Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - 12 hp briggs wont turn over

Hey guys i have a mtd riding mower with a 12hp briggs. I just tried to use today for the first time since the summer and she wont turn over. When i short it out at the solenoid it will turn over and crank. I was told to check the switches that go to the clutch, the blade enagagement, and the seat to see if those are bad. Only thing is i dont know how to do that. I tihnk the problem is the solenoid but the lawn place told me to check those switches too, to make sure. any help will be appreciated ...........thanks dave

Do you have a 12volt test light and a multi-meter? First test will be at the solenoid. The tests will be easier if you have a second person to sit on the seat and perform normal start procedures while you are performing the tests. Clamp the ground wire of the test light to a suitable metal point on the chassis. If your solenoid has three total wires, touch the light probe to the terminal with the smallest wire running to it (this is the trigger wire), with a person seated and with clutch depressed, have your helper turn the key to the start position. The light should glow. If so, first check for voltage at the solenoid post that has the cable that runs to the battery. Touch the probe to this terminal, turn the key to the run position. It should light up. If so, touch the probe to the other large terminal (the one with the cable running to the starter motor), turn the key to the start position. It should light up. If so, you either have a bad starter or poor connection. If the probe didn't light up with the small wire terminal test, post back. I don't want to overload you with too much. NOTE: If you have a solenoid with four total wires running to it, one of the two small wires will merely be a grounding wire. You will have to determine which is which because if you touch the ground terminal you will get no response. Typically these will be a short jumper wire going to a metal point on the chassis if the solenoid happens to be mounted to something plastic and therefore can't ground through the frame (chassis).

It actually only has 2 small wires running to the solenoid and both are the same size does this make a difference?

hEY I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT AFTER I GOT IT RUNNING YESTERDAY BY SHORTING IT OUT AT THE SOLENOID, WHEN I TRIED TO SHORT IT OUT AND CRANK IT AGAIN IT WOULDNT TURN IT OVER LIKE IT SHOULD, I ACTED LIKE IT HAD NOT ENOUGH BATTERY POWER TO TURN IT OFF

You could simply have a very dead battery...have it load tested and voltage tested.