A hay shortage has caused UK prices to double in a year, forcing horse owners to travel as far as France to acquire supplies.
The surge in prices has led trade groups on Thursday to warn that owners will have to make a ‘difficult decision’ about whether to keep their animals amid the spiralling costs. It has also triggered fears that horses could be starved of food and that equestrian businesses could go bust.
Hay prices have surged by 90pc over the past 12 months, with the price for a large bale rising to £154 from £73 last year, according to official figures.
The British Horse Society said the increase posed a crisis for the sector, with owners scrambling to acquire supplies from the Continent.
‘In some cases, yards have had no option but to increase livery fees to cover these unforeseen costs, which has sadly led to some horse owners having to make difficult decisions,’ said Gemma Stanford, head of welfare.
‘We’re also seeing an increasing number of calls to our welfare helpline from concerned owners seeking advice on managing hay shortages and maintaining their horses’ well-being. We’d encourage everyone to plan as far ahead as possible.’
Hay is dried grass used as a nutrient-rich feed for horses when animals are not grazing on grass. Last year’s hot summer led to lower production of the crop, crippling supplies and driving up prices.
English hay merchants are having to drive as far as Scotland or even France, where it is cheaper to acquire bales for their livestock.
Philip Judge, one of Britain’s leading hay merchants who has supplied the Royal family for almost three decades, said more Britons were seeking supplies from France, where prices are roughly half the UK rate and there is greater availability.
Mr Judge, who makes regular trips to the Continent, added that horse owners are ‘struggling’ to look after their animals because of the supply crisis.
Camilla Swift, the secretary of the Peper Harow point-to-point race in Sussex, said the lack of hay was leaving owners anxious about their animals.