Began prepping my hay fields after winter. I used a 15’ batwing mower to mow 20 acres of leased pasture. It was once a great field where cattle grazed and hay was produced, but the owner decided a couple of years ago to have the fences tow down. Now it has old fence debris piled at various spots throughout the field. I got about half of it mowed before I ran into standing water from the last rain. I could have continued to mow, but I began making ruts with the weight of my equipment. Since this is the second time I’ve mowed the pasture since I took it over, my batwing found old pasture gates that had been grown over, rusted drilling stem fence posts, and all kind of trash you never see when you ride the field on a 4-wheeler prior to mowing.
Today I learned (actually was reminded) that I’m 5’10” tall. When my batwing is folded up the outside tire arm is only 5’8” high. My blades picked up some barbed wire and as I went around the raised wing the tire arm knocked me to the ground. I never saw it coming. I lay on the ground wishing this was the first time this had happened. As I thought back, it wasn’t even the 2nd time this had happened. One day I’ll remember BEFORE I hit it.