Record demand for our support exposes growing pressure on horses and owners

A perfect storm of rising costs and extreme weather conditions is putting unprecedented pressure on UK horse owners, with our charity experiencing the busiest summer for welfare concerns and enquiries in our history. Successive wet winters, summer drought and soaring hay prices are leaving horses and those who care for them increasingly vulnerable, while rescue centres are under mounting strain as they face higher forage and feed costs at a time when public donations are harder to secure.

Across June and July this year, 911 people contacted our charity with concerns about horses, compared with 607 during the same two-month period in 2025 – a 50% increase. Calls where our welfare team gave advice more than doubled from 223 to 448, while our Field Officers attended 635 welfare concerns, an increase of nearly 30%. The figures highlight the rising pressure on horses and those who care for them as a result of rising costs and extreme weather, while wider sector research shows the national horse welfare safety net is being stretched to its limits.

Our Chief Executive Roly Owers said:

“The recent findings of the National Equine Welfare Council’s UK-wide survey of rescue centres, rehoming organisations and sanctuaries give a clear sector-wide warning, but they also reflect the reality our teams are seeing daily. Behind every welfare concern report and every enquiry from a worried owner is a horse whose future may depend on timely, practical help. Our role is to support owners earlier wherever we can, encourage safe and responsible rehoming, and make sure horses have the care and support they need.”

The pressures identified by the survey which our charity undertook with support from Redwings Horse Sanctuary on behalf of the National Welfare Equine Council (NEWC) are being intensified by both financial pressures and extreme weather patterns.

Official figures from Defra show that hay prices have risen dramatically from £65.00 per big bale in December 2021 to £131.67 in December 2025 – more than doubling in five years – while veterinary, farriery, fuel and energy costs have also increased.

At our Glenda Spooner Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Somerset, winter flooding in 2025 added to the challenges we were already facing by putting pressure on land, turnout and operations, demonstrating how extreme weather can place additional strain on already stretched rescue and rehoming centres.

Successive wet winters and turnout on poached ground has damaged pasture and grazing, while hot, dry summers have meant that owners and rescue centres in some part of the UK are having to use hay stocks intended for winter

Claire Dickie, Centre Manager at Glenda Spooner Farm, said:

“Here at Glenda Spooner Farm our flooding last year and muddy pastures earlier this year has meant we have had to limit the numbers on the farm to ensure the best welfare of the horses in our care. And up until three years ago we used to be self-sufficient for hay but over the past two summers we have been forced to feed hay over the summer which in turn has meant we’ve needed to buy additional bales in to see us through the winter. The prediction is it will be a stormy one because of El Nino and we’re already seeing forage prices around here going up as a result of a poor harvest. So, it goes without saying that we’re bracing ourselves for one of the toughest winters to date.”

Our charity offers practical advice for owners who are looking for ways to cut the cost of horse care without impacting the welfare of their horses and rehome responsibly if they are no longer able to meet the needs of their horse. We also have a Help for Horse Owners support service for those whose situation has been complicated by ill health or a change in their personal circumstances.

Referencing what steps those struggling to care for their horses can take, Claire Dickie said:

“There are a couple of practical things that would make a real difference right now. Firstly, for anyone looking for a horse, we would urge them to consider rehoming from a charity in the first instance before looking elsewhere. And secondly, if owners are struggling and thinking about giving up their horse, they should seek advice early so they can make safe, responsible decisions as horses can end up in the wrong hands and suffer as a consequence.

“Equine welfare charities like ours receive no government funding, so we rely entirely on public donations – therefore every gift, no matter how small, helps us protect horses in need.”