Floods and droughts, spring snowstorms and cold fronts. In England, the weather recently has been nothing short of catastrophic for farmers across the country, and horse farmers are no exception. With the lingering effects of the suffering economy, times are unquestionably tough.

“It is hard to actually put into words how frustrating the situation is now, after having invested thousands of pounds in my mares,” said warmblood breeder Ruth Warrington, owner of Rhos Farm Warmbloods in Devon. “In the past five years I have seen a marked decline in the market for elite foals in the U.K., while there have been major rises in costs for straw, hay, and feed.”

As many as 90% of all the U.K.’s agricultural businesses have been affected by the recent weather problems alone, according to a report in England’s The Guardian. Problems started with 2012 being the second wettest year on record and that has coincided with various livestock diseases, some of which have caused birth defects.

Richard Matson, senior partner of Twemlows Stud Farm in Shropshire, said that he’s had to deal, ironically, with the driest April in years—only half an inch of rain as opposed to the expected two and a half inches—and has had to keep horses indoors and on haylage an extra month this year