Dilemma - pony buying

minesadouble

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I have 2 daughters aged 9 and 11 years. Height wise there's very little between them.
My 11 year old has a cracking 12.2 that she adores. He's very much her own pony, not bought to share with sister and she pretty much does everything with him herself. She's a nervous rider and this lovely pony has given her so much confidence. It sounds corny but she really does have a special bond with him, they just have the best child/pony relationship anyone could dream of.
I now find myself looking for a pony for daughter no 2 who ideally would want a 12.2 also.
I can't decide whether to look for another 12.2 or look for 13 hander, hopefully a slightly chunkier model than our 12.2 who is a Riding Pony.
My thoughts being that over time maybe older daughter could switch to the 13 hander and relinquish the 12.2 to her sister??
It seems almost foolish to buy another 12.2 when my 11 year old will soon outgrow hers (not weight wise as she's a skinny Minnie) and I HATE selling them and especially can't envisage selling her current 12.2 as he's one in a million!
I haven't yet seen anything suitable of either height but keep thinking is it unfair to buy my younger daughter a pony with her older sister in mind too??
 

Pinkvboots

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I think it makes sense to buy a slightly bigger pony for your older daughter to eventually move onto, then your youngest has the 12.2, only dilemma is your eldest may not want to give up the 12.2 just yet it sounds like she really loves him and it might cause an issue if she is having to share, I think it may be worth speaking to them both and see what they would like to do, it's so hard when they are young and end up outgrowing there small ponies I couldn't part with them either.
 

cobgoblin

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I'm sure your eldest daughter has already thought about this, she must know that she will outgrow her 12.2... Definitely time for a discussion.. They may surprise you.
Would it not be better to go a little bigger than 13hh for an 11yo?
 

honetpot

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I bought a 14.2 from a friend for my oldest daughter who was practically on roller skates on her 11.2 and still hunting him when she was about thirteen. Her eight year old sister then promptly stole him for just about everything apart from hunting and PC.
Its finding the right pony that is the key thing and unless you are doing competitions that depend on being under a certain height I wouldn't worry too much. You may find a steady 13hander or even 14hander that will suit both in time. All the PC camps start soon and I would go and see what is being outgrown, they are often never advertised.
 

Shay

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I would echo that - the pony is more important than the height. And that they are very seldom advertised. They either go through word of mouth or go out on loan / share because they are beloved and have a home for life. We still have my daughter's 1st - a 13.2 coblet. She was (and is) tiny and at 6 her legs didn't go beyond the saddle flaps. But she did everything with him from first ridden to PC Nat Champs, hunting, pony racing, polo... he did it all. And when she moved on to BS ponies he had a succession off small sharers using him to give them the best chance to get to Nat Camps - which he often did for them. Now semi-retired (he's now 27 DD is 20!) he is teaching DD's girlfriend (thankfully equally small and light) to ride so they can hack out together. But if I had bought on height I would never have gone for something that, when we started, she could not get her leg on.

And he came through word of mouth through pony club from a DC who didn't want to see such a competition cracker go out of branch!
 

windand rain

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I would talk to them and certainly go bigger, a chunkier but small Mountain and Moorland would be my choice if you can find one with the right temperament. Fells, dales exmoors and highlands usually come small enough. My reasoning is that it opens a huge new field of experience without going too big. Adults can ride them so a suitable 13hh or slightly bigger will never need sold as out grown. There are quiet welsh Cs and Ds too but they are often a little more challenging
 

minesadouble

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Thanks everyone for your input, my daughters instructor teaches at pony club so I have a connection on the lookout.
I would like a suitable native if one came along or a perhaps an older SHP/WHP type.
I have an up to height Welsh C at home who we showed to a decent level years ago but even now, aged 15 she would be too much for my 11 year old.
She's cautious rider and our 12.2 has given her so much confidence the last thing I want to do right now is over horse her.
I think I'll broach the subject with the older one first and see where we go from there..
 

asmp

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Mine (in the pic) is about 14.2 and my friend's daughter rides him. She will be 10 this month. He knows to look after her! She has taken him to a mini XC and also a dressage competition. Admittedly she is tall for her age but it's definitely about finding the right temperament rather than height.
 

Peter7917

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I dunno, I actually disagree with most. If she is that close with her pony and is a little nervous then I would let her stick with him until she really has hopelessly outgrown him. I wouldn't be expecting her to soon move onto the bigger pony.

So yes, I would be looking for the new pony purely with child two in mind.
 
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