Delighted with my Haygain Steamer

Gingerwitch

Gingerwitch

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 May 2009
Messages
6,102
Location
My own planet
Visit site
Well.... using the cough little lad had during this bad weather due to not soaking hay, and the expense of buying horsage at £6.90 per bag, my oh did allow me to get the lady from Haygain to come and do a demo in minus 8 last Monday night - Dani thank you ! - she brought both machines the large one and then new smaller model - and i chose the smaller one for praticallity sake - only two horses (atm.... working on hubby though !) with the ability to wheel it around the yard and the speed of the first run.... it was delivered on Friday and has been used for 3 cycles yesterday and today with loose semi- dusty hay, and i am very very impressed, the horses do think it is a fire breathing dragon as they walk past it -and i suppose it is lol - but they are tucking into they hay and i am so releived not to be worrying about the horses coughing and worrying about paying out £11 pound a day for a bag or horseage and a "good" bale of hay if and when we get snow bound next week.

So anyone hivering or hovering - i for one say it is well worth the money

GW
 
I made my own from a wallpaper steamer and a large water butt which was working beautifully until last Tuesday when the YO who was wrestling a large haylage bale into the barn with a tractor knocked down the adjoining wall and squished my homemade version. However, she had decided to buy a 'commercial' one for others on the yard to use too, but still waiting for it to actually put in an appearance but I am looking forward to using it.
 
I have just taken delivery of my happy horse stable mate hay steamer and it is an absolute life saver. We are at the moment on a very wet muddy yard and being able to steam the hay quickly and move it around easily to feed is great. Our horses really like eating it and do not leave a scrap.

:)
 
They are so good, and easy to use. And there is something rather nice when its very cold about feeding them warm hay... We have put it on a timer thingy so its all ready for about 8 every morning. You can also put the ready made nets in there to steam too which cuts down the time again. And the cats love it.
 
If the temperatures get very low again, make sure you drain the boiler, cover it up, cover up the steamer itself & drain the water pipe & keep it lagged, its a nightmare when it freezes, the boiler will overheat & steam comes billowing out from the cap. Oh, you need to clean the steamer out daily too or the jets will freeze. Apart from that, its great!
 
Hi Kittywiz... Which model do you have? I have found that the Stable Mate in the tack room has coped really well in the freezing conditions with no pipe or jets freezing at all.
 
Yep, really pleased with mine too. Have discovered that when it's going to freeze hard overnight, undoing steam pipe and draining it, and then in the morning getting the steamer going without a bale in it, and pouring hot water over the pipes and plates, works. it doesn't spit/steam much, is perfectly safe have open and ensure that steam's getting through properly before putting bale in. (took me a while to work this out, and a lot of frustration!)
 
auntsally said:
Hi Kittywiz... Which model do you have? I have found that the Stable Mate in the tack room has coped really well in the freezing conditions with no pipe or jets freezing at all.
Click to expand...

Its my YM, the middle size one that takes half a bale, trouble is she has it set up outside so that must be why yours is ok as you have it nice & snug in your tackroom!! Kerrilli - thats a really good idea to get the steam going through first with the lid open to check, will suggest this to Jo if the temps begin to go right down again. Have to say, its a godsend being allowed to use it, just couldn't afford to continue with Horsehage & just couldn't bear to be soaking again.
 
There's a warning on the lid about not opening it when it's on, so I was being a real wuss thinking steam would be spurting everywhere, but actually it just comes out a little way from the spikes, isn't dangerous. trying to defrost it with a bale in just wasn't working at all...
the horses love their steaming hay, it smells delish.
 
I'd love to have use of one, but they're too expensive for the (averagely skint :o) single horse owner and as everyone is cutting back on spending this year - there's sadly little chance of anyone wanting to share the cost at my yard :(
 
Gutted... I understand the price. We moved from Haylage to Hay with the steamer as this brought down our cost. I know that HHP do a bag version for £195.. dont know if this would help at all. Good Luck
 
auntsally said:
Gutted... I understand the price. We moved from Haylage to Hay with the steamer as this brought down our cost. I know that HHP do a bag version for £195.. dont know if this would help at all. Good Luck
Click to expand...

Worth a look and calculating the saving between buying it and switching from haylage to hay..... definitely.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top