Buying rant

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Patterdale

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I am so fed up of trying to buy a good pony.
Just back from a viewing 6 hours away, where the pony properly bolted laps round the school after a mild spook, terrifying my daughter (and me!).
I think it is just impossible to find a good pony these days. I have a good budget and I’m upfront and realistic about what we need. I just want my daughter to be able to progress and enjoy her riding.

Most ponies are discounted by video before viewing due to lameness or obvious (unstated) behavioural issues, or by some simple sleuthing showing up past issues.

We had all this two years ago with my other daughter, it was a nightmare and we ended up buying unbroken. That has gone well but obviously taken time, and I just want a nice one this time ready to go.

I am seriously starting to doubt if we’ll ever find it!
 
With my other daughter we got as far as buying two ponies. One from a well known dealer which reared repeatedly and was returned within a week. One from a private home which was returned within a day - a gentle hack turned into a full on rodeo, luckily I was on it not the kids. The whole experience massively dented her confidence and it’s still not back where it was.
 
Nothing has changed much really, other than you get videos to discount them with rather than 4 lines of text. Going back nearly 40yrs one I tried as a kid from a riding school, reared completely vertical. They convinced me it was nothing, and it then bolted, left the school and took off into a crop field. I think buying kids ponies has always been scary and demoralising!
 
Hope you'll find your pony eventually.

I had the opposite experience recently. Was selling a pony, easy with everything but to catch in the field (which I was honest with) yet very few interested people. Even fewer who were serious about it. Fortunately, I got the pony sold eventually, for the exchange for another pony but good enough for me. The pony I sold is doing amazingly at his new home and my new pony is nowadays showing at national level. It took time, selling that pony, but it happened. Hopefully it'll work for you too.
 
I'm Dun said:
Nothing has changed much really, other than you get videos to discount them with rather than 4 lines of text. Going back nearly 40yrs one I tried as a kid from a riding school, reared completely vertical. They convinced me it was nothing, and it then bolted, left the school and took off into a crop field. I think buying kids ponies has always been scary and demoralising!
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Oh my, "Nothing to worry about." Good grief. Amazing what some dealers (and sellers?) are like.
 
A mate years ago had a theory that the best ponies were sold word of mouth, and as a buyer you had to pitch on why you should be the preferred buyer. She had three daughters that grew like weeds and was always looking for the next pony. She felt those that were advertised were not as described or the owners had no network!!

Our kids ponies had waiting lists, we had a selection of people to choose from to sell to. Never advertised.

When we were looking for upgrades, we found ponies/horses advertised didn’t have the foundational training we required for the prices being asked. Being a bit frugal and having the skills ourselves, plus building a bit of resilience in our children we bought ponies/horses that we trained up to the level we wanted.

You sound like you have the skills to do this…………maybe this is your BATNA?
 
Yes very valid points.

All the ponies sat in our field now (bar one) are ones that we have bought unbroken, or just broken and done ourselves. None of them will need to be advertised and all have homes booked for when the time comes. I recently hinted on FB that the time might be coming in the next 6 months and was literally inundated.

The one pony who we didn’t do ourselves, was word of mouth from a friend and she is mega.

But I’ve really struggled lately to find this. I honestly think we’ll be going back down the youngster route sadly. I really wanted this child to have a nice pony, she struggles at school and riding is her thing to be proud of, but neither of her current ponies are able to go up to 80.
 
I know of a lovely mare a few hours away in central Scotland. Shes a decent stamp of a Section A who the owners teenage daughter backed and rode on but only lightly competed, mostly WH but would probably turn her hoof to most things though. She's grey though!

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Could an older sibling bring on a pony for her? Winter is a good time to pick up something with potential to go out and do well next spring.

We got asked to take on a sports pony type two summers ago - daughter loved her but pony lost it turning 5 and went through my son and onto me with her youthful exuberance and mischievous tricks. I’m old and boring so what she got from me was a few months of decent schooling, but I could see why the kids were struggling. Spring came and she reverted to kind sweet pony - this year she has taken my daughter, the child who would only jump cross poles - up to 80 with ease. Once they’ve done more practice there is also a ton of scope to go higher. She still zooms occasionally but all you need is a contact, she’s snaffle mouthed. Total gem now, there were moments I would have sold her for a song last winter! Someone will have an annoying, sporty type just turning 5yo driving them up the wall this winter, with hay in short supply. You could find yourself a gem for next spring for next to nothing!
 
It is coming towards the end of the year, there will be lots coming up soon as children out of age classes. I would be looking at shows rather than on line. Most of the good ones change hands via word of mouth rather than adverts. Good Luck.
 
Patterdale said:
I am so fed up of trying to buy a good pony.
Just back from a viewing 6 hours away, where the pony properly bolted laps round the school after a mild spook, terrifying my daughter (and me!).
I think it is just impossible to find a good pony these days. I have a good budget and I’m upfront and realistic about what we need. I just want my daughter to be able to progress and enjoy her riding.

Most ponies are discounted by video before viewing due to lameness or obvious (unstated) behavioural issues, or by some simple sleuthing showing up past issues.

We had all this two years ago with my other daughter, it was a nightmare and we ended up buying unbroken. That has gone well but obviously taken time, and I just want a nice one this time ready to go.

I am seriously starting to doubt if we’ll ever find it!
Click to expand...
I got a fantastic pony from HAPPA. I’ve had him 6 yrs now. He was beautifully broken & backed when I got him, just a bit green. I spent 12 months taking things slowly & developing a bond together. He is much loved & admired by everyone he meets. I’ve even been asked if he is for sale.
 
Is a blooming nightmare! That exact scenario happened when my 7yr old tried a pony, took off across the school and proceeded to jump the fences that were left up! She was absolutely terrified and fell off. Honestly it’s just the worst, I think too many people pray on parents and think nothing of the children. We too had a good budget and saw many many unsuitable horses! This was in 2021, since then we’ve had a couple of different ponies and each time the search has been absolutely diabolical! I dread it every time! We drove up to about 4.5hrs to see ponies too, so were not exactly restricting our search.

Mine is now 11 and we have actually got a super pony, I think we were just lucky in the end because the sales livery she was at was actually honest for once, but it’s definitely trial and error. The pony isn’t the most straightforward, your typical sensitive mare, but she is amazing to ride and has brought mine on so much, I actually found her on the NFED website which a few people on here recommended! The next one I think we will probably produce ourselves because I cannot afford £15k plus for the next level up plus she’s now at a decent level to be able to manage a younger, greener pony. I say pony but hopefully we can get something 15hh ish so will be entering horse territory which comes with its own challenges!

The 128 category is quite popular (148 even more so!) so I’m not surprised you’ve been given the runaround! We are West Midlands so too far for you but I will keep an ear out, I’m in our pony club committee so I do hear of them before they get advertised (I also do our social media so get all the adverts 😂)

Good luck and will keep everything crossed! 🤞
 
Bonnie Allie said:
A mate years ago had a theory that the best ponies were sold word of mouth, and as a buyer you had to pitch on why you should be the preferred buyer. She had three daughters that grew like weeds and was always looking for the next pony. She felt those that were advertised were not as described or the owners had no network!!

Our kids ponies had waiting lists, we had a selection of people to choose from to sell to. Never advertised.

When we were looking for upgrades, we found ponies/horses advertised didn’t have the foundational training we required for the prices being asked. Being a bit frugal and having the skills ourselves, plus building a bit of resilience in our children we bought ponies/horses that we trained up to the level we wanted.

You sound like you have the skills to do this…………maybe this is your BATNA?
Click to expand...
This is absolutely true, it’s very tricky though to be that lucky person who knows these ponies and can be the preferred buyer! It’s a very closed network and hard to break into unless you have good connections! If you’re not already in a pony club I would highly recommend it…even more so if you join the committee as you do hear of them first 🤣
 
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