Horse owners such as Gayle Dorning of Pakenham are concerned about the impact of the drought on the
Paul Dunlop
FEED shortages during the drought are putting horse people under pressure to shift or sell their precious animals so they can survive.
The equine industry is a major part of the Pakenham district’s economy and the savage grip of the ongoing Big Dry is forcing more and more residents into a scenario already all too familiar for local farmers.
Even more painful is the fact that to many keen riders, horses are not just animals, they are friends.
“Horses are very much part of the family,” Pakenham horse enthusiast and riding coach Gayle Dorning said.
“They can also be worth a lot of money and they have got to be maintained.”
More than 100 horse people recently attended a meeting at Pakenham Racing Club where industry experts gave their views on how to tackle what shapes as a disaster season.
Top of the agenda was whether local horses could get enough feed to survive the drought.
The seminar was organised by the South East Victoria Equine Network and the racing club and featured as guest speaker veterinarian John Kohnke, one of Australia’s best known advisers on the nutrition and practical health care of horses.
Ms Dorning is a deputy chairwoman of SEVEN which aims to unite, promote and provide a voice for the equine community.
She said there was strong concern among horse people about the drought.
“It’s affecting everyone, from pony clubbers to racing trainers with a stable of thoroughbreds,” Ms Dorning said. “Feed is getting scarce and what feed there is is getting very expensive. Lucerne hay is probably twice as much as it would be in a good season and when you consider that a horse needs around 10 kilograms of feed a day, it’s getting pretty scary.”
Ms Dorning said she knew of several people who had already relocated their horses.
Although conditions were currently not as severe as the 2002 drought, the outlook for January, and particularly February, was grim, she said.
“There is still a bit of green grass about but not a lot of it and it is a bit of an illusion,” she said. “Without significant rain, it won’t be long before people’s paddocks are dustbowls.”
For more information about SEVEN, contact Miranda Cox on 59425151.
