Haygain steamer - is it worth the money?

[Marigold4]

My 7 year old gelding has had some kind of virus (coughing and snotty). Had a nasal scope and not equine flu, strangles or EHV. My mare and foal had the virus too but have shaken it off quite quickly, thankfully. Gelding is still coughing and a bit snotty 5 weeks later. He has a history of a dry cough, was scoped last year and some allergic inflammation found so put on steroids etc and eventually (weeks later) stopped coughing. Had him scoped again yesterday and inflammation seen so when results come back we are expecting to see a similar finding of allergic inflammation.

Thinking of buying a Haygain steamer to help him with the coughing. Anyone got one? It's very expensive and before I invest, just wondering how effective people have found it in allergic (COPD) type coughing. The website suggests it will be very useful for him, but what are people's practical experiences?

 

[poiuytrewq]

They are brilliant. If I had a 7 yr old with a history of respiratory issues that I planNed on keeping I’d definitely invest in one yes.

 

[Hobo2]

Yes expensive but yes they do a great job . I have had my old mare on steamed hay for four years and lungs are as sound as a pound. I bought a new horse last November who coughed in the vetting as they had just changed to straw. I took a punt that my dust free bedding and steamed hay would settle any coughing which fingers crossed it has .
DO if you get one have it on a timer so it turns off after the hour so you do not burn it out.

 

[asmp]

We’ve got one at our which is owned by another livery but it hasn’t been used for some time as we are now provided with haylage. It was very good but i worried about the cost of the electricity to the yard owner (especially now electric prices are so high). I think I paid extra for the electricity used. It did have to be repaired once as we are in a hard water area.

 

[Marigold4]

We’ve got one at our which is owned by another livery but it hasn’t been used for some time as we are now provided with haylage. It was very good but i worried about the cost of the electricity to the yard owner (especially now electric prices are so high). I think I paid extra for the electricity used. It did have to be repaired once as we are in a hard water area.

That's a useful thought. Our water is hard too and ruins kettles and coffee machines.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Yes, they are worth the money. They heat the hay up to a sufficiently high enough temp to kill any bugs.

Home made steamers do not do that. They make the hay smell nice, but provide a perfect bug growing environment . Haygain steamed hay remains fresh and ok to use for 24 hours. Other users with home made or cheaper brands report that their steamed hay goes off very quickly in hot weather, showing that it wasn’t properly steamed in the first place.

 

[poiuytrewq]

That's a useful thought. Our water is hard too and ruins kettles and coffee machines.

At work we ran a descaler through it (no hay!) every so often which kept on top of the lime.

 

[TPO]

Yes, they are worth the money.

Haygain advise using the descaler every 6wks I think it is. I don't have hard water and never had a bother.