Is there a market for hot, hyper dressage ponies?

[BBP]

I received my insurance documents for my pony the other day and it got me thinking about the amount I have him insured for. I always joke that there is no way he is even worth that much, but a few people have said differently. When I bought him as an unbacked 3yo no-one had even been to see him, I assume because at the time large andalusians were in fashion and he is only 14.1hh at a push, and with quite a small build, tiny bone. (andalusian/ 1/4welsh b, 7 years old but very green in terms of competition due to my commitments, lovely person but hyper, great with other horses/dogs/cats/bunnies/birds! Does spanish walk, bow, plays football)

He was pretty wild for the first 2 years I had him and I always call him bonkers but he has in fact settled a lot over the last 2 years. He hacks brilliantly in company, very polite, responsive and light in the hand. He has a nice pop in him (up to 1m without a problem), is forwards to a fence without racing and loves it. He does trec and is super responsive. He also has the scope to be a very very nice dressage pony. He moves beautifully and is finally getting strong enough to work properly under me. I have no doubt he will go advanced medium when I get my backside in gear and that he could learn piaffe and passage. He is currently working elementary at home (with me as a useless pilot). he is also rather striking to watch. So am I being unfair on him saying that no-one would ever want him?!

The thing is, he is hot. or can be. Most days I can take him into the school or out for a hack and he will settle into his work straight away, but sometimes it is like sitting on a firecracker, with energy fizzing off him in every direction. Give him a couple of days off and he leaps around when lead, bucks and spooks when ridden and turns into a firebreathing monster. he also has blackout panic attacks, when he can't think about anything other than what he has spotted in the distance. he shakes, his heart pounds and his brain seems to vanish. So he isn't great hacking alone unless everything is exactly the same as the last time you took him out.

I just wondered what sort of a market there would be for a pony like him - do people want hot dressage ponies, or does that rule out most kids and most adults want something bigger? and what value people would put on him (he is never ever for sale, and I don't care about replacement value for insurance, im just interested)
Some pics to give an idea: (must get some more, these are 8 months old!)

 

[BBP]

I assume this means I was right...nobody wants him so I will have to keep him!

 

[hamper05]

I don't have a clue really but would just like to say that he's gorgeous and I'd have him in a flash if I had the money and was smaller!

 

[bensababy]

Love him! Not much of a market (purely for selfish reasons) so I suggest you send him my way

 

[Palindrome]

ahah, I think the problem would be his size has you said but the forward going/hot is definitely an advantage for dressage.
I think you would find a buyer for 2-3k, but if he gets some affiliated wins under his belt probably much more as a competition pony. He is pretty and dark bay/black is in fashion in dressage .

 

[BBP]

That's what I have insured him for, so looks like I have it about right. I think his affiliated career will be severely handicapped by his jockey, but I'm getting better slowly.

I'm afraid I won't be sending him anywhere, he is staying right here with me (although if you had asked me this morning when he was playing the black stallion whilst turned loose in the arena I might have thought about it, i'm hoping the bucks and rears are out of his system before I ride tonight!)

At 5'3'' and 54kgs Im pretty much his limit I think, he isn't the weight carrying type at all and even my long back makes him a little small for me to look right on him.

 

[marmalade76]

I would say so. I'm a small adult and would look from 14.2 to 15.3 when buying and I like them a bit sharp (providing they're not out to kill themselves or anyone else!)

 

[redmone]

He'd definitely be in my "possibles" list for my daughters next pony! : )

 

[Montyforever]

Wouldnt be right for me personally but he's absolutely gorgeous can definetely see a market for him, but it wouldn't be a simple or quick sale to match him with the right people

 

[PoppyAnderson]

For the right person, I'd say he'd be worth a bit more than that (if you can get him out and a bit more proven). He's very beautiful, put together very well and his conformation lends itself to higher level dressage. Many capable, talented, competitive younger riders can sit to most stuff and they tolerate the difficult behaviour, just so long as the performance and capability is there. And you're clearly underselling yourself too, as it's plain to see that you're an extremely nice rider!

 

[Kokopelli]

It depends if he can switch himself off and do a good dressage test at a competition and be fairly consistent. If he's still silly and hot at a competition then not sure someone would want to pay a lot of money for a pony that looks good at home but won't perform at a show. This is what Andy is like with dressage so gave up

Atm you could probably get 3,500 but if you can get some bd points and qualify for some things he could be anything between 6k and 12k

 

[TandD]

there are many good young byrds riders who would take a horse like that! and the hottness wouldnt put them off. If he could get some decents affiliated wins, plus advertising to the right market i think there would be a good few buyers for him!

p.s. he is gorgous!!! id love a bigger version!

 

[Littlelegs]

He sounds like he'd match my daughters idea of a perfect pony. Admittedly at 8 her confidence is ahead of her ability & she'd be way overhorsed, but in her teens, then yes would be ideal, & I have known/know other teens the same. Not to mention smaller adults.

 

[BBP]

I've changed my mind...he can be on the first trailer out of here! Just had him all tacked up to ride, took him over the road to the arena and he was a lunatic! Desperate to rear bolt upright before I even got a foot in the stirrup (to be fair, its dark, blasting icy winds and freezing, and he's had a very easy week so i can't blame him). On days like today, I just take the tack off, let him go and watch for the next 20 minutes as he gallops around the arena like a loony, spinning like a cutting horse, rearing, rodeoing and snorting, and give up on the idea of schooling. Tomorrow he should come out like a new horse ready and eager to learn.

For the right person, I'd say he'd be worth a bit more than that (if you can get him out and a bit more proven). He's very beautiful, put together very well and his conformation lends itself to higher level dressage. Many capable, talented, competitive younger riders can sit to most stuff and they tolerate the difficult behaviour, just so long as the performance and capability is there. And you're clearly underselling yourself too, as it's plain to see that you're an extremely nice rider!

I know there loads of young people who are way more capable than me of sitting to him...its whether the parents would tolerate his slightly bipolar tendencies! When he is scary he can be very scary, with no self preservation instinct whatsoever (in terms of he would happily fall over or leap into danger if it got him away from the scary wheelbarrow or whatever it was). You never quite know what you will get with him, most shows he has been to he has been a little loopy to start with and then settles and works well if I can keep my nerves under control.

Those are the select few photos I would show people - the first couple of years after backing I had a slipped disc so found it very hard not to tip forwards and to get my leg on him. I think that's why he has come on so much is that my back is getting better.

Like I say, Im never going to sell him, but I sometimes wonder what his future could have been like if I hadn't bought him.

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

There is definitely a market for small, hot dressage ponies for adult riders. There are a fair few of us out there who like to 'safety' of being near the ground coupled with the excitement of something a bit nuts. I know for myself, after I broke my back, I get very anxious up high on a lunatic but a bit bored on a plod so my wizzy, spooky, lively 14hh pony is perfect.

He looks beautiful by the way, good luck with your dressage ambitions.

 

[peaceandquiet1]

If he went to a professional yard he would be worked so hard that the nonsense would be suppressed, but I am glad for his sake he is staying with you. A professional rider who was schooling my young pony wanted to produce her for dressage and then a profit, but there's no way. Staying here with us.

 

[BBP]

Yep, he's going nowhere. He was back to his eager to please self today after.boiling over last night...even though half his foot had fallen off! He likes to keep me on my toes!

 

[Firewell]

I love your chap!! At the end of the day he is not a normal, everyday pony... he's a performance pony. He has as much about him as any well bred continental dressage horse and the best ones are always clever and reactive. They have to be in order to do their job.
He's beautiful and the fact that despite his quirky ways you would never part with him goes to show that even for an amature he is workable. Therefore there would be a market for him.

I know what you mean about pricing a horse for insurance purposes though. My horse is only valued at a token amount to keep the premiums down but if anything was to ever happen to him I would never be able to replace him for that amount of money. I think it is common for people to undervalue their horses for the insurance.

 

[JFTDWS]

I love him. No market with me as I'd break his wee legs, but I reckon there are plenty of small adults who'd love a sparky little chap like him. Well worth 3k in my opinion.

 

[SO1]

He may not react like that perhaps in a different environment, how much turnout does he get, what is he fed? A lot of ponies can get hot if they have restriced turnout and are fed too much sugary or cereal types of feed. If he is not being worked for a few days do you reduce his feed accordingly?

TBH he does not sound very safe if he has panic attacks and blackouts and he tries to rear meaning that he is difficult to lead as well. If he is spooky in unfamiliar places which makes hacking difficult that could be tricky as competition horses need to be able to cope with going and competiting at different venues. Bucking and spooking are quite different to rearing bolt upright, and rearing would put a lot of people off.

Unless he has proven competition results I don't think there would be many people wanting to pay a lot of money for him especially in this financial climate.

 

[BBP]

If I'm honest he isn't that safe when he's having a panic attack. Thankfully he doesn't have them that often now but they do still happen. He has never reared more than 1ft off ground under saddle or in hand barring extreme events (he can buck if very excited. He is turned out 24/7 in summer. Usually in winter he is out 7am til 5pm but this year is so wet he is coming in by 1300 if chucking it down to save the fields. Feed wise he gets a handful of chaff, ad lib hay (mixed quality) and a small strip of grass. So a fiber only diet. It's definitely when turnout is limited and I can't work him enough that hes hyper but the panic attacks are a seperate issue, he can have them mid summer in full work.

 

[dafthoss]

I'd have him

I wouldnt know what he is worth as I have never brought any thing as far along in its schooling and probably never will . But I like the little ones with spark, he looks great fun.