bad front/rear loading ratio at the ramp angle, etc. etc.

 

From now on I will does as 520HC said, "walk it up the ramps in creeper gear, standing beside the tractor, not in the tractor seat.

 

I'm curious on how high the ramps were and was the plow still attached. I made it a point to get a trailer with a loading gate.No more  ramps for me.

[312Hydro 473]

Very glad that your ok and able to write about this. I too had an experience but my tractor had a few more scrapes. Better it than me. Mine was purely operator error and I'm glad my safety switches worked .

[Dresden Guy 24]

Thanks to all for your well wishes. And yes a bruised ego, as the nurses called 911, and in 3 minutes, the Emergency Squad pulled up, lights flashing and 7 of my friends who are all firemen and/or EMTs came running when they heard the address. And, yes we live right on Main St., and yes they wheeled me out on a gurney for the world to see! I could probably have made it to the squad, but they all "grunted" me down the steps to the waiting sqaud. When you live in a small village, everyone knows everything going on, and I'm sure I was one of the topics at the daily,6am "Guy Gathering" at the corner Dairy Mart.

But thanks to all of your kind feedback and if my mishap can impress just one person to BE CAREFUL, then it will be worth it. Handle these SOLID STEEL HORSES with respect!

[312Hydro 473]

Small towns are great!

[AMC RULES 36,961]

Yep, everyone's always lookin'.................out for ya.    

[KC9KAS 4,741]

Glad you weren't hurt any worse than you were. I'm sure you were sore in places you didn't think hurt at 1st!

 

Most of us have had simular experiences, and fortunately made it through without to many broken bones or stitches.

[leeave96 487]

Do you have pics and/or videos of all this - plowing I mean...

 

Hope you get to feeling getter sooner than later - close call!!!!!

[Dresden Guy 24]

Do you have pics and/or videos of all this - plowing I mean...

 

Hope you get to feeling getter sooner than later - close call!!!!!

Yes, not from plowing yesterday but from last spring - same tractor, same plow and location. I will try to upload maybe this evening. Field plowing.

[octfst 378]

Glad you are ok. Did that about 30 years ago. thats why I have winches on the trucks & trailers.

[JackC 616]

I know your pain. Don't ask me how I know.

[Tankman 3,515]

 

I'm curious on how high the ramps were and was the plow still attached. I made it a point to get a trailer with a loading gate.No more  ramps for me.

Nice to hear OK with your injuries, these WH's are heavy.

I only use ramps when absolutely necessary. Most always (99% of the time) I get a trailer.

Wow! Be sure not sorry!

[953 nut 52,254]

This can also happen when mowing up a steep grade, seems to take for ever in low first but trust me it will keep you safe.

[Kevbo 80]

Glad to hear you are ok!! Hope you have a speedy recovery!

[6wheeler 586]

Glad you are able to tell us the story.... Been there done that. As I am sure alot of folks on here will tell ya. These horses we all love, KICK..... Gotta be careful. Just because we see them as smallish equipment, they are just as dangerous as the large farm equipment I work with. I know its hard to see it but, these are heavy pieces of equipment and with the HP they have? They can be very unforgiving. Gravity still controls them in some way, especially when loading. Good luck to ya and I hope you heal up quick.

[546cowboy 301]

I have never had one wheelie on me but I have had a ramp slide back a couple times and luckily it was with a B-82. Now I make sure to have those straps attached to hold the ramps against the trailer. That wheelie thing is another reason I prefer hydro's because you can stand next to one and walk it up into a pick-up if needed.

 

Glad you weren't hurt any worse but we do learn from our mistakes.