Oh gosh, where to start. Trying to buy a pony for a shy 11 year old!

Gloi

Gloi

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If it is within distance, when it opens again your daughter may like to look round world horse welfare's site near Aberdeen. There is nothing suitable at the moment but ponies do come up occasionally and if it's like our local branch it is a nice day out for her.
 
smolmaus

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I'm Dun said:
Its the same up and down the country. I've just bought and I tried all the rescues first. Most arent even taking applications for ridden or potentially ridden horses or ponies!
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Not surprised. With the market the way it is anything that isn't dog lame to blind man is being sold as a project (I'm sure even some of those are being doped up and sold anyway) so the rescues probably aren't getting them in in the first place. And then you have the depressingly common tendency for adopted ponies on permanent loan to get sold on and disappear which is going to be even more likely at the moment. It's a weird time.
 
cauda equina

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bonnysmum said:
Hi Jellymoon, believe me this has been thought about long and hard. The main reason is the therapeutic value of a pony to my daughter and the fact we simply can't fulfil that with any of the goodwill arrangements we currently have. I think I might have been trying to achieve too much in the one go, and the more I think about it I wonder if we should be looking for a safe, kind plod that my daughter can take care of, and possibly still keep working on her riding with other more spritely horses at the RS. It's difficult because it's a lot of money and I want this to be right for the longer term, not just a year or two, especially as the number one reason is for my daughter to build a relationship with a pony of her own.
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A safe, kind plod sounds perfect
A lot of the fun of having a pony as a child is the general messing around as much as the riding, and for that you need a patient soul who's happy to put up with childish stuff.
I had a chunky 12.3 when I was 12 - she was big enough to jump everything out hunting but small enough to vault on for mounted games
 
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mossycup

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OP - David Lawson (Aberdeen based) might be worth a shout - not a dealer but he has his ear to the ground in the scottish horse world and may well know of something.

I ride 14-14.2 ponies as a 5'6 adult, definitely echo the chunky 13.2/highland pony idea!
 
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bonnysmum

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Rowreach said:
I know of the absolutely perfect pony, advertised a couple of days ago, but he may already have sold as he has a known history (I would have bought him unseen if I was looking). I can point you the right way if you want the details.
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Details of any pony that could possibly be suitable would be brilliant, can you PM me? I expect he will already be sold though, in my experience so far the good ones sell the day they're advertised.
 
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bonnysmum

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Hepsibah said:
I've only read the first page of responses but I saw this one nearish to you...https://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/120900913/fell-pony-mare-11-years-old-for-sale.html?link=/search?sectionId=3365&location=inverness&orderBy=distance
Fell ponies are awesome and while 13.1hh isn't as big as your wish list asks for, they can easily carry and adult and it's within budget.
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She sounded perfect until I read the bit about napping when hacking alone and the good old "not for a novice rider" that seems to be the caveat attached to almost every advert I see (either overtly in the advert wording or in the further information I receive from the seller). :-(
 
Cloball

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bonnysmum said:
She sounded perfect until I read the bit about napping when hacking alone and the good old "not for a novice rider" that seems to be the caveat attached to almost every advert I see (either overtly in the advert wording or in the further information I receive from the seller). :-(
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As much as I adore fells, they are strong and clever ponies. I had the ride on more than one as an older teen/young adult that would not have been suitable for a first pony for an 11 year old.
 
Melody Grey

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I think ‘not novice ride’ can mean absolutely anything and probably warrants enquiry as to what/ why that is.
Some sellers will add it because the pony is young and needs a watchful eye and firm guidance (which you may be able to get from your instructor). Some will add it because the pony practically has devil horns and can’t be trusted at all. I think it’s worth asking for more info to see what it is they really mean, especially given how limited the market is.
 
Hepsibah

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Cloball said:
As much as I adore fells, they are strong and clever ponies. I had the ride on more than one as an older teen/young adult that would not have been suitable for a first pony for an 11 year old.
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I would never dismiss the possibility of a Fell pony. They're all so different. My favourite pony is a Fell, she would happily carry anybody and is a total confidence giver. My least favourite pony is a Fell too, she'd kick you sooner than look at you and I wouldn't give you a thank you for her...
 
brighteyes

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Bellaboo18

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bonnysmum said:
Hi Jellymoon, believe me this has been thought about long and hard. The main reason is the therapeutic value of a pony to my daughter and the fact we simply can't fulfil that with any of the goodwill arrangements we currently have. I think I might have been trying to achieve too much in the one go, and the more I think about it I wonder if we should be looking for a safe, kind plod that my daughter can take care of, and possibly still keep working on her riding with other more spritely horses at the RS. It's difficult because it's a lot of money and I want this to be right for the longer term, not just a year or two, especially as the number one reason is for my daughter to build a relationship with a pony of her own.
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Just something to think about...
The safe, kind plod in the 'real world' is probably the equivalent to the more spritely horses at the riding school ?

When you want to get the kind plod, fit and out doing a bit more most will step up a gear when needed.

Anyway that aside, good luck with the search, as everyone has said the market is crazy at the moment but the right pony will turn up.

Will keep an eye out and look forward to the 'new pony has arrived thread'
 
honetpot

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bonnysmum said:
I'm embarrassed to say my budget is only £3-4k (although the one I saw yesterday was allegedly a schoolmaster that they wanted £5k for, and I would pay that much if it was perfect in every way).
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OMG, I am so out of touch. I help with the RC my daughters used to be members of, and there are a couple of push button 14-14-2, ridden by dots, which they are doing gymkhana games on, I knew they were expensive, but not that much.
Both look like SJ ponies, and I would look at ponies that the child is now too old for the class either showing or SJ, or they are just not good enough for the height they want. I bought a failed show pony and a show horse, both well trained but just weren't good enough for the ring, both did PC.
I would look at just about anything in your area, concentrate on temperament, and a bit like looking at bad looking houses, concentrate, on the essentials of the animal. You can always work on it, but you can not change its basic temperament. I have two daughters and the thing that makes the deal is the child has to like the pony, they will put up with anything, trust them to try, if they like the pony. I have friends who have spent thousands on ponies, only for the child never to really like them, and be a lot happier on something that is not so smart or talented because they see them as a team. Its not like buying a horse, unless you are like me and keep every pony, the average time a child is on a pony is two years, then they either outgrow it or they want something more challenging. I know this because I've had ponies that I used to loan out, one a 14.2 PC schoolmaster, and after two years, they were ready for something else.
 
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Pony size:
Get what suits now, on loan or share ideally (I had sharers of a similar age to your daughter years ago, they know their beloved ‘first’ pony is still here with me any time they want an update, then at 14/15 could move on to a bigger, more athletic model that was ‘theirs’).

In terms of suitable size for an 11 year old, at 10-12 even my friend’s very tall daughter fitted fine on our fine 13.2hh. At sixteen she will still be fine on a chunky 14.2hh. I ride a 13hh pony (5ft4), my son still has his 10.3hh Shetland at 8yo and she’ll carry a ten year old child without blinking. My son also rides my husband’s 14.3hh saint of a cob cross - but he is regularly ridden by an adult and he cannot even catch him on his own, just helps with the exercising in the summer.

Some medical conditions are more easily managed than others, and if your budget is on the smaller side for the saint you need, these can be managed. I have a nervous daughter who finds life difficult- her pony is honestly a saint. Completely the wrong size, you would definitely think the wrong temperament if you saw the pony with anyone else on, but perfect for her. She goes to see her pony all grumpy and not coping, then magically transforms into this happy, cheerful child. Pony indulges all her whims with kindness and is simply amazing - she has a host of health issues and costs a fortune to keep, but I literally do not know what we would do without her and every penny is money well spent.

In your position I think I would put wanted ads up and keep asking around - friends’ farriers, vets, anyone. Your saint could be semi-retired in a field somewhere!
 
splashgirl45

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HashRouge said:
Smashing little pony!
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yes but double the budget available...if money was no object the right pony would be much easier to find. i think asking at the local pony club could find an old pony who owners might be willing to loan out. many of these perfect little ponies are kept by the families and are never sold..thats the type needed, been there, done it and a good temperament
 
DabDab

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splashgirl45 said:
yes but double the budget available...if money was no object the right pony would be much easier to find. i think asking at the local pony club could find an old pony who owners might be willing to loan out. many of these perfect little ponies are kept by the families and are never sold..thats the type needed, been there, done it and a good temperament
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Yeah a loan would probably be a better option. I'm not convinced even with more money that it would be any easier. There's more buyers than suitable ponies at every price point atm I think.
 
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