Need to "make an offer" for this pony - how much?

tootsietoo

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I've got a pony on trial for my oldest daughter. Absolutely love it to bits and want to buy. The owners are very laid back about it, said I can have it on trial for as long as I need, and they don't have a clue how much she is worth, just said make an offer! (they are very wealthy, which probably explains the laid back attitude). They won't advertise the pony as they would rather she went to a good home fairly locally where they can keep in touch with her. So I need to make an offer which reflects the fact that I can offer this (ie. not too much money!) but which also is not ridiculously insulting.

The pony is 13hh very cobby type, 16, same home for 12 years, has done a bit of everything with two children, including hunting which is what I mainly want her for. I know several people who vouch for her safety and sensibleness out hunting and I've seen her out myself a couple of times. She is a forward going, fun pony and will probably be able to do 2'6" courses when daughter is ready. But does not appear to have a spook or a nap in her. She stops in a snaffle and has not tanked off. She did buck once the first day we had her. No health problems that I am aware of.

Thoughts appreciated!
 

OWLIE185

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How much is your daughters safety worth?
How much aggro is it going to save you having to look at various other horses?
I would have it vetted for peace of mind first.
This horse is probably worth about £3,500.
 

Meowy Catkin

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Look at adverts to see what prices similar ponies are, but remember that proven, safe child's ponies will have more value than a green version of the same sort.
 

cauda equina

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How about looking on , eg , HorseQuest , see what similar ponies are going for , then knock off a couple of hundred , as it sounds as if the owners are keen for you to have her .
 

be positive

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I have seen ponies of this type go for really good money as the safety aspect is pretty much priceless, if she was with me to be sold I would probably value her at between £2 and £3k but that would reflect me taking commission and the owners paying out for livery and ads etc, if you went in at the bottom end or a bit under that would seem fair, it would also depend on what came with her, usually outgrown ponies come with a full wardrobe and that can add up to a fair amount if there is a decent saddle in with them.
 

mudmudmud

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£2500- £3000. My sisters pony is similar to your description (Welshy not a cob) except done all PC and has been to HOYS for mounted games and we'd ask about £4,500- £5,000 for her.
 

tootsietoo

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Thanks, all helpful. I was thinking that I would be prepared to pay up to about £2k. The main issue is age, as we could have her for around 6 years, and at 22 I think there is very little value left due to management and health issues.

But yes Owlie, many parents will disregard age if the pony will do what they want safely. I know of someone who has paid £3k for a 25 year old pony because it is a mounted games machine! Generally it would appear that people will pay around £3k for a saintly pony of around 11.2-13hh. Unfortunately my non-horsey husband has been lulled into thinking that horses are free, because all of mine at the moment were!
 

soulfull

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Ouch. Think some sounded a lot of money. So until a look on pony club classifieds

Seems on there anything from £1300 for a 15yr to £2200 for 9yr old
Both sounded fabulously safe ponies too

But I've been out of ponies a long time
 

ester

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Offer what you think you can afford and go from there. If money is not that important to them I don't spect they will worry and you can always increase it :).
 

Sparkles

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Sold mine for just under 2 at 18 last year. Ones that age and type are priceless and worth what a parent wants for safety and that god send one in a million type pony. Its not an investment buy, ita kids teacher and safety buy so dont let age deter you. Temperament and exp are priceless. Good luck!
 

Bubblewrap

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I agree with ester, offer what you can afford and see what they say. It sounds like you have a good relationship with them. I bought a pony through word and mouth and didn`t know how much they wanted for him when we went and tried him. We had a chat and I told them what I could afford. I found out afterwards they had been looking at £1,500 more but they liked us and the home (and home for life),was more important to them than the money.
 

Goldenstar

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Offer them what you can afford and explain this to them but good ponies like this are sought after and hold there value .
I would say around 3000 is a fair value for a safe 16yo hunting pony but many may well make more money .
 

Billabongchick

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Wow, I don't think it would make anything like £3500 in our area (South west) as a 16 year old. I would have said £1750 absolute tops at that age unless tack/rugs included in which case a little more.
 

tootsietoo

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I'm definitely thinking along your lines Billabongchick - she comes with tack and a rug and was thinking £2k tops. I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but I'm oop north.
 

tootsietoo

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Also agree with the "offer what I can afford" suggestion as it may well be that they will value a good local home more than an extra £1500.
 

tootsietoo

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hmmm, yes, especially people who do deals for a living and don't want to feel like someone's got a bargain off them!
 

Billabongchick

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Just for comparison a lady at my yard recently sold her daughters pony for £1800 or so which was about 8 and is a saint (my tiny learner stepdaughter was able to jump and canter the pony despite it being far too big for her as it was so lovely.) Had done regional dressage and all pony club activities and a real mothers dream. I thought this was quite cheap but home was more important to them.
 

gallopingby

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I would offer what you can afford. If the pony is 100% schoolmaster and proven hunter and will jump as well it could easily by worth between £3000 and £3500. Ponies like this are impossible to find and therefore impossible to put a price on. Yes there are plenty of cheap ponies around at £1000 but are they sound and completely bombproof or do they maybe have a quirk somewhere along the line, and would the owners be prepared to let them go on trial?
Yes there are lots of cheap ponies around at the moment - a lot of them have changed homes many times, don't have miles on the clock or can be guaranteed as sensible hunting ponies.
 

Honey08

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I sold a 13.2 cob schoolmaster two years ago, he was a saint, had done and won everything at pc, been to the WHP NW champs and come 4th. He went with good tack and a huge wardrobe. I advertised him at £2000 and took £1750 for him. He was 17. Aged 10 he would have been a £4000 pony.
 

Hoof_Prints

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£3500 seems a bit much for an old cob! not that they aren't brilliant , but I don't think they usually have a hefty price tag attached :) i'd pay about £1500-£1800 for this kind of pony given its age, if it was younger then around £3000 as sensible hunters are worth a fair bit !
 

tootsietoo

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Thanks all. This at least gives me the parameters ie. minimum £1000, max £3500. Outside of those, one or other of us is dreaming, and if I can agree somewhere in the middle then I won't feel I've had the mickey taken.
 
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