The Versatile Massey Ferguson 1700 Series

For Deena and Larry Coleman, and the staff at Pokagon State Park Saddle Barn in Indiana, keeping 14 horses happy, healthy and well-fed, all while maintaining the surrounding property, is no small task.

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Enter the 42-HP Massey Ferguson® 1742 tractor the Colemans purchased last spring. Able to haul and load feed as easily as it pulls wagonloads on hayrides, the machine is an all-purpose workhorse.

“We go through a ton of hay every three days,” says Deena. “Those bales weigh about 1,200 pounds, so we have to use a tractor to get them out to the feeder. When we put hay in the feeder, it has to be lined up just exactly right and it has to be level.

“It’s like threading a needle,” she continues, explaining that the integrated loader joystick helps immensely. “It’s quite precise,” says Deena.

Indiana is notorious for its hot, humid summers and snowy winters. Yet, the ergonomically designed, climate-controlled cab, complete with heat, air conditioning and doors on each side, keeps the Colemans comfortable.

“The cab really fit their bill, between working at the Saddle Barn in the summer, doing hayrides in the winter and clearing snow at home when the park is closed,” explains the couple’s dealer, Don Harter, of Harmony Outdoor Equipment in Arcola, Ind.

“Larry loves it because of the cab,” adds Deena, about her husband. “He can put hay out in the winter and stay warm and dry. The tractor is well suited for what we bought it for,” she says.