After the Summer We’ve Had, What Does Winter Hold for Our Horses?
After another summer of extreme heat and prolonged dry conditions, what does it mean for our grazing, hay and forage supplies, and are horse owners prepared for the months ahead?
That was the focus of Animalweb’s latest Forage Forum, bringing together Dr David Marlin, agronomist Andrew Spackman, environmental consultant Laura Hobbs and equine nutritionist Dr Katie Williams for a fascinating and highly practical discussion.
The panel explored what this summer’s weather has done to our land and forage, why soil health matters, whether we need to rethink the way we manage horse grazing and what owners can feed when traditional hay is limited, expensive or simply isn’t suitable.
There was also some myth-busting along the way, including why you can’t necessarily judge the sugar content of hay by the grass species it contains, plus practical discussion around haylage, straw, chopped fibre, pellets, mashes and forage analysis.
And with two challenging forage-growing seasons in succession, the conversation went beyond this winter. How do we make our horses, land and feeding systems more resilient if extreme and unpredictable weather becomes increasingly common?
If you missed the live event, the full Animalweb Forage Forum is now available to watch
Speakers:
- Animal Physiologist, Biochemist & Animalweb Founder – Dr David Marlin
- Agronomist & Biologist – Andrew Spackman
- Environmental Consultant specialising in equine land‑use – Laura Hobbs
- Equine Nutritionist, Technical & Product Development Manager at Dengie – Dr Katie Williams
Watch the replay
Webinar Programme:
TIME STAMP
00:00 – Introduction – Dr David Marlin
09:56 – Andrew Spackman – Agonomist
44:22 – Laura Hobbs – Environmental Consultant
01:15:54 – Dr Katie Williams – Dengie R. Nutr. Dengie Technical & Product Development Manager
01:55:47 – Panel Q&A Session
Some small parts of the webinar have mild sound issues. If you are struggling to hear, then please turn closed captions on to help you follow what is being said. Simply click on the CC box at the bottom of the video player; it is next to the volume control.
