Horse owners across Kentucky should start planning now for their winter hay needs as this year's supply is shaping up to be highly variable.

Bob Coleman , equine extension associate professor with the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment said that weather has been the driving force behind uneven conditions.

"Some areas have gotten plenty of rain, while others have been extremely dry," Coleman said. "That means the hay crop is going to look different depending on where you're buying it. To expect it to be the same as last year or years ago is not a good assumption. Where inventories are smaller, some people are keeping hay back to sell later, or they just don't have as much to begin with."

The result is a hay supply that varies not only i

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