Need help selling a problem pony

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K9Wendy

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OK, this is most definately not an ad.. But my best friend is in a huge dilema and needs advice on selling a problem pony. She basically needs the stable as middle child is now started riding and this little pony is standing doing nothing and financially it's impossible to provide middle child with pony and keep this one, harsh reality unfortuately.

Pony is 12.2hh Welsh Sec B with papers, mare, with great bloody lines, won as a youngster in hand at County level, age 12. Has not been riden regularly for about 4 years. Reason for not riding? pony is hard work! She is very attached to people and home herd, when riden away from company naps, spins and stresses. She went for professional schooling a couple of years ago, and the rider told the owner she has a great jump, lovely movement but put any leg on or too much contact and she losses the plot spins and fights. In the stable she is perfect, will box & show.

This does sound awful, but I am sure there is a home out there for her. How to word the ad? She does not want to put her own on loan, fair chance she would come back! but neither is she lookin g much money for her.

How should the ad be worded? bearing in mind what I have just said... My friend has every intention of being honest with the buyer, will give full history of pony and problems.
 
I woudl sell her as a companion pony, she is the right size and breed to be cheap to keep and sounds like it would suit her to the ground if she is such a handful to ride.
She could also be used as a broodmare.

Espec as she is a kids pony not many parents would knowingly buy their kids a pony that behaved that way.
 
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Sounds like an ideal potential brood mare, and would most likely sell as that

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Just out of interest...do you think the undesirable traits could be passed on to her progeny though,or is it not something that you'd worry about?

Bethxx
 
The trouble with pony's this size who are 'quirky' is that they need capable little jockeys to ride them - and there aren't that many kids out there up to the task.

Does she have good links with the horsey community round by her - word of mouth is often the best way of selling pony's - especially difficult ones.

Also if she was a good little show pony there may be an interest in her as a broodmare.
 
Totally agree, with a capable jockey she would do much better. She does form an attachment with people if taken from the other ponys, and in the past was a lead rein pony. When she arrived with the family she was perfect to lead with a little rider, but that was not what she was to be used for and when lead rein came off the problems started, kids lost interest and she has done very little since.

Broodmare thing, not sure about, they tried breeding 2 years ago and nothing happened. It wasn't AI she was in with the stallion during the summer.

They are in the PC and quite possibly there is connections there, but I think she is afraid that pony is too much trouble for anyone to take on. I'm not so sure, with the right rider I think she would improve, especially if riden regularly!
 
I would advertise her as a problem pony on projecthorses saying what you did here.
certainly its the sort of pony we'd be looking at to bring on and sell but it does depend, do you think she would ever cope with being ridden?
 
Wonder why she didn't conceive - did they investigate at all, did the stallion actually cover her?? Came accross a mare in the summer at the stud where Amy was who the stallion was just not interested in. They had been out together all summer (the pony performs better without interference apparently). Anyway they brought her in checked her daily on the size of her follicles and then brought the stallion to her in hand - worked ok then.

Anyway - sounds to me as if there's not much wrong with the pony other than someone taking it under their belt, understanding a bit more about what they're doing and not making excuses for it.

Amy will happily follow me round the field if she's out on her own - or anyone actually. Doesn't mean she has a particular attachment to people - she just preferes not to be on her own.

As for the napping - well, that's usually easily solved.
 
I think she would ride ok, in the right hands and with regular work. I do think it would be a project for a competant little rider who wanted a project to work on. I fear my friend has become attached to her and would worry that once sold could go from pillar to post. I see loads of ponys of this type at pony club, all loving their job, so hope it is a case of reschooling her..
 
I agree with trying the lead rein route. If you also stated that the pony had potential off lead rein for a compentent child I am sure there would be some interest. There are lots of peole who like to do lead rein M&M. Often families would like a 'small pony' for lead rein and for an older more competent child to do gymkhana on.
 
Just off the phone with my friend, I got it wrong.. This pony has had a foal, it was the foal they went to see but bought her. She didn't run with the stallion last year, that was one of her Connemaras, she breeds them. Normally they are AI but one of her mares had been lame and they sent her away for the summer and used a stallion naturally. So this little pony was the one that was AI'd and it didn't take, but vet had said semen was off low quality and not a lot of hope but since it has arrived he would try anyway, nothing to loose. So potentially, she could be used for breeding!

So yes she could do lead rein, and used for breeding, fantastic bloodlines. So ad should reflect this, with being told the rest..
 
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So this little pony was the one that was AI'd

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Ah yes - my pony couldn't keep a pregnacy with AI.

Well best of luck to your friend.
 
Message to Kiesha
Sell the pony as a lead rein pony and be honest about the pony off the lead rein. There are some good little kiddy riders out there. I've known quirky ponies to be fab jumpers and go on to be good ponies with good riders. This pony might make a good hunting pony with a good kiddy rider. You could always loan the pony with a view to buy at an agreed price, bit like a trial really. That way you're sure to find the right home.. Good luck
 
Sorry not read the rest of the posts as just spotted this before I leave for the yard... Have you thought about www.projecthorses.co.uk (something like that anyway). The adverts on there are very honest and people go on who are prepared to take something on with a few 'issues' like the pony you have described. My loan horse was from this site, although it was only because she needed rebacking as she had a year off work after her initial backing.

The other alternative is to perhaps loan the pony to a home where the people are experienced in this sort of behaviour and your friend could always look for another pony to loan for the time being.
 
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