Buying a safe horse/pony

BroadfordQueen

BroadfordQueen

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I am currently selling my 14.2hh pony who is as safe as houses but at the same time has a LOT of potential to be a top class pony club/BE superstar. However, she is only 4. She really is the safest pony I've ever sat on- my other half, who has never properly ridden before and is very nervous around horses came out for a hack with me on her today and she looked after him like a saint, but she has also schooled around BE80/BE90 courses with me and got 65% in her first dressage test. She is also, IMO, very reasonably priced. However, we have had NO interest in her, and we think people are put off by her age.
So, would you be put off if you were looking for an easy, safe pony if they were only 4? Or should I advertise her more as a competition pony? So hard to know what to do!
Opinions would be very welcome...
 
Yes personally I would be put off by her age and would have thought you over exaggerate her because she is super safe at the age of 4... Sell her as a competition pony and you will probably get more interest.
 
I wouldn't be put off - my Gypsy Cob is super safe, ride and drive (only lightly due to age) a real dope on a rope sweetie. I bought him as a 4 year old.

I don't think I paid a lot though - I'm sure he could have been sold for more, but I had already bought one from the seller previously and she wanted me to have him :)
 
It's her age vs the description of super safe - at 4 I'd assume (and could be totally wrong!) that she'd have been lightly backed at say 3 then turned away to grow up then properly broken and in work for c. six months. She just (in my eyes - no offence intended) wouldn't have had time to experience the world and IMHO it's experience that makes them safe.
I also personally believe horses don't stop growing until 5-6 and that they go through a pretty horrible teenager phase around 6 ish - so if safeness was my top priority I'd go for something over 7 - no matter how they behaved at 4.

Perhaps focus on her potential as a competition horse - balances with a mature attitude for her age and you might target the right sort of person.
 
People will, unfortunately, be put off by her age however safe she is, I had a super, safe 5 year old 13.2 for sale several years ago that was also really talented but no interest when he went up for sale, some people came that were interested in an older pony I had in to sell but he was less safe and could test the rider so they tried the younger one and ended up buying him but there is no way they would have even phoned due to him only being 5. He proved to be perfect and went on to be a real competition pony with them.
That is no help to you but yours is the next height which should mean the more experienced kids can take her on, it is whether they can be bothered to bring on a young one when they can go out and buy a ready made pony.

If she is good enough can you get out and do some PC events with her, a few good results could make all the difference, you may also be underselling her, often if the price is too low people think there may be a problem, if you want to pm a link to the ad I am happy to have a look and see if there is something missing.
 
Polos Mum said:
It's her age vs the description of super safe - at 4 I'd assume (and could be totally wrong!) that she'd have been lightly backed at say 3 then turned away to grow up then properly broken and in work for c. six months. She just (in my eyes - no offence intended) wouldn't have had time to experience the world and IMHO it's experience that makes them safe.
I also personally believe horses don't stop growing until 5-6 and that they go through a pretty horrible teenager phase around 6 ish - so if safeness was my top priority I'd go for something over 7 - no matter how they behaved at 4.

Perhaps focus on her potential as a competition horse - balances with a mature attitude for her age and you might target the right sort of person.
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Agree with this^ My boy was a saint at 4 even my 8 year old child could ride him. At 5 rising 6 he has been through and is still in quite a challenging teenage phase( i hope its a phase lol) so if I was looking in the future I would be looking for something over that stage. I would also maybe sell her as a potential competition prospect - you can still tell buyers how safe she is. That way you are more likely to get an experienced person who will get her through that difficult teenage stage if it comes up rather than someone who is gonna call you 6 months down the line and says she is not the super safe pony you claimed. Hope that makes sense....:)
 
Yep, been through this with a friend with a 5 year old, 13'1. Really talented (jumping round unaff BE tracks, super little guy) but so quiet with complete beginners, very hard to convince people that his age wasn't a negative.

Defo advertise as a comp pony.
 
Seems a real shame to me that their age is held against them I too have a bombproof 4 year old that is a real superstar only broken a few weeks but is as dopey ridden as she is in hand you can land a chinook helicopter next to her and she wouldnt flinch hacks alone and in company along a major main road and today went to her first show and was second in the mountain and moorland ridden class She is just starting jumping and is ridden by beginners and experienced riders so is easy all round. Not selling her yet unless the right home comes up but I would hate to think people would assume she would be a nightmare at any point she hasnt a bad bone in her body bless her She is so easy in every way. I am sure treated right in a new home these youngsters will stay affable and happy all their lives
 
windand rain said:
Seems a real shame to me that their age is held against them I too have a bombproof 4 year old that is a real superstar only broken a few weeks but is as dopey ridden as she is in hand you can land a chinook helicopter next to her and she wouldnt flinch hacks alone and in company along a major main road and today went to her first show and was second in the mountain and moorland ridden class She is just starting jumping and is ridden by beginners and experienced riders so is easy all round. Not selling her yet unless the right home comes up but I would hate to think people would assume she would be a nightmare at any point she hasnt a bad bone in her body bless her She is so easy in every way. I am sure treated right in a new home these youngsters will stay affable and happy all their lives
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I think you are right, having started many youngsters if they are sensible easy when young and go to the right home they can remain totally uncomplicated, it is finding the right home that is the hard part.
 
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