Farm friendly wheelchair/powerchair

[ABDR4]

To make a long story short, I’ve managed to kinda cripple myself. Pulled muscles in my good leg and my bad leg isn’t at all happy. My horses are coming in a couple days, and I have to figure out how to get mobile enough to take care of them without killing myself. I know the easy answer is to find someone to take care of them, but I really miss them & taking care of them. I can stand ok & lift stuff. It’s just that walking any kind of real distance is too painful. I’d also rather find a tool to help me do what I want to do vs sit in bed waiting for my leg to heal. I’m kinda going a bit stir crazy waiting for it to heal, and one of the things I hate most in life is when physical issues prevent me from doing what I want to do. A wheelchair seems like an obvious solution, but the ones I’m familiar with aren’t exactly suitable for a farm. Especially where we’re at now, where things are a bit rough since we’re still getting things set up.

Normally I’d just use the tractor to move the soaked alfalfa or their hay, but with the current state of both my legs I simply cannot get up into the tractor. I’m fine on even ground & ok short distances on grass, but the horses & the hay are going to be spaced too far apart for me to walk and my leg isn’t healing fast enough for me.

Is there a wheelchair that would:
-be able to easily roll over grass & uneven ground (either manually or powered)
-allow me to carry supplements out to them
-pull a small cart behind it for buckets of soaked alfalfa or hay ie pull 20-30lbs in a cart

[candyappy]

Sounds like you need a utility vehicle. I am not someone who likes others to do stuff for me but if you can’t walk steadily( or well) you are at risk when around the horses. Maybe a golf cart would fit the bill and you can supervise someone and do what you can safely.

Winter makes routine farm chores 100% more difficult.

What good does it do to do too much and hamper the healing you are needing to fully care for your horses in the future?

[Where_sMyWhite]

@ABDR4

Is there a wheelchair that would:
-be able to easily roll over grass & uneven ground (either manually or powered)
-allow me to carry supplements out to them
-pull a small cart behind it for buckets of soaked alfalfa or hay ie pull 20-30lbs in a cart

Um… no (and I do use a power wheelchair with two drive wheels and 4 caster wheels).

The more uneven the ground, the less practical it is. Loose footing (loose dirt, soil) will cause issues. If you can carry the supplements in your lap, yes, it will do the trick (I struggle with a 40lb bag but that is as much me as the chair). Wet grass, probably not.

Pulling something? Pretty impractical and not what a real power w/c is designed for.

There are power chairs that will handle what you are looking for but how much are you willing to spend? These, IMO, drool-worthy chairs are easily $10K plus.

Oh, and my chair, any lip/drop/etc of more than 3-4" is out of the question. Maybe a chair of a different design this wouldn’t be as big an issue.

I’d be looking at some sort of ATV. I’d also, in my chair, be pretty concerned wanting to get close to a horse. Not because they’d be afraid but more if I needed to maneuver quickly to get out of the way, probably won’t be able easily.

My opinion, not practical or safe for what you are looking for.

[Mango20]

I have a job that takes disabled people hunting, and we have four different all-terrain wheelchair type things. One has tracks like a bulldozer, one has six small but fat wheels, and one is like a tricycle. The fourth is more of a power wheelchair and doesn’t have as much all-terrain capability as the other three. I don’t think any of them are equipped to pull a trailer. I can check brand names when I go back in later this week but I suspect these are prohibitively expensive for what sounds like a temporary problem, and you’d get more for your money by buying a golf cart or UTV.

[Marla_100]

can you borrow or rent a good Lawn Tractor? I used one for several years while my smashed leg was healing. Then I graduated to a 3 or 4 wheel push walker/scooter which has a basket for carrying buckets and flakes of hay. those walker things= some have wider wheels so they’re good in soft soil. even a regular walker with 2 small wheels can be used.
Sometimes GoodWill has reduced prices on used walker things.

[BrendaJane]

all of the above.
for short term mobility issues (depending on the distance) get yourself a good rollator walker. you can support and balance yourself and have a seat handy to take a break.
Other than that, you are looking at major bucks.
My husband has a Quantum power chair, and I can barely get the beast across the hardpan front yard when there is the slightest debris on the ground! Just a little loose soil and I have to reroute.
A golf cart would be your best bet, or one of those mutants created for farm work (mules?)
The wheelchair scooter route is not meant to do work.

And speedy recovery!

[Marla_100]

If you have a Medical Supply place that rents equipment, they might have something to suggest and will be cheaper than buying something.

[Djones]

My kawasaki mule with a bench seat is easier to get in/out than my riding mower.

Get a mule or similar UTV.

[Bluey]

If your main goal is to self care of your horses, since this is temporary, maybe consider staying safe and hiring help for you to do what you want to do.
Any one will fit that, they don’t need to know horses, you will be right there to direct and YOU get the help you need.
Check with locals, get the word out.
Maybe someone retired may love a temporary job of a few hours of light work.

That would keep you safe and the horses cared for by you.
It is temporary, maybe worth having that help for a bit.
Good luck with the leg healing soon.

[Graymaresrule]

It’s currently in the shop so I can’t take a picture but my gas powered golf cart has served me well. It can pull a cart or Newer Spreader and carry 3 bales of hay. It’s 4 WD.

Downside… It cost around $10k

[paintedpony]

Check out the Daymark Boomerbeast

AWD, ATV like tires, and a carry rack. The design strikes me as ATV meets mobility scooter, with ease of passenger entry. Cost is around 4K.

Edited to add: A golf cart would provide much more flexibility, security, comfort and long term use. Perhaps you can check facebook marketplace for price friendly used model.

[Equibrit]

Off-Road Mobility Vehicles & Wheelchairs | TerrainHopper USA

You may be able to rent one.

[lenapesadie]

I have a gas powered golf cart with utility bed. Got it used for under a grand. Unless you have mountains of mud, I’d think it would suit your purposes.

[ABDR4]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have some research to do. I used to use our zero turn mower for similar situations, but we sold it and finding a new one is proving quite difficult. We have a tractor but it’s too tall for me to get in comfortably & requires too much leg strength to operate. I’m having trouble stepping up & down on a normal height stair.