Lynn Symansky and Under Suspection. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Veteran U.S. eventing team member Lynn Symansky knows that success comes in the management of everyday details. Lynn first represented the United States as a college student and has now represented the USA in seven international championships. It could be eight soon: Lynn is currently on the USEF’s Pre-Elite Training List with two horses, RF Cool Play and Under Suspection.
Lynn admits to being “a little late to the party” on bringing Haygain steamed hay into her horses’ program. That was until one of her up-and-coming horses developed a respiratory issue and it became critical to reduce inhalable irritants in the respiratory tract. A simple tie back restored the horse’s normal breathing, and hay steaming, she says, is critical to keeping it that way. “Anything that reduces the amount of inflammation in the airway is going to help with stamina on cross-country.”
Chinchillin’ in a Haygain steamer at the 2018 Tryon World Equestrian Games. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Adding steamed hay to several of her horses’ diets has helped in other ways, too. A few have allergies Lynn predicts will get worse with spring season pollen and with the transitions between her home base in Virginia and her winter base in Ocala, Florida. “When the horse is already dealing with other allergies, any sort of dust in the hay is going to add to the inflammation problem.” Haygain hay steaming has been scientifically proven to eliminate up to 99% of the dust, mold, fungi and bacteria that are found in even top-quality hay.
Another horse has a “stranger danger” worldview, making him finicky and unpredictable about what he’ll eat on a given day. Since getting steamed hay, he’s become an eager eater, making it easier to maintain his weight and condition and, equally important, getting food into his stomach to maintain gut health.
Lynn Symansky and RF Cool Play (USA). Photo by Shannon Brinkman.
While Lynn was slightly worried about incorporating the additional step of steaming into the barn management routine, she says it’s been easy and straight forward. In the past, if horses developed mild coughs or other signs of mild respiratory issues, Lynn’s team addressed it by wetting their hay. “Steaming is much easier!”
Steaming is also more effective in reducing dust, mold, fungi and bacteria from hay and it does so without leeching nutrients. That is always an issue with soaking or wetting, as is the reality that soaked hay is prone to rapid bacterial growth.
Lynn is certainly no stranger to success, and her competition record is proof of the concept that a strong program leads to ongoing success. Adding the simple step of hay steaming will help reduce irritants that can hold horses back from reaching their full potential. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for Lynn and her team in 2020!
