We’ve noticed a dramatic increase in the number of horses being abandoned across the South West over the last year and with the Winter approaching we are appealing for help to buy hay.
This year, we’ve received a record number of calls to our equine welfare team with owners increasingly desperate to re-home horses due to the combination of the credit crunch and the increasing cost of feed.
It seems that the economic climate and the spiralling cost of hay is pushing owners to desperate lengths, and we are seeing an increase in owners operating on a shoe-string who can no longer cope. As a result HorseWorld are being asked to take in more horses and this has impact on our costs particularly at this time of year. We are operating at capacity and carefully plan for our winter feed supplies but with the increasing prices we find ourselves appealing for extra support this Winter.
HorseWorld provides a home for life for over 120 horses on our farm in Whitchurch. The extreme weather patterns of a heatwave in spring meant that the normal grass supplies in the paddock were sparse, followed by the rain downpours which flooded land and meant we were unable to produce our own hay.
The Hay for HorseWorld appeal has been set up on line to help raise funds to continue to care for all our horses and donkeys during the Winter months.
£5 will help us buy one bale of hay, £10 will help buy two bales of hay whilst £20 will ensure a Shire horse like Lolly receives hay every day for a week.