By Emily Dickenson, Hubbard Feeds. Reprinted with Permission. Not to use the “we’re living in unprecedented times” phrase one more time, but it really is quite a time to be alive. It is impossible not to notice the increases in most items we buy, including horse feed.
Instead of just accepting that everything is more expensive right now, I investigated the root causes of the increasing cost to feed a horse and can offer recommendations on making the most of the nutrition in your horse’s feed bag.
We are currently experiencing three critical factors in world markets that directly impact the ingredients in a feed bag:
With fewer trucks on the road and different mandates restricting how trucks can cross borders, the current reality is that the transportation industry is challenging.
Many minerals and other commodities, such as wheat and oats, must be transported between countries and states. Additionally, as fuel prices have increased due to conflict around the world, freight charges have increased too. These input costs to get a bag of horse feed to your local dealer directly impact the price you pay.
To put it simply, fewer trucks and ingredients lead to increased hay and feed prices.
This means that the current conflict is not just horrifying on a human level but also directly impacting agriculture and the commodities that are often used to formulate your horse’s feed bag.
Is there any good news?
Yes! Commodity prices are cyclical. As the human race, we have been through many difficult times previously, and we will make it through this period of history as well.
The best things that we can all do right now include:
How horse owners can save money on feed
The other good news is that there are a few ways to ensure that you are getting the most from your horse’s nutrition. Some things to try include:
In summary
The point of this article is not to incite fear, start a political conversation or make anyone angry.
The point here is that horse feed prices have increased, and many, including myself, are asking why. The reality is that the last few years have been challenging in many ways, and we are still experiencing the repercussions.
If nothing else, I hope this article reminds you that we are all connected. It is not about one country, one state or even one city. The world relies on us in many ways, and it is more important than ever that we start to realize that. Maybe you feel disconnected from what is happening across the country or around the world, but it truly has an impact on our lives, even at the level of how much we pay for a bag of horse feed.
My hope is that this blog opened your eyes a little bit more to the current world climate. I hope that you can start to see that everyone is doing their best right now, and maybe, just maybe, if we can offer one another the grace and compassion to navigate these times, we will come out stronger and more connected on the other side.