August 26, 2021

The Haygain Way

Hay Steamers, The Forager and ComfortStall are entry points for path to well-being and peak performance.

By Kim Miller  | Equestrian Writer

Mother Nature and modern science inspire The Haygain Way. It's a proactive approach to modern horse management that addresses multiple aspects of the horse's health, well-being and performance -- without medication.

The method arose from analyzing how horses were designed to breathe, eat, rest and play in their natural state. Next, Haygain worked with university researchers, nutritionists, veterinarians and horse owners to design and extensively test stable equipment that supports natural states within the modern horse-keeping environment.

High Temperature Hay Steamers, The Forager slow feeder, and ComfortStall Sealed Orthopaedic Flooring play related roles in The Haygain Way.


Hay Steamers produce irritant-free forage. The Forager enables that clean forage to be consumed slowly and in small quantities to suit how the horse was designed to digest it. When eating and between meals, the horse enjoys deep rest and muscle and joint recovery while living on ComfortStall.

By reducing breathable irritants in hay, Hay Steaming reduces them in the horse's breathing zone. ComfortStall does the same by minimizing bedding needs and unhealthy ammonia odours that come with urine accumulation. Along with forage, traditional bedding and ammonia build-up are top contributors to unhealthy barn air that jeopardizes respiratory health.


The Haygain Way protects and promotes optimal respiratory, digestive and joint function, while boosting overall health and well-being. This is true for elite equine athletes, horses engaged in purely recreational pursuits and all the variations in between. Horse owners all over the world are embracing The Haygain Way.

High Temperature Hay Steamers

Introduced in 2009, Haygain's flagship product was designed in conjunction with the Royal Agricultural University in the United Kingdom. The idea came from owners concerned about their horses' occasional coughs and compromised breathing. They suspected that forage was the problem and years of research results proved them right.

Even hay of ideal nutrient content is loaded with microscopic bits of dust, mold, bacteria and other allergens. These are main causes of irritation and inflammation in the upper airway and lungs, constricting airflow and the passage of oxygen from the lungs into the blood stream. Haygain High Temperature Hay Steaming eliminates up to 99% of the dust, mould, bacteria and other allergens commonly found in forage.

Steamed Hay helps prevent respiratory problems and helps manage them in horses with existing conditions. Unlike soaking hay to reduce dust, High Temperature Hay Steaming does not leach nutrients.

Haygain Steamed Hay has nearly triple the moisture content of dry hay, making it ideal for hydration and healthy digestive function. It's appealing scent and taste improve appetite in even the pickiest eaters.

The Forager

Forage fresh from the Hay Steamer stays clean when fed in the Forager. The 28" tall slow feeder keeps hay off the floor, while allowing the horse to eat with its head down. This natural grazing position lets tiny particles drain from the respiratory tract while eating.


Regulator grids slow consumption pace and require the horse to pull small bites of hay over a long period of time. Because horses had to run from predators on a heartbeat's notice, their digestive system was designed for small quantities of forage consumed over 12 to 16 hours of the day. Ten hours is considered the minimum time horses should spend eating, and the Forager makes that possible for stabled horses. Horses on restricted diets do better eating more slowly, too.


More time eating means less time for pawing, weaving, cribbing and engaging in other boredom behaviors.

ComfortStall Sealed Orthopaedic Flooring

Whether eating or resting, horses benefit from time spent on this third component of the Haygain Way. A layer of proprietary orthopaedic foam provides built-in cushion for deep rest, sleep and joint recovery. The foam is covered by a single-piece, durable rubber TopCover™, which is sealed to the stall wall to create an impermeable surface.

Along with providing virtually no cushion, traditional stall mats allow urine and other fluids to seep to the stall base. The resulting accumulation of ammonia odours is a respiratory irritant. ComfortStall prevents these harmful accumulations. It also minimizes respiratory risks by minimizing the need for stall bedding, another major source of inhalable particles in the breathing zone. Because of its built-in cushion, ComfortStall only requires enough bedding to absorb and easily remove urine.

Because it addresses a wide range of horse health conditions, The Haygain Way is often discovered by horse owners seeking a solution for a specific challenge. Respiratory, joint and digestive function, and allergies, are common entry points to The Haygain Way.

Whether a horse owner comes to the Haygain Way through Hay Steaming, The Forager or ComfortStall, the benefits to their horse tend to make clear the synergistic benefits of its companion products.

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