Perfect pony but bad timing? Do I buy?

[Eryn]

My favourite riding school pony is retiring this year, we think he's 20 but he came to the school as a rescue so no one really knows.

I've been offered him, the owner has told me that I can have a space on the very small and friendly livery on site so I'd have so much support with him.

He'd be my first pony and I absolutely love him to bits. There's only really me that likes him because he's ploddy with complete beginners and cheeky with everyone else, he will try and scrape you off on fence posts, eat the foliage and refuse to go, and just generally be irritating. Everyone gives up on him but I love him and I've worked hard with him and now he really works for me. He can be ploddy when he's hacking but I think that's just because he's lazy because he really comes to life when you ask him to trot or canter.

The only thing stopping me from jumping at the chance to keep him is that I graduated from uni 2 years ago and I don't know where I'm going to end up. I don't have a graduate job yet and if I ever got one it could move me out of this area. I'm also still living at home so buying him might mean I never move out.

I just can't stand the thought of him going to one of the kids as a lead rein pony or staying in the school and not being worked when he has so much left to give.

What would you do?

 

[wren123]

My horsey side thinks to go for it it seems a perfect first pony, but get at least a two stage vetting and I hope they're not asking much for the pony.

My sensible side is thinking it would be a silly time to buy while you're looking for a proper graduate job. The pony will be difficult to sell at that age of you need to due to work, additionally the pony will be difficult to sell if you want something more competitive when you get more experienced. Plus at that age something may go wrong and you will have to keep the pony in retirement or make a very hard decision.

 

[honetpot]

I a going to be a cynic, they want you to buy and older pony and pay livery? If they were giving you the pony, he sound school sick, I would think it was a better deal. Old ponies that are safe are the life blood of pony club, forgiving of learner mistakes and are loaned out and sometimes sold for relatively large prices, which makes me think this pony would be hard to sell as a first pony.
I would keep your hands in your pocket.

 

[Eryn]

My heart is saying I 100% want this pony and will look after him in my old age. I mean when will I get the chance again to buy a pony I know and trust.

The competitive thing doesn't worry my too much because the owner likes people to ride the younger and sometimes green horses to get them used to different riders. So the challenge will always be there.

Argh I know your sensible side is right, he's just such a sweetheart on the ground it'll be so hard to watch him get sold to someone else.

 

[Shay]

I'm really sorry - walk away.

You have an emotional attachment to him and you will find it hard to see him sold (if in fact they can sell him - I suspect they cannot). Older ponies are absolutely the life blood of pony club - one reason why it is the only organization where you can still compete on prascend. But you know nothing about the wider horsey scene around you. If they could sell him - I'm sure they would!

The lure of what you know - and indeed not knowing what you do not know (if that is not a tautology) is powerful. But once you look outside your RS you will find a massive wealth of different horses, living arrangements etc.

You stand on the edge of a whole new life. I know it it totally horrible - from this perspective - to walk away from him. But you are burdening yourself with needing to find him livery, vets fees and retirement livery in probably very short order. He may have one or two years of ridden life left - but quite probably a decade or more of retirement. Of course the current owner is keen for you to buy. The overwhelming likelihood is that he isn't in fact saleable otherwise.

There will be another out there for you at a better time. At this point you really need to be sharing / part loaning. Move from horse to horse as your career moves you around the UK. Leaving each is heart breaking. But this is horses. Very few of us can keep every horse / pony that has been a step on our educational journey. You need to be able to love deeply - then walk away / sell. Otherwise you'll have a never ending string of retired ponies tagging along after you getting ever longer. Not what you need having just graduated and looking to form your life in the world of employment.

Horse ownership will come for you. But now is not the time.

 

[ester]

The cynic in me thinks the YO knows he is on a good thing If he can sell to a client and charge them livery.

Re timing mine came along straight after uni when I was still temping/looking for a proper job. Opportunities in the area were limited and I should have not had that tie and just gone to whether I could get the best job at the time.

 

[eggs]

I'm sorry but I am with Shay on this. Also, to be brutally frank he is not a perfect pony which is why the riding school have not sold him on. I don't doubt that you love him but there are other horses out there that you could also love.

I would wait until you are settled in a job and know where you will be living before taking on the huge commitment of horse ownership.

 

[ponyparty]

Would they loan him to you? This might be a better option as you could end the loan if you needed to move away.
We all know how it is, falling for a horse - I seem to fall particularly hard! But you do need to be in the right place financially and at the right point in your life to take on this huge commitment.

 

[claret09]

go for it

 

[Horsegal98]

Follow your heart, you won't have this opportunity again.