Few horse owners have remained unchallenged by the intractable recession. Rising fuel and feed costs have pushed horse ownership expenses skyward. And with no end in sight, it’s no wonder that horse owners are looking for ways to trim their routine horse-keeping expenses without sacrificing the quality of their animal’s care. Bob Coleman, PhD PAS, associate professor in equine extension for the University of Kentucky Department Of Animal Sciences, believes feed and feeding techniques are good places to start.

Coleman said hay is a staple of most equines’ diets. But generally, owners pay for more hay than their horses actually consume. As a result, most owners can realize savings simply by paying attention to the way they dispense hay to their horses, Coleman said.

“In many cases, horses are fed hay on the ground, which can result in losses of up to 50 percent,” Coleman said. “If you need to feed 2 pounds of hay, so the horse can consume 1 pound, that makes the hay very, very expensive.”

Instead, owners can conserve both cash and hay resources by purchasing a feeder suitable to their horses’ needs