Orange store manager Darren Faddy owns a few horses on a property out near Mount Canobolas, so he's feeling the pinch at work and at home.

"The grass got a nice green tinge but the green won't do much for growth," he said.

Drought conditions have seen farmers throughout the Central West sell off excess stock, with many struggling to cover the extra cost of purchasing feed.

Mr Faddy said he's been paying to feed his horses since January, which is uncharacteristic of this time of year.

He said it's not just the farm that the drought has hurt, business suffers too.

"We struggle just as much as anyone to get produce," Mr Faddy said.

"If they can't get it, we can't get it. There's a bit of hay around at the moment, but that won't last."

Furney's has stores in Orange, Tamworth, Rutherford and Toowoomba and operates as a wholesale manufacturer of stock feed from Dubbo.

Mr Faddy said it's difficult to put a figure on how the drought is affecting their bottom line, but the cost of everything has gone up.

"Most of your pet food is also grain based. They've just become harder and harder to get," he said.

Between 12 and 18 months ago Furney's paid $20 for a bale of hay, they now pay almost $30 a bale.

Less money in pockets has meant less money for people to spend in stores, which meant Furney's was forced to cut hours over Christmas, causing one of its four employees to find a job elsewhere.

"I'd like to say we can see the finish line in sight but nobody can," Mr Faddy said.

Peter Heller owns Mullion Produce Pets and Saddlery on Edward Street, Orange.

He said 12 months ago he paid $450 for a tonne of oat and now he pays $520 for a tonne.

Mr Heller said because farmers have been forced to pay for feed, they're cutting back on other maintenance jobs, such as fencing.

"People just don't seem to have the money," he said.

Mr Heller said business is "sporadic" at the moment, pending on the weather, but his concern is for what's to come in 2020.

"People who sold their horses this year aren't likely to replace them," he said. "It's going to be interesting to see what happens in the next 12 months."