Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesus

Well, he was just a pony to us, we never knew how good he would become!! I used to enjoy riding him, he was good fun. But I was only 17/18 at the time, at 6th form with a part time job and had a fantastic little mare who was never going to be sold (lost her in Feb), so there wasn't room for him.
 
MagsnPaddy said:
Sorry - meant The Hooligan :o
I came second often enough to your pony when he was a novice :rolleyes: My brother competed against him around the time that Lance had him.
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Yep, sorry, just realised that!!!
Can't believe he is still competing, I often see his old owner (who we purchased him from) so I'll have to tell her!
He actually 27 now, he somehow lost a year somewhere, but he was a year older than my mare, so he's quite incredible!!!
 
The_Hooligan said:
Mr Polo was the ugliest pony I have ever seen, but what a jump! and I rememeber CM when the Beaumonts had her.
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Polo was incredible - and really quirky, a great example of not easy to ride! He's still with the Macdonalds out in the field.

CM - well lets just say I had her and Gold Harvest to compete against in novice classes :mad: At least it meant the competition was good. She went to the Beaumonts afterwards and I think my brother competed against the younger seister.
 
The_Hooligan said:
Do you remember a really pretty Dun mare called HopscotchToffeepop? Her and the older sister with CM where always up against each other, My friend Amy had the Dun pony.
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Vaguely - I must admit once I was off ponies I wasn't at the shows so much - there are 5 years between my brother and I so we tended to have to try and be in different places. We had Master Roscoe about that time but he was being ridden by a friend of ours as I was too old and my brother was still on 128s.
 
Best hunting pony I ever had (so yah boo to those that say these ponies only do one job) :D
He went to the Europeans while we owned him and did all the usual HPI teams, HOYS etc.
 
FMM said:
Are you actually naive enough to think that all the top ponies are easy to ride? The kids that ride most of these ponies are fantastic jockies - most of them have a top pony or two and some younger ones that they are working on behind the scenes. Strangely, just like "grown up" show jumpers. Who do you think produces these top ponies if it is not the children?

The odd parent or two that has a non talented child doesn't keep wasting their money as the child is generally unable to ride said pony(ies).

My parents did not have a horsey bone in their body but I can assure you my competitive spirit was alive and well at the age of 11 even if they didn't come to watch me compete. And I suspect I am not alone!!!

And it is not just horse riding that the poorer children find it hard to excel at. Sailing, tennis, gymnastics, swimming - just about EVERY sport that you may like to compete at top level is enormously expensive without sponsorship.
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I completely agree with this, and it always riles me when people harp on about how elite equestrian sports are, because you need a fair bit of dollar to compete seriously in any sport.
I would also like to point out (and I haven't read the whole thread in detail so forgive me if it has been covered) that The Pony Club is not just about getting dirty at camp and monging about with mounted egg and spoon races, it produces decent riders, the Pony Club Champs are not your average 2ft6 and if you look at the decent pony club ponies for sale they are not cheap either.
There is a lot to be said for attempting to buy into a sport (remember Katie Price's Olympic Dressage dream?) but having financial help launching you into a sport you genuinely want to get to the top in isn't a bad thing.

FMM- on a different note, are you doing Great Yorkshire this year? looked for you at Lincs but was a busy one.
R
 
FMM said:
Are you actually naive enough to think that all the top ponies are easy to ride? The kids that ride most of these ponies are fantastic jockies - most of them have a top pony or two and some younger ones that they are working on behind the scenes. Strangely, just like "grown up" show jumpers. Who do you think produces these top ponies if it is not the children?
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I'm not naive in the slightest, my dear. I can only say that the three JA ponies I've ever ridden (not belonging to me) were probably the easiest and best schooled equines I've ever ridden.

I do wonder who produces them? Small adults in a lot of cases I suspect.

FMM said:
And it is not just horse riding that the poorer children find it hard to excel at. Sailing, tennis, gymnastics, swimming - just about EVERY sport that you may like to compete at top level is enormously expensive without sponsorship.
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There are certainly plenty of "poorer" (or as many would say, ordinary) children excelling in other sports. I've yet to hear of an athlete's parents paying for the installation of their own personal athletics track and buying them a pair of £25,000 spikes. But in most other sports, successful juniors are selected on the basis of talent, not how fortunate they have been in being born to wealthy parents.
 
BrambleandMonty said:
Just can't picture a 5/6/7 year old saying "mummy, will Santa bring me intensive training sessions this christmas"... Can only imagine parents who spend 35K on a pony will not be too happy if the child decides they want to go to a sleepover whilst they're supposed to be 'training', or lose interest in ponies, or just doesn't do very well?!

Wasn't getting frustrated with you - was with people going on abou thow much competition horses cost, and talking of MK?WFP/Totilas, which is outside the point.

I do see where you're coming from, it's just very difficult to imagine. Unless £35k pony is for a teenage ride, which I suppose would be less heinous - am hoping that maybe these parents do allow the actual children (i.e. under 12s) to have a few years of being a child, but I can imagine there are some pretty pushy parents of 7 year olds...
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For someone who harped on at me about not reading your posts then you could do with reading mine....where I clearly tells you that on these ponies you are talking 14/15/16 year olds. A 16 year old is legally old enough to leave school and begin work...yes they are not an adult but certainly not a child!!
 
amage said:
For someone who harped on at me about not reading your posts then you could do with reading mine....where I clearly tells you that on these ponies you are talking 14/15/16 year olds. A 16 year old is legally old enough to leave school and begin work...yes they are not an adult but certainly not a child!!
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I know of several children under 10 with a string of top ponies costing megabucks. But yes, I see your point. Older children could have bought said top ponies with their paper round money...
 
Mithras said:
I know of several children under 10 with a string of top ponies costing megabucks. But yes, I see your point. Older children could have bought said top ponies with their paper round money...
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No you don't see my point...OP states less heinous if said pony bought for teenager! I pointed out on about the third page of this thread that IT IS teenagers competing at FEI level.
 
amage said:
No you don't see my point...OP states less heinous if said pony bought for teenager! I pointed out on about the third page of this thread that IT IS teenagers competing at FEI level.
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I do see your point - you're trying to make it seem something its not. How many children get bought their top 14.2 ponies while they're still in 13.2s, or even still eligible for 12.2s?

You see it all the time. Small kids on fab 12.2s - you're not telling me they've done their own schooling, when the parents have to hold their hands and lead them round the course walk! Same kids on multiple ponies of differing heights.

ps teenagers start at age 13.
 
team barney said:
Pony Club isn't the be all and end all of enjoyment, I honestly think it is extremely overrated and full of half cop instructors who only seem to advise 'shorten you reins'. Not a good environment for a genuinely talented rider to learn in my opinion. Pony Club are far to keen on rough riding for my liking.
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Depends entirely on the pony club IMO. Ours has some very good instructors.
 
I was talking to the kids riding instructor (when I can afford lessons for them) the other day. She has trained people to Olympic Standard and teaches OS in France/Europe part of the year.

She teaches 6 & 7 year olds with "million dollar cheque books" so no it is not only teenagers that get serious money spent on them. If you have $50 million plus in the bank, maybe spending $250 000 - 500 000 on a pony is neither here nor there.

I would not do it, but depends what the parents values/priorities are.We have a client that spends $500 000 on a car every 12 to 18 months, (plus about the same again racing it, )it depends what your poison is I guess.
 
BrambleandMonty said:
I mean, there's no other """""sport""""" like it, is there? Lewis Hamilton wouldn't have had a F1 car bought for him, he grew up on go karts,
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You obviously have no idea of the cost of kart racing :p £35k would run one kart at the front end of the grid at national level for one season but not european level.
My son has recently taken up kart racing so I'm well aware of the pain :eek:
 
Mithras said:
I'm not naive in the slightest, my dear. I can only say that the three JA ponies I've ever ridden (not belonging to me) were probably the easiest and best schooled equines I've ever ridden.

I do wonder who produces them? Small adults in a lot of cases I suspect.



There are certainly plenty of "poorer" (or as many would say, ordinary) children excelling in other sports. I've yet to hear of an athlete's parents paying for the installation of their own personal athletics track and buying them a pair of £25,000 spikes. But in most other sports, successful juniors are selected on the basis of talent, not how fortunate they have been in being born to wealthy parents.
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Naive AND patronising.

Anyway - back to the thread - I find it astonishing that so many people on here have been given rides on affiliated ponies, without having to have had to put their hands in their pockets to pay for them - then say that parents who DO pay for these ponies are wrong.

And no - small adults DON'T produce these ponies.

And I deliberately did not include athletics because this is one area where it is far easier for children from less well off families to do well. The pony jumping brigade are still selected on the basis of their talent as a child that has no talent will STILL not be able to compete at top level, no matter what pony they have. It is also easier for athletics to get sponsorship than it is for children riding. Most of the child sponsorship is from family owned companies. And RtE made a good point about Katie Price ...

What you are saying is almost the same as saying that any short person could ride the winner of the Derby and beat all the professional jockeys ... just because they were on the "best" horse ...
 
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RunToEarth said:
FMM- on a different note, are you doing Great Yorkshire this year? looked for you at Lincs but was a busy one.
R
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My horse went, but I was at work when Lincoln was on!!!

Doing the coloureds on Tuesday and cobs on Wednesday at Great Yorkshire - shout if you see me (well, if you see Dinger who is easier to spot!!!!) Are you competing?
 
ridiculous dont think any animal is worth that no matter what once they reach aged time they worth what u pay.
i would NEVER spe3nd that amount on an animal after all its humans that say there worth that amount that certainly not worth that looking at the pony no matter what its won you only have around 6 years then the value drops out of it
 
diamond_light said:
ridiculous dont think any animal is worth that

no matter what its won you only have around 6 years then the value drops out of it
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Well anything is worth what anyone is willing to pay for it so just because you wouldn't pay it does not mean it's not worth that!

And as for only having six years...thats tosh! There are plenty of ponies jumping at top level well into their 20's. Colton Maelstrom, Shalom Outlaw, Scarlet H, Woodlouse, are just a handful of those that had a hell of a lot longer than 6 years at the top!
 
yes but nobody is going to see you walk down street and say wow she wearing a NEXT top and a Next shirt. or say with that is a vidal sasoon haircut or wow that pony is worth x mount money

or wow that ladies make up is from leichner or clarins
it looks like any other on the face

hence why i wont buy expensive stuff.


people get conned into buying brand name stuff

like buying weetabix when they could by supermarket branded version
 
diamond_light said:
yes but nobody is going to see you walk down street and say wow she wearing a NEXT top and a Next shirt. or say with that is a vidal sasoon haircut or wow that pony is worth x mount money

or wow that ladies make up is from leichner or clarins
it looks like any other on the face

hence why i wont buy expensive stuff.


people get conned into buying brand name stuff

like buying weetabix when they could by supermarket branded version
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Hmmmm. Not convinced you totally know what you are talking about here :/ Quality is quality and whether it is a make up, a dress, a pony or own brand coca cola, I can assure you that there is a difference :)
 
Next is hardly an expensive designer brand! It's cheap work wear for the most part, and not easily distinguishable from any other chain store stuff. As for people not noticing - they do - I saw a lady in London the other day in a beautiful pair of Louboutins, and the friend I was with also commented on them. Now I choose to spend my disposable income on horses, and had someone at a show the other day admiring my lorry, but if I didn't, then I'd sure as hell buy those £500 shoes! My horses got from A to B just as well in my 1975 bedford which cost me under 2k, but now I can afford a shiny new custom built lorry, I do enjoy having it, driving it and generally using it. It's a weirdly British thing to think that actually spending decent money on something means you are either being ripped off or you haven't earnt your success.
 
When I was 16 I was given a horse that cost £4.5million to ride :D

The reason he cost so much - he was bought as a yearling by Coolmore to race and become the next best thing to sliced bread. He was to be the Galileo of his day. He was by Sadler's Wells out of an Oaks winning mare. So off he went to race as a 2yo and his first race was a Group 2 at Royal Ascot in which he finished a close 2nd. And then things went downhill. During his stint as a 2yo and 3yo at Ballydoyle he never managed to win a race, even down to a seller so he was sent over to Jonjo's to be a National Hunt horse. He still never won a race and was sold in-yard to another owner. THey then sent him to Semples, again failing to win a race of any description and then on to us and thats when I got to ride him. Hurdling or chasing he still never won a race and he was sold for £500 out of racing to the local huntmaster as his hunt horse and Point To Pointer. He never even managed to win a PTP!

It just goes to show - bloodlines can mean the world when you are buying youngsters but you can't be sure they will turn into anything a few years down the line - even with the very best trainers!
 
W/E


at the end of the day horses are horses no matter what the price a human puts on its head.

All I am saying is I will not pay mega bucks on a horse.


A horse can be bought for allot of money they injure itself or be put down then its not worth much,
nuff said
 
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