Steaming hay

[spotty_pony2]

Those of you that do do you find it limits the amount of dust and prevents coughing? Also is it quite palatable for fussy horses?

My old spotty boy has got a cough, Vet said lungs sounded clear but I can now pinpoint it to the fact that he is worse when he’s been in eating hay (even when he’s been in for an hour) he won’t eat it soaked so I am buying him a steamer… it is a homemade sort but I can’t afford a haygain. My other option is to put him on haylage but as we have made loads of our own hay I really want to use this if I can first. The other two horses are fine on it so I don’t think it’s the hay. He was fine on it too until about a month ago. I don’t understand why it’s suddenly a problem although I’m guessing at almost 26 things are going to start affecting him that didn’t used to. Today he was fine to ride except for the first time he slowed up a couple of times to cough and then carried on.

Experiences please?

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Yes it did but I gave up steaming once the steamer wasn't doing a good enough job and switched to haylage

 

[spotty_pony2]

Yes it did but I gave up steaming once the steamer wasn't doing a good enough job and switched to haylage

do you mean it wasn’t doing a good enough job because the steamer was old or because your horse became more sensitive?

 

[Peglo]

I have a haygain and the hay comes out so clean with zero visible dust compared to going in.
I am steaming hay for both of mine, one as she has allergies to dust and the other one ate double the amount of hay steamed vs not steamed and I wanted her to eat as much as possible so I now steam hers too.

I wouldn’t be without mine now.

Eta mine only developed a reaction to dust after I had her about 2 years.

The haygains are expensive but I would spend the money again if needed. It is a really good bit of kit.

 

[dixie]

I have a more basic type of hay steamer and find it really good. It is a faff having to do it but the horses love it and it smells wonderful.
Not that it made any difference to my horses cough and neither has haylage

 

[spotty_pony2]

Got one! The lady said she used to put the steamer on top of the hay but I thought it would be better underneath as surely the steam will rise?!

 

[millitiger]

I have a Nuveq steamer and it has transformed my horse.

He coughed on hay, soaked hay and even coughed with haylage.
To the point I bought him a nebuliser and was nebulising him 3-4 times a week but he still coughed.

Got the steamer and he hasn't been nebulised since and his breathing is SO much better!
I have 3 horses and they all love the steamed hay (they share a field so everyone has steamed now ).
They eat it up much better than plain or soaked hay.