1st pony blues

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LindaW

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I've been scouring the country for a first pony, looked everywhere I can think of, and yes I am looking for a little superstar, but I can't even find any to go look at!

Need a slightly older pony, up to 12.2 for a kiddie coming off the lead, just cantering, for PC stuff, and down the line to come out hunting with mummy.

I can find any number of young ponies, and 2nd ponies and lead rein ponies - oh and timewasters.

She tried one yesterday, advertised as a first pony. Rode it well, but it is a bit forward going (found out it wears a pelham for the 11yo who has outgrown it to do jumping) It did pull up, but speaking to the mum, she says pony isn't used to novices.... so it'd be a second pony then????

Do I need to wait until after camp? Is that the problem?
 
I can really sympathise with you as I have recently been through what you are going through now. I am sure when you started your search you knew it was going to be hard but not this hard! If it helps I did find one but it took 5 months and I had to travel the country looking at things that weren't described as in the advert. The ironic thing was the pony I eventually got I found through word and mouth and he was only about 1/2 an hour away. I nearly brought something that wasn't really suitable out of pure desperation but luckily just at the 11th hour I managed to speak to Gingers owners and went and tried him that day and brought him after a couple of tries. I think theres always excuses for not being able to find a good one i.e show season, pc camp, hunting etc but the fact is there are plenty of bad ones out there but not many good ones! Have you tried ringing the DC's from your surrounding pony clubs as they tend to know of ponys that are being outgrown and it could be a case of being in the right place at the right time as it was for me! Good luck with your search. Keep me posted!
 
I always hear of ringing the DC's, but in our pony club for example, the DC wouldn't even know who my daughter or her pony is, and I found that previously with a different branch too.....

With a stepdaughter about 12 years ago we were members of a Surrey PC. Was told about a smashing sounding little pony, tried it, liked it and bought it from the secretary. Only after we bought it did we find out that the pony had a horrendous reputation for bolting - after it had done it with my step daughter. We were mugs because we trusted a pc comitteee member. Don't get me wrong, I'm over it and not bitter, just now wary that the phone the DC thing really is as good an idea as people say.

Thanks for the reply, I'm spreading the word as much as possible. Little un is only small, she's going to be 6 next month, she is confident, but I know how easy that is to destroy, particularly when they are that small - I tell her to get on something and she trusts me to know it's okay. I don't mind her having to up her game a bit, and take time to get going with a new pony, I just don't want a looney.

Budget isn't huge, but it is reasonable as long as I'm not looking at HOYS ponies...
 
I think we can always remember our bad experiences and of course that always makes us wary next time. I had an old loan pony last year for my very nervous daughter and was told by someone who knew it that it was a super pony. I thought that I had won the lottery!! But he turned out to be a bolter and totally ruined any confidence that my daughter had had. I thought that as it was a loan pony they would have told me the truth especially as I asked if he had ever bolted! What about ringing someone from your local hunt as most of the time those old faithfuls just get past around. I must admit I didn't get anything suitable from my wanted ads only ponies that people can't get rid of. Good Luck with your search, your daughter sounds as though she is going to be a really good little rider.
 
I've actually got one for sale, but we're in Wiltshire, and I'm not happy for him to go so far away - it would break daughter's heart.
Have you considered a 'Wanted' ad on the board at Mini Camp, if yours hasn't been and gone. We certainly decided to keep ours until Camp was over (just finished at Junior Camp) and then move him along.
Unfortunately, tears are flowing! We do have a pony to move onto, but that leaves older daughter ponyless!
 
My advice, having been through this twice, is to not even bother looking at adverts.

Wait until winter and ask on the hunting field, ask at pony club and ask your local saddlery / tackshop / feedshop.

I spent months trawling the country to see ponies that bolted, bucked, or were clearly NOT first ponies.

Second time round I just told everyone I knew that i wanted a first pony and added "the sort of thing the kids can drag around and swing off it's tail". Anyone with half an idea knew what i meant and a fortnight later I got my wish via word of mouth via my farrier (who knew the pony well). Granted, they never swing off his tail, but he's great! (and cost very very little too!)
 
Ohh, now, farrier, why haven't I asked him??? Thanks Charlie!

Zoeshiloh, 8yo wouldn't be too young if it's an old head on young shoulders and done a bit/knows it's job. But there are 4 and 5yo ponies out there advertised as first ponies.

The pony I'm looking for should just have good manners, breaks, preferably need more leg to get it going than hand to stop if you know what I mean. I'm not holding out for a pony that will win everything, but more a pony that will give her fun and confidence, and maybe get her placed if they have a good day - an ordinary but mannerly sort. No interest in showing at all, lessons yes, hacking yes, pleasure rides, pc rallies and mini jumping yes, and if they become a good little team, then out hunting with us.

Apparently she was giggling when the pony took off with her yesterday, thought it was funny, but it only stopped because it got to the other horses and the owner called out to it - nothing to do with her - and that worried me. If she'd been giggling and responsible for actually pulling it up at all, then I'd have bought it.
 
True 1st ponies are hard to come by but don't be put off by a youngster. Some youngsters are ponies with 'old' heads. I have a true 1st pony (14.2hh New Forest) that is only 4yrs. Sane, sensible and unflappable & goes in a french link snaffle. We have had it from a yearling, shown it in hand and it is now being highly placed in ridden classes & has been to PC Camp with a complete novice where it won the inter-ride relay.
As well as asking your farrier try some breeders. They tend to be 'more' realistic about a ponies capabilities.
 
I have a truly perfect 1st pony - 14 yr old chestnut mare, 12.1hh (in my siggie). She is totally bombproof, hacks out alone, solid in traffic, takes my 9 year old daughter hunting unaccompanied, snaffle at all times, only does what the child wants and nothing more, but when the time comes to go up a gear she does that too. When I was looking, and crying every night about the state of my neurotic daughter's confidence coming of the LR pony, I spoke to several reputable breeders/trainers etc and they all said if I ever found such a pony it would be gold plated and cost me over £10K!

I sat on Horsemart (and every other site) every morning and rang all the new ads and one day there was an advert for this pony, looking quite dynamic actually, and I rang the lady and begged her literally to let me be the first to come, took my daughter out of school and just went. My daughter cried the whole time we were there, but I totally believed in the pony and the lady and she let us have on a week's trial and we've never looked back (she was hunting within 6 months).

The point of this post is not to crow about my own good fortune but to say stick with it, ring people the minute their ad appears or the second you hear something good may be coming available and be as pushy as you can to get in there first. These ponies do exist but don't come on the open market very often so put yourself out there and be really proactive, it's tough but everyone else always seems to land on their feet, so make it your turn! Stay positive, and good luck.

PS I have to say that I really put the sellers through hoops when I ring to get a true feel for the pony and them and to try to cut down on wasted journeys. I always say "does it have any vices/wobble/phobias whatsover? I don't mind if it does, I just hate nasty surprises" and you'd be amazed what they they own up to in the hope that indeed I won't mind!
 
The majority of these ponies never get advertised and are just passed on via word of mouth. You need to get out there and network as much as you can - speak to your vet, farrier, saddler, instructor etc and put the word out that you are looking for a pony. Is your child a member of the Pony Club already? It really helps if they are, as you can check out potential ponies at rallies and also chat up the owners of ponies who look like they are about to be outgrown! Also get along to local competitions and have a look at the ponies competing who look like they might be suitable. Offer to help out at local competitions and events which will give you a chance to get chatting to other horsey people who might just know of the perfect pony for you!

My daughter's first PC pony was acquired via word of mouth before she was even advertised, and when my daughter was ready to go onto something bigger we loaned her out, again purely by word of mouth.
 
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The majority of these ponies never get advertised and are just passed on via word of mouth. You need to get out there and network as much as you can - speak to your vet, farrier, saddler, instructor etc and put the word out that you are looking for a pony. Is your child a member of the Pony Club already? It really helps if they are, as you can check out potential ponies at rallies and also chat up the owners of ponies who look like they are about to be outgrown! Also get along to local competitions and have a look at the ponies competing who look like they might be suitable. Offer to help out at local competitions and events which will give you a chance to get chatting to other horsey people who might just know of the perfect pony for you!

My daughter's first PC pony was acquired via word of mouth before she was even advertised, and when my daughter was ready to go onto something bigger we loaned her out, again purely by word of mouth.

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Definitely , So ask around at your local shows , Im sure you will find something , and dont totally write off younger ponies , Tommy is only 4 and tiarnan can do anything with him and that includes cantering him in a big open field, beach, hacking etc and hes ridden in a snaffle and no hauling about either . Good luck x
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