Concerns for UK hay supplies — what can horse owners do?

Following the driest spring recorded in 50 years in the UK (with England experiencing its driest spring in more than 100 years)¹, reduced grass growth has raised concerns about a hay shortage this year. Pressure from continued dry, hot weather is leading to farmers and horse owners having to supplement their animals’ feeding with hay, which will contribute to supply issues².

We understand the concerns this raises for horse owners, especially as farmers are having to increase hay prices at a time where the cost-of-living crisis remains a constant reality. Taking action now and planning ahead can help to make sure your supplies are maintained and maximised.

Plan ahead — if you haven’t already taken action for purchasing hay, start planning now. Work out how much hay you’ll need, where it can be safely stored and calculate your budget. Leaving it too late could result in less viable options.

Good contacts — if you already have good contacts for hay suppliers, get your orders in now. If not, seek recommendations and start making enquiries. If there are multiple owners on a yard using the same supplier, this can be of benefit as it makes deliveries a lot easier.

Storage options — buying in bulk before the start of winter may provide a buffer to additional price increases if hay remains in high demand. Limited storage can be problematic for many yards. Speak to reputable suppliers and ask if they’re happy to store pre-purchased hay or future orders and deliver at a later date (potentially at an additional charge for storage, but this could work out cost-wise in your favour).

Management of pasture — to help maximise your grazing, set out a winter grazing management plan and make any improvements during the drier months. Also, having a mud management plan, especially for high traffic areas such as gateways, water sources and hay feeding can help to support the pasture during the wetter months.

Feed according to individual needs — the winter months provide an opportunity for horses who are overweight or obese to lose weight. Slowing your horse’s eating time through enrichment, slow feeder haynets or feeding lower calorie options helps to encourage weight loss while preventing long periods without eating. If your horse struggles to maintain weight, speak to a nutritionist who can support you to create a feeding programme.

Invest in hay scales — ideally, horses should be provided with as much hay as they will eat — but this can lead to wasted hay and potential over-feeding. For a very small cost, investing in scales to weigh out the amount of hay your horse needs on a daily basis will be beneficial.

Hay replacements — there are many options available on the market which will provide your horse with their essential forage requirements and be used to replace part of their hay ration. This can include chopped chaff, soaked sugar beet, grass nuts and fibre feeds. If your horse is overweight, check the products to prevent feeding any unnecessary oils or molasses.

If your horse has good dental health, good quality oat and barley straw can be a useful addition to their diet and could replace up to 50 percent of their hay ration, especially for those prone to weight gain or on calorie-controlled diets³. Introduce any changes to your horse’s diet gradually over 10–14 days to help reduce the risk of colic. The cost of straw will also be dependent on this year’s harvest yields.

If your horse is unable to chew long stemmed forage, many feed companies produce fibre-based mixes, pellets or mashes you can use as an alternative.

Work with a nutritionist — with so many options available, working out what’s best for your horse while considering your budget can be difficult, so speak to a nutritionist to help give you peace of mind. Feed companies often offer free, nutritional advice for their products and can give support on what would be best for your horse. There are also many independent nutritionists, and their professional fees will vary.

Quality — always aim to source good quality hay to help safeguard your horse’s respiratory health and provide their nutrient requirements. Cheaper hay may be counter-productive in the long-term if it’s poorer quality.

Reduce wastage — how much hay do you end up throwing away on your muck heap or see trodden into the mud out in the field? In Europe, around 30 percent of hay or haylage fed to horses is wasted and ends up on the muck heap⁴. It can be useful to look at alternative methods of feeding such as haynets, larger buckets/hay bars or specific hay feeders to maximise your supply. These also have the benefit of slowing down the rate of consumption and some will mimic natural eating patterns. If feeding large round bales such as out in a field, covering with a net significantly helps to reduce hay wastage⁴.

Assess your storage area and method of storing your hay. Having pallets available to lift the hay up off the ground can help prevent any spoilage from water run-off, grit, mud or rain. Has the area previously flooded or at risk of flooding? Is there the option to have smaller amounts stored and more regular deliveries to prevent the risk of large amounts of hay being ruined if flooding occurs? Is your hay supply well protected from the elements and is drainage in good condition to protect the hay from any dripping water which could risk hay going mouldy?

Struggling to meet costs — if your livery yard offers hay as part of your package and you’re finding it difficult to meet price increases, speak to your yard manager/owner sooner rather than later. Potential payment plans or reduction in livery services may be available to you. There may also be other opportunities for you to help cut costs without compromising your horse’s health and wellbeing.

Get in touch — we’re here to help 

Our Horse Care and Welfare team are here to help by offering you impartial advice and support with any questions or concerns you may have. Our help is free of charge and will remain confidential.

Contact us on 02476 840517* or email welfare@bhs.org.uk. We’re also available via our social media channels. 

Opening times are 8.35am–5pm from Monday–Thursday and 8.35am–3pm on Friday.

*Calls may be recorded for monitoring purposes.