Campaign by Story
Help Remus keep its rescued animals fed as hay costs soar
This summer has changed everything: At this time of year, we should be relying on the grass in our paddocks to feed the rescued horses, ponies and donkeys in our care.
Instead, the prolonged dry weather has left our fields struggling, and we are having to buy in hay much earlier than we normally would.
With the fifth heatwave of the summer looming this week, there is little sign of the conditions improving.
The cost of hay has soared: The dry weather is affecting farmers' yields, putting pressure on hay supplies just when demand is increasing.
In January, we were paying £110 for a large bale of hay. Today, that same large bale costs £150. That's a 36.4% increase in just six months, and we expect the price to continue rising.
We are currently needing around nine large bales every week. That's: £1,350 a week and £5,400 a month.
This is an unexpected cost that simply wasn't in our budget.
But our animals still need to eat: For the more than 100 rescued horses, ponies, donkeys and other animals at Remus Horse Sanctuary, good quality food is not optional.
Every day, they depend on us for the food, care and security they need. Unlike many other costs, feeding them cannot be postponed, reduced or put on hold.
Founder Sue Burton said:
Normally, by this time of year, our fields would be providing plenty of grass for the animals. Instead, the exceptionally dry weather means we are having to buy in hay much earlier than expected. With the fifth heatwave of the summer looming this week, there is little sign of conditions improving.
The cost of hay has already risen by more than a third since January and we simply cannot reduce the amount our animals need to eat. We are asking our supporters to help us meet this unexpected cost so that we can continue to provide the good quality food and lifelong care that every one of our rescued animals depends on.
Can you help?
A donation of any size will make a difference: Whether you can help towards the cost of a single bale, contribute to a week's supply, or simply give whatever you can afford, your donation will help us keep hay coming in when our fields start to recover.
Thank you for helping us to continue giving these animals the safe, secure and loving home they deserve.
See the difference for yourself: We have photographs showing the current condition of our drought-affected fields, including a comparison of the same field in August 2023 and August 2026, featuring rescue pony Bracken.
The difference is a stark reminder of just how much the weather has changed.
Thank you for standing with Remus and the animals in our care.