Posted: 5th November 2015 | Back to news feed
FOR head girl and dressage competition rider Hannah Bailey, knowing her horses are getting the very best forage provides peace of mind that they can compete to their maximum.
Based at Westcroft Equestrian Centre in Wincanton, Hannah has been steaming hay for more than 12 months, understanding the huge benefits this brings, especially for those horses with breathing issues.
Hannah has recently joined the team of HAYGAIN hay steamers’ brand ambassadors and is delighted to be working alongside them.
Owning one horse herself, Rosewater Danny Boy, Hannah also trains and competes four dressage horses for yard owner Liz Rawlingson and is responsible for all 15 horses on the yard including the liveries.
Rosewater Danny Boy is a five-year-old ‘overgrown pony’ by the exceptional pony stallion FS Don’t Worry and has started a career in eventing, with a very positive first season.
Besides eventing ‘Danny’ she focuses on dressage. Hannah’s serious competition career only began 18 months ago but has sky rocketed in a very short space of time, from Novice/ Elementary at the beginning of the year, to competing at Prix St Georges level with Liz Rawlingson’s 12-year-old stallion Show Boy. The pair are now working towards high profile shows with the aim of competing in the Sunshine Tour next year.
Liz bought a HAYGAIN HG-1000 just before Christmas last year and they have seen the huge benefits ever since. The team had been looking for a solution for a couple of their horses which had breathing problems and they decided to research the benefits of steaming hay further.
Said Hannah: “We had a livery with rumblings of COPD and soaked hay had made no difference to him. However, since being fed on steamed hay he has been able to come off most of his medication and he’s so much better.”
Another horse on the yard who has significantly benefited from HAYGAIN is dressage horse, Westcroft Don Paccini who made his debut at the National Championships this year with Hannah, after being transformed by steamed hay.
Added Hannah: “He suffered with gastric ulcers and the sugar content in haylage was too high for him so we had struggled to give him the energy he needed without triggering the ulcers. Steamed hay has literally turned him into a different horse and his performance is now incredible.”
Hannah and Liz saw the HAYGAIN hay steamers at their stand at the British Dressage National Championships last year and having known that steaming was better for equine health and optimising performance, they decided that HAYGAIN was the best option.
Explained Hannah: “We had looked around and then found out about HAYGAIN and it really was the best option, plus it is financially very good value.”
The HAYGAIN HG-1000 hay steamer is used on most of the horses at Westcroft Equestrian Centre and even has its own stable designated to it. The steamer is used regularly throughout the day and fits in easily with the yard routine.
Said Hannah: “We steam hay five times over the day and then put one on in the evening ready for the morning. We needed one that was big enough for the whole yard and the HG-1000 is ideal.
“The HAYGAIN HG-1000 has made such a difference to the horses on the yard. Their performance is fantastic since being on the steamed hay and we would thoroughly recommend it to anyone.”
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