• How Do I Use A Paddock Groomer?

To use simply hitch the Paddock Groomer to your towing vehicle, raise the brushes right up off the ground, drive to your paddock, wind the handle down to lower the brushes to the correct height for collection, then drive around your paddock straight over top of any horse poo or alpaca poo piles and small debris you wish to collect. When the tray (Original model) or collection chamber (Super Groomer model) is full, wind the front handle to lift the brushes rigt up off the ground and drive to your dumping spot to empty the contents.
Once finished cleaning your paddock, remember to again wind the handle back up to lift the brushes off the ground (so you are not continuing to sweep on your way back to parking area) and unhook your Paddock Groomer from the towing vehicle - it's that simple!

Every new Paddock Groomer comes with an information booklet to help get you started and a customised towbar to suit your particular tow vehicle.

Collection chamber and Original Groomer tray full of manure. Now that's effective!|

 

Email us now for more information: Info@PaddockGroomer.co.nz

 

• Q: What Can I Use To Tow My Paddock Groomer?
  A: The Paddock Groomer can be towed by a variety of vehicles including quad bike or ATV, ride-on lawn mower etc for use in cleaning paddocks.
  All new Paddock Groomers are sent out with 1 of our 3 custom specific towbars to suit the towball height of your particular tow vehicle. (Alternative towbars can be purchased individually too). Measure the towball height from the ground to top of towball so we can send you the correct towbar for your tow vehicle. Our agents will advise the best towbar to suit your individual tow vehicle requirements.

Paddock Groomers can easily be towed behind a wide range of different tow vehicles for cleaning paddocks.

• Q: How Fast Do I Need To Drive When Using The Paddock Groomer?
  A: Between 7 - 15kmph or similar to a jogging pace works well in most paddock and manure conditions. On most quad bikes we find just into 2nd Gear usually works best. The best speed and driving technique will soon become familiar to you with a little practise using your Paddock Groomer to suit your individual conditions.
  (NOTE the Paddock Groomer is NOT designed for towing down the road or on any other non-grass surfaces at normal car driving speeds. If this has to be done do not exceed a maximum speed of 10kmph.)
  
  
• Q: What Height Do I Need To Set The Brushes For Manure Collection?
  A: For cleaning most horse and alpaca paddocks we initially recommend the brushes are set approx 1 cm above soil, so when pointing directly towards the ground the bristles are just touching the ground/grazed grass. As a general guide, you should just be able to lie your flat palm on the ground underneath the brush bristles but this may vary up or down depending on individual ground conditions and length of grass etc. Some clearance between the brushes and the ground is usually required to create airflow and sweeping action. Lightly touching the ground is fine but the brushes should not be set hard against or into the ground. After a few uses you will become familiar with how high to set the brushes according to your individual paddock terrain, manure type and conditions.
  IMPORTANT NOTE: Assess brush height by looking only at the brush. The small front wheels on your Groomer DO NOT need to run along the ground during Groomer use - they are only there to protect the brush and roll the Groomer up and over any large bumps or objects.
  For alpaca poo or smaller manure you may need to set the brushes lightly down touching the ground to enable best pickup.
  If you are looking to collect rubbish or other objects (not manure) with your Paddock Groomer, eg empty soda cans, leaves, pinecones, grass clippings etc, you may need to alter the height of the brushes or remove all of the front tines for best pickup.
  

Full collection tray being emptied. Note the small debris and weed heads also collected, and the finer, broken up manure.

• Q: How Much Manure/Debris can the Paddock Groomer hold?
  A: The Original Groomer model can hold approximately 2 - 3 wheelbarrows full (300 litres), while the larger Super Groomer can hold approximately 3 - 6 wheelbarrows full (600 litres).
  The tines in front of the brush help break up the manure before it goes into the collection area, so you can often collect alot more manure than you normally would fit into a normal wheelbarrow. In wet or winter conditions when collection material is heavier, the tray on the Original Groomer will need to be emptied more often. In summer you can often fill the entire tray and collection chamber up to the top lid and it is still quite easy to empty due to the lighter / drier material collected.
  
• Q: How Do I Empty the Paddock Groomer?
  A: The two Paddock Groomer models have different emptying systems.
  Emptying the Original Groomer with collection tray - The collection tray slides in and out of the back of the Paddock Groomer, very like a lawn-mower catcher. Just begin to slide the tray out and the weight of the collected manure will drop the tray to the ground as you guide it completely out before tipping it sideways to empty - similar to emptying a wheelbarrow (but without any effort of picking it up or pushing the barrow everywhere!). Re-insert the tray by keeping the front end tilted up as you push it back into the Groomer ready for filling again.
  The unique design ensures the tray will not slide out on it's own accord. The tray itself is very sturdy yet lightweight and it's versatility means it can be removed and emptied anywhere you wish - eg under fencelines, onto a manure heap, into tree surrounds or gardens, into bags, onto a trailer to take elsewhere etc.

Emptying the Original Groomer with collection tray is similar to emptying a wheelbarrow but without any of the effort to pick it up or push the barrow around! Great for emptying under fences or around trees.

Emptying the Super Groomer with dump lid system - Unlock the side safety latch, place your hands centrally on the back handle and open the lid right up, the manure will immediately fall out of the Groomer. Push the lid down to close, lock the side latch and you are now ready for more Paddock Grooming.

Emptying the Super Groomer is easily done using the simple back lid and allows manure to be dumped
into a pile wherever you open the back lid.

• Q: How Do I Know When the Paddock Groomer is Full?
  A: The Paddock Groomer has a large lid on the top which can be opened to check how full the collection chamber is. Like a lawn-mower, if you start to see a some manure/debris being left behind as you drive around the paddock, you will also know the collection chamber is getting too full and the Groomer needs to be emptied. Very wet conditions may require the Groomer to be emptied more regularly as well.
  

• Q: Where can the Paddock Groomer Collect Manure/Debris From?
  A: The Paddock Groomer can collect manure and debris from anywhere you can go with your towing vehicle. Due to it's relatively light-weight construction and unique floating spring mechanism, it can be used on flat ground as well as hills and undulating ground conditions. Whatever your paddock terrain, if you can drive there safely, the Paddock Groomer will follow!

• Q: Does the Paddock Groomer work in all Pasture and Weather Conditions?
  A: The Paddock Groomer is designed for use in regularly grazed horse and alpaca paddocks. It can be used effectively all year round and works best in short to medium length grass, and reasonably dry conditions. It has been shown to work effectively on many different grass types (including kikuya), flat and sloping/undulating paddocks. Different conditions may require you to pass over the manure more times to collect it, or alter your direction, brush height or speed for best collection.
  Any small bits of poo that happen to be left behind by the Paddock Groomer on your first drive over will usually be broken up much smaller making it easier to pick up on the next pass over or to naturally break down / wash away if left.
  Very rutted hills or bumpy slopes or those hills with soil creep lines are the most challenging for any type of machine to collect manure from due to the ruts causing the machine to bump up off the ground.
  
  
• Q: My Pasture is very stalky / clumpy or the paddocks have too much grass, what can I do?
  A: If the pasture in your horse / alpaca paddocks is very clumpy, stalky or long we recommend using a towable topping mower in combination with your Paddock Groomer for best results and best pasture management - we recommend www.SmokeyGoatTopper.co.nz
  
  
• Q: Do my Horses need to be removed from the paddock before I use my Paddock Groomer?
  A: Because the Paddock Groomer doesn't have a motor it operates quietly so your horses will probably be happy for you to use it while they are still in the paddock once they are familiar with the look of it. We have done showground demonstrations in the grass warmup areas in amongst jumping horses warming up without any problems, as well as many demos in people's horse paddocks who have never seen it before and the horse's have not been worried. We use our home Paddock Groomer in the paddocks with our own horses all the time and they stand quietly or graze out of the way while we are cleaning their paddocks. The same has been reported for alpaca users too.
  
  
• Q: Does the Paddock Groomer Cost Anything to Run?
  A: No. The Paddock Groomer itself has no motor or fuel requirements so costs nothing to run.
  
  
• Q: Does the Paddock Groomer Require Any Ongoing Maintenance?
  A: Very little! We suggest you put a few drops of oil on the chain regularly to keep the chain in going working condition. We also suggest giving the entire machine, in particular the chain, tines, brushes and collection area, a thorough wash down with water particularly after using in wet or muddy conditions to ensure that mud, dirt or manure doesn't build up and set hard.
  The body of the Paddock Groomer is made from moulded UV-treated Polyethylene making it lightweight, tough and weather resistant for use outdoors so it won't fade, rust or rot - particularly important when collecting acidic manure material.
  Every Paddock Groomer comes with an instruction booklet for use and maintenance.
  
  
• Q: Will the Brushes Wear Out?
  A: The brushes used by the Paddock Groomer to sweep your paddocks clean are strong, industrial standard brushes as used by common road sweepers. Normal use in your horse paddocks or alpaca fields will cause very little wear over a long period (years). Should the brushes start to wear, they can be unbolted and lowered at the sides for further use, and are also easy to completely replace if needed.
  
  
• Q: Where Can I Buy A Paddock Groomer?
  A: Simply contact us today to enquire or order your Paddock Groomer! Machines are freighted direct from manufacturer to your closest Freight depot or home address anywhere in New Zealand.
  
  
• Q: I Don't Live in New Zealand, Where Can I Buy a Paddock Groomer?
  A: The Paddock Groomer is now available overseas. Please Contact Us for purchase details in your area.
  
  
• Q: I Have Purchased a Second-Hand Paddock Groomer. Is There Anything I Need To Know?
  A: Yes! If you have purchased a second-hand Paddock Groomer please Contact Us so we can send you a free Info Booklet and help you get started with a few tips. The towbar provided with the second-hand Paddock Groomer will also need to be checked to ensure it properly suits the height of your towing vehicle - we have 3 towbar options avaialble and the incorrect towbar can cause damage to the machine or not allow the machine to work effectively. We advise contacting us as soon as you have purchased a second-hand Groomer so we can help ensure your machine is set up for most effective use for your individual situation so you can get the best results.
  
  
  

For further details and to order please contact:
Diana Jamieson - NZ Farm And Lifestyle Solutions.
Email: Info@PaddockGroomer.co.nz
Phone Diana: 021 447725

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