Price of hay has doubled, says horse sanctuary

The founder of a horse sanctuary said hay prices had doubled within the first two months of this winter.

Remus Horse Sanctuary near Ingatestone, Essex, is home to more than 100 horses, ponies and donkeys that have been victims of physical and mental abuse.

Launching their annual Winter Feed Appeal, Sue Burton said a dry summer meant there was less hay available.

"A lot of people are already running out and are… really paying through the nose for it because it's so scarce," she told the BBC.

The sanctuary - which was created in 1983 - said winter "poses one of the biggest challenges for equine welfare".

With little or no grazing available, older and rescued horses were reliant entirely on hay and specialist feeds to stay warm and healthy, it added.

The sanctuary's founder said she was worried about the impact of hay availability on horse welfare, with some owners struggling to feed their animals.

Burton - who was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to equine welfare in 2024 - added that her sanctuary was struggling with rising costs.

"Our heating, fuel — everything's going up, and this time of year particularly, we need all of that," she said.

"Everybody knows it was a bad year… so there's less hay around. Within the first two months of this winter, our hay prices have doubled."

Burton said the animals were struggling with the current wintery conditions.

"This weather will really knock them for six. It's cold and it's windy and it's wet," she told the BBC.

The sanctuary said its Winter Feed Appeal aimed to raise £2,500, with every penny going directly towards feed, hay and emergency callouts.

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