Moving on to next pony…budget

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Fizzandfun

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We will be looking for my daughter’s next pony soon. I’m truly not ready as she’s only had current one for 12 months but she’s 12 and her legs won’t stop growing! We will keep her pony as he’s an absolute legend. He isn’t a world beater but he’s given her so much confidence, and hasn’t put hoof out of place under the saddle.

What budget would we be looking at for the following:

* Unicorn of a temperament. Honest and looks after his rider. Safe as houses.
* 14.2hh - 15hh
* 10-15 years
* For all PC activities at a low level. We’re just there for the social and picnics, not super competitive but would like to do clear rounds at 60-70 and local shows and dressage.
* Enjoy having regular lessons, and chilled when out hacking in open spaces - alone and in company.

Appreciate this is a big ask but they do exist as we have a mini version.

Pricing seem to be all over the place currently. It’s hard to understand what a sensible budget looks like so some guidance would be helpful.
 
Have a look on pony club ponies or whickr. Expect prices to vary depending on what the ponies done. Best way is to ask around local PC members who may have an outgrown pony looking to move homes. Price could be anywhere from around £6000 to at least double for a sensible school master type.
 
I’ve looked at ads but I just don’t trust them (have had fingers burnt in the £5-6k bracket) sadly.

I am actively looking at other ponies in PC but people are quite cagey with sharing whether their ponies are for sale or not. There’s nothing I’ve seen so far, but then most of the ponies in her groups are a smilier size or smaller.
 
I don't know for sure - depends on competitive experience, hugely on age, a little on part of the country.

BUT...

If I wanted a unicorn who would take a child out competing locally also at 11.2-12hh I would expect to have to pay £6k+. Those unicorns have been minimum £5k since at least 2016.

Then you've gone up several size brackets. For prime age I'd expect over £10k.
 
Just having a quick scan now. Any pony in that hight and age bracket start at £4,500 up to £12,000 but most are on with dealers (big no), or are not the right match (Have issues or need competitive homes).

So are we looking at more?!
 
Think of a number, double it and pray you find one for 1/4 of the budget?

A dodgy seller can market a horse at any price point, doesn’t mean it will be any good for the job.
Fizzandfun said:
Just having a quick scan now. Any pony in that hight and age bracket start at £4,500 up to £12,000 but most are on with dealers (big no), or are not the right match (Have issues or need competitive homes).

So are we looking at more?!
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What’s wrong with buying from a dealer? I’m not looking but I know a couple fairly local to me I plan to go to when shopping, Chris Dyson and Emily Chambers. A good dealer with a solid reputation is far more trust worthy than an unknown private seller.
 
From my experience I’ve decided no to dealers. One of which has a fantastic reputation. I don’t want to make this about dealers, they just aren’t right for us.
 
Have a look on pony club ponies or whickr. Expect prices to vary depending on what the ponies done. Best way is to ask around local PC members who may have an outgrown pony looking to move homes. Price could be anywhere from around £6000 to at least double for a sensible school master type.
misst said:
She seems extremely well priced ? Or am I an old cynic
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misst said:
She seems extremely well priced ? Or am I an old cynic
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@Fizzandfun if an ad says it’s been pony clubbed it’s always worth getting in touch with the DC who may be able to help with contacts who’ve seen the pony out and about.
 
That’s exactly what we did with our amazing wee boy now. Have full history, contact with all previous owners, had references from PC.

Prices just seem to have no benchmark.
 
They are very rare.

Over the last year with your current unicorn, has your daughter perhaps developed sufficient skill and confidence to cope with a younger unicorn (5yo well schooled gelding/mare upwards with a gold dust temperament)? Or to cope with a slightly older sane pony that has a bit more about it but is still safe? Those options would widen your search and give you more choice.
 
I wouldn’t taken on a youngster, no.

It’s not whether they exist as they do, it’s the budget I’m struggling with. I’d like some idea of what to spend but prices are all over the place.
 
Her confidence has grown but the only reason we need to find another is due to her growing, I honestly thought he would do her for a good few years. We will keep him so she’ll always have him to ride but he’s so compact and she’s all legs.

So realistically are we looking at a budget of £10-15k?
 
Fizzandfun said:
Her confidence has grown but the only reason we need to find another is due to her growing, I honestly thought he would do her for a good few years. We will keep him so she’ll always have him to ride but he’s so compact and she’s all legs.

So realistically are we looking at a budget of £10-15k?
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Yes, I would say so if you want something which is a popular height, a popular age range and is easy to handle, no ridden issues and will pass a 5 stage vetting.

I bought last year, a bit bigger than you're looking for but I was prepared to compromise on something more challenging to ride, the one I bought was a 4yo so plenty of work needed to be done. There was nothing below 10k that didn't have something concerning like lame in the videos. It's very difficult now to get something outside of dealers / agents. I was very against this also as you can learn a lot from seeing how the long term owner handles and rides the horse. On sales livery, the agent can truthfully answer most questions with don't know so it's really not helpful in getting the full history of the horse. Many are on copy passports so you can't find out anything about the previous owner either. I did buy through an sales livery agent eventually as after months of looking I still didn't have a horse but I wouldn't recommend it, especially for a child.
 
Fizzandfun said:
Her confidence has grown but the only reason we need to find another is due to her growing, I honestly thought he would do her for a good few years. We will keep him so she’ll always have him to ride but he’s so compact and she’s all legs.

So realistically are we looking at a budget of £10-15k?
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That's the budget I'd set. Good luck
 
nutjob said:
Yes, I would say so if you want something which is a popular height, a popular age range and is easy to handle, no ridden issues and will pass a 5 stage vetting.

I bought last year, a bit bigger than you're looking for but I was prepared to compromise on something more challenging to ride, the one I bought was a 4yo so plenty of work needed to be done. There was nothing below 10k that didn't have something concerning like lame in the videos. It's very difficult now to get something outside of dealers / agents. I was very against this also as you can learn a lot from seeing how the long term owner handles and rides the horse. On sales livery, the agent can truthfully answer most questions with don't know so it's really not helpful in getting the full history of the horse. Many are on copy passports so you can't find out anything about the previous owner either. I did buy through a sales livery agent eventually as after months of looking I still didn't have a horse but I wouldn't recommend it, especially for a child.
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Glad you got there in the end. Even looking at some of the videos on horse quest, there are some priced £10k and over with serious head and tail tossing, clear lameness etc.
 
Fizzandfun said:
I wouldn’t taken on a youngster, no.

It’s not whether they exist as they do, it’s the budget I’m struggling with. I’d like some idea of what to spend but prices are all over the place.
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There are a couple of posters on here who have been looking for many months for what you are after, with a budget in excess of £12k.
Big enough for an adult increases your pool of people wanting the equine while the number available in each size bracket that does that job is probably similar. We could not find a replacement when ours died - I trained him from an unbacked scrawny 3yo (because we had spent a year looking and found nothing) and he was foot perfect by 5. We used to get people at shows offering to buy him.

I would have a big budget available (up to £15k - you might be lucky and spend much less but I would have it there), and logistically be able to go and view the same day the ad goes up.

Good luck!
 
maya2008 said:
There are a couple of posters on here who have been looking for many months for what you are after, with a budget in excess of £12k.
Big enough for an adult increases your pool of people wanting the equine while the number available in each size bracket that does that job is probably similar. We could not find a replacement when ours died - I trained him from an unbacked scrawny 3yo (because we had spent a year looking and found nothing) and he was foot perfect by 5. We used to get people at shows offering to buy him.

I would have a big budget available (up to £15k - you might be lucky and spend much less but I would have it there), and logistically be able to go and view the same day the ad goes up.

Good luck!
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I wish I had the experience to do this. It’s not something I feel knowledgeable to be able to do, even with the support we have.
 
@Fizzandfun depending whereabouts you are there’s no reason why a 14.2 M&M couldn’t jump 70 or 80 cms. They’re not easy to come by but you might be lucky and find one for around 10k. 15 hands is a popular height as they can do lots of different classes but a 14.2 M&M of the right type will take up a riders leg and sometimes a tall jockey will look more suitably mounted than an a skinny 16 hh horse. Might be worth having a look at some of the breed societies sales lists or putting a wanted ad on. You really should be able to find something suitable under 12k as long as you’re prepared to travel to view. That might mean staying away overnight but always worth the extra effort as long as you have the right contacts.
 
That is the nightmare size!!! Easily 10-15k plus! Sorry, it’s honestly the size everyone wants, someone in our PC is selling that exact horse which has qualified for regional and national championships and won several big events and is for sale for £25k! I wouldn’t expect to pay that much but you are looking at well over 10k unfortunately.

We have a 14hh for my 10yr old and I’m praying we can hang onto her for a good few years and skip straight to small horses as we simply won’t be able to afford the 14.2 bracket! Either that or buy a youngster and spend some time and money potentially getting it to where you want over the next few years…a LOT of the PC kids at our club have youngsters waiting in the wings as their parents cannot afford the 14.2 bracket! It seems to be the only affordable way now and I think we might go down that route too x
 
This thread should give you an idea.
A

Post in thread 'Where to advertise, and how much?'

First update, and thanks for all the feedback. I advertised him this morning at £14.5k and have had quite a lot of interest already, two viewings booked. It is probably easier that I’m in the UK and central (Oxfordshire). Based on that the price seems appropriate, but of course you never know how a vetting will go (I have no reason to think he wouldn’t pass but we all know what vettings are like).
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Unless you are able to travel to the extremities, then 15k would be a general guide
 
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