We needed a shelter for our flock of Katahdin/Dorper sheep, but I also wanted one that would be comfortable for 2 horses as well. Just in case I had an injured horse or two that needed to be kept close to the house.
With so many cougar, wolves and bears (we had a grizzly on the property this summer) you just never know! I’ll show you what we came up with…
UHI Machinery 825 Wheel Loader
This is the wheel loader you see in the video, that I purchased from UHI Machinery in Canada. I was originally going to get the smaller model, the UWL816, which was sufficient for my needs (also has a Cummins engine, only 10 hp less and list price of $45K) but UHI couldn’t ship it to me in time for winter.
Since my ranch is 7km down a logging road, we had to make sure the transport truck arrived before the first snowfall! So UHI offered me a great deal on the UWL825, which they had in stock, so I went with that. As my neighbour says, “You don’t ever hear anyone say: Gee, I wish I got a smaller tractor.” True dat.
This is how to reach UHI Machinery in the USA
I’m thinking about getting this mini excavator next… honestly, it’s cheaper than an ATV! All their equipment comes with a 3 year warranty AND the parts are widely available at your local parts store. No more ‘proprietary parts’ where you have to pay $600 for a couple of rubber rings (hello Caterpillar, are you listening??!)
The tractor/skid steer scam
Seriously, I’m so pissed off at the way most heavy equipment companies are scamming us over parts and repair. I just went through a 3-year rigmarole with my Cat skid steer and ended up selling it – to a mechanic who can fix it himself and manufacture a lot of the parts needed in-house.
So you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover UHI Machinery – a new company from Australia, only been running since 2018 – who are the market-disruptors I wished for! And this is why I’m so excited to share them with you.
There’s not a lot of info available on them yet – Facebook has a good group made up of UHI owners down in Australia – but I predict great things ahead for this company. Their customer service has been stellar, and we are really pleased with the quality of the machine.
My neighbour’s already thinking of buying one as he’s wished for a bigger tractor for a few years now – they couldn’t believe it when they saw this one and I told them what I’d paid, plus warranty, plus parts available at any local Lordco or parts shop. Bam.
Before I bought this ranch, I never imagined I would get so excited over heavy equipment LOL. But those of you who need a tractor or skid steer to feed your horses, know what I’m talking about. This is not a luxury piece of equipment, it’s an absolute necessity.
In the week before he died, my Dad looked at my Mum and said, “Make sure you buy her a tractor.” He knew. Bless.
Jini Patel Thompson is a natural health writer and Lazer Tapping instructor. She began riding at age 2 in Kenya, and got her first horse at age 8 in Alberta, and so continues a life-long journey and love affair with these amazing creatures.
