Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): Husquavana Riding lawn mower, jumper cables, starter solenoid

Question
My mower was starting fine but it started just starting some of the time. The times it would not start the key just clicks. I was going to follow the advise ...Jump the positive cable to the starter. Exactly what do I do! Do I take a set of jumper cables and  put the positive end on the starter and the negative end on the battery!

Answer
First I would recommend dis-connecting the battery and cleaning the battery terminals and cable ends with a wirebrush.  Second, with the cables clean, use a Bettery Tender or other .5 amp battery charger to charge the battery.  After the battery is fully charged then try and start the mower.  The clicking sound you hear is the starter solenoid and clicking is often a tell-tale sign of a weak battery or poor connection.

If you want you can charge the battery and take it to your local auto parts store and have them check it with a load tester.  Most will do this for free.  By the way, how old is the battery?

Eric