pony bought for 11 yo last week now rearing...

All horses can rear, some do it more often than others.

This is a living thing we are talking about, with feelings, emotions and opinions.

It's been there a week!

Unless there is something physically wrong, get rid and buy the kid a bike.
 
thanks that's a really helpful comment :rolleyes: I do think I have agreed with most of these points already :rolleyes: not my kid, not my pony just been asked how I would proceed and wasn't sure....

many horses do not and have never reared under saddle regardless of the situation they are put in, I happen to have a preference for these ones ;)
 
My friend works in trading standards and I'm sure she told me "sold as seen" on a receipt is pointless, meaningless and has no bearing on your consumer rights (eta, but its possible I've dreamed that or made it up, my memory's getting a bit useless lol).

If the pony is being scary, I think the owners should do all they can to appeal to the old owners to take it back. First, offer them the chance to come and help overcome the problems, then offer to take a loss if they still want rid and, if needs be, be clear that (if you think the pony's unsafe) it will be packed off to any old sale if they aren't interested. The kid's much more important than the pony.
 
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Pale rider helpful as ever :rolleyes:

OP I think the only person who can advise them is the instructor as not only were they riding it at the time they will have a better idea of the childs ability. But I will say the YP reared a fair bit when he arrived and I cant remember the last time he did it now.
 
thanks flame and DH :) I reckon I just need to go nab a ride on Fergs to get over the up thing ;).

From what I understand the mum is quite happy to persue it amicably but just wanted to know in advance where she might stand/what she might do if that didn't work particularly with the sold as seen thing.
 
Deffinatly steal a ride on fergs he is awesome :D Maybe child should steal a ride to so she gets used to rearing ;).

Having had another look the not being able to get near it in the field would be more of a concern to me than the rearing.
 
I feel sorry for the seller. The unsettled pony is taken out first time in new home, by new rider, is a little nappy... so an argument is set up and its ridden past the gate on the way home, probably by someone already grumpy with an attitude of right then come on you will do as I say, pony rears and suddenly its solicitors and mis selling. How about in future people don't set the pony up to fail? How many times does child expect to want to ride past the gate coming home from a hack? It's not ideal that the pony is a little nappy, but no pony is perfect, most will test new riders. The child will need to learn how to ride any new pony as they are not machines but individual personalities. Maybe the pony was perfect for the seller and has never reared under saddle before. It has now. But why on earth does that make it the sellers problem and why should they take it back and refund? A pony that they now can't sell as "never rears under saddle". People need to take responsibility for their own actions, not look for someone to blame and start sueing. If you want a returns policy you buy from a dealer, and pay dealer prices. If the private seller had lied or drugged the pony then yes ok go to court, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.
 
Sold as seen does not mean that she has no comeback it simply means that no guarantee or warranty is given. The seller still has a duty not to deliberately misrepresent the horse.

If the seller said this horse has never reared and the buyer bought the horse relying upon the statement then if the seller was lying the buyer might have a case. However horses being horses you have to remember that the horse may never have reared before and the seller can't be held responsible for a new problem.
 
I would give it a bit longer to settle in. It sounds as though the pony is being very defensive and taking action in advance of anything happening. Perhaps he was worried about hacking out on his own in strange surroundings?

When I bought my son's first pony - 21 y.o. welsh A - he was described as an ideal 1st pony and schoolmaster. Never did anything like buck, rear, bite etc. The first time we went for a hack, despite being with me on my horse, he turned tail and legged it back to the yard when we got to the top of the drive. Second time he stopped dead about 1/2 amile from home and then tried to turn home, only this time I grabbed him before he set off! He did this 3 or 4 times and then never again . We came to the conclusion that he was worried about hacking out when he wasn't in familiar surroundings. He turned out to be the most fantastic little pony.

Moving home can be very stressful for some.

I suspect it would be very difficult to sell a pony you have only had a for a very short time because it rears!
 
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I've just sold a pony, she went this morning. I put sold as seen on the receipt as they didn't want her vetted, now she is as sound as a pound but I put it as I don't want any come back if she goes lame next week.
I told them that she can buck when unsettled and to give her time before putting a child on her (she is for a mother/daughter share.).
Reading threads like this worry me like mad, as a pony can be a saint for one person and a little bugger for the next. Rearing is unacceptable though and it seems odd that a pony would start doing it when never has before.
So I'm not being helpful at all! I would put a good small adult on the pony and work through its issues as a first step. (I would beat it, personally, but I know HHOers don't agree with such things!).
 
If it was a 7yr old 16.2hh tb would we be making half as much fuss? This pony has been plucked from its home where it felt safe and after a wk is given to le-way and the field kicking is more than likely a "trying it on" thing. Pony is testing water. Get a decent instructor out that is used to dealing with youngsters. Do groundwork, build trust n bond n go from there. They're not machines some settle in a few days others take months it's unfortunate for the child but it's way it goes sometimes.
 
They bought a seven year old pony for a not confident child sounds like the child needs an old pony poor little pony in a new home and written off after a week.
 
When I was taken to court for selling a supposedly dangerous pony ( only given 48 hours to settle in ) I was told by my consumer direct that the pony only has to be as described ie size breed age & Colour etc. But if the buyer asks if the horse rears bucks etc and the seller says no then you have a case, but it's hard to prove. If you have the advert then save a copy and get a video of the pony rearing, and if you do take it further show it to the judge.

My advert said my pony hacked out alone and in company, but because the buyer showed a video of her napping a little when out on her own after only being in her new home 24 hours she won. And I did offer to help her and advised her to give the pony more time to settle. I had photograpic proof she hacked out alone but the judge wouldn't listern.
 
Clodagh said:
(I would beat it, personally, but I know HHOers don't agree with such things!).
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I certainly don't agree with beating any horse.
Animals in general learn by what results from their actions and it can't think logically like a human.
So horse is forced to ride past the entrance of it's new home where it already feels very unsure and insecure. It is worried about leaving the other horses - being a herd animal - and so gets upset. Perhaps it was beaten, I don't know what happened but now that pony will associate going outside the yard with a beating or it being a very stressful place to be.
I feel sorry for the poor pony being expected to be a saint when it is still getting used to the new herd/home/owners/feed etc.
As another poster said, it may be a very sensitive type and was terrified going out of the yard. I presume it was behaving up until being asked to go past the gate - personally I think it was unfair to put it to such an extreme test so soon, especially if/when it had gone ok before that.
 
The issue is as a seller it's very difficult to protect yourself from selling to someone with no horse sense.
Thank god I only buy now!
 
I sold a pony (5) to a family as having been hacked around the farm,quiet to handle, a lead rein pony.
It was picked up by a transporter, moved to an equestrian centre (not the new owners home) where some family member was training or a pony club camp type situation. I got a phone call a week after the pony left me from the mother, screaming the odds that I had sold her a dangerous pony. They had let the child loose with the pony, whose only ridden experience was on a lead rein, and it had panicked. Some people should not have ponies for their kids and stick to bikes and inanimate objects.
I took the pony back, it settled in again and was sold two months later to a lovely family with sense.
I have a pony out on loan to a 7 year old which was only ever ridden by adults previously, a successful M&M worker, who will bunny hop (never ever gone right up) and the child thinks it wonderful!!
 
I feel sorry for all concerned but especially the pony. I am a great believer in allowing settling in time whilst OH thinks they should do their job from day one and would hack out quite happily the minute the horse arrived. Our Haffie had me crying down the phone to the dealer the day after she arrived, begging her to come and collect the dangerous mare! A couple of weeks on and she was settled in, she turned out to be the most amazing pony for my novice and very nervous daughter. My feeling would be to allow the pony a little more time to settle, with lots of handling on the ground to build his confidence in his new home and then starting riding with a handler on the ground until child gets used to him and vice versa.

With regard to the rearing, it could be that because the instructor, being an adult with an adult's strength, blocked all ways out, the pony felt the only way it could go was up, this does not necessarily make it a rearer! I do completely understand the owners concern about allowing child to ride it though, and I would be exactly the same I think, this may be the most difficult obstacle to get over. Even if the pony never rears again it will be a long time before mum trusts him with her precious child. I really hope a solution is found that suits all parties.
 
Went through same thing with a pony bought for my kids, they tried it twice 9(all three of them) and pony went well at home, rang the pony club where the pony had been ridden for last 2 years - all seemed fine. Pony reared on vet check (has a phobia with vets since discovered). I bought the pony, it reared and napped, so that none of us rode her for about 6 months - discussions with teenager that sold it - were she has not done that before.

I then started taking her out myself first to NH instructor, she helped me sufficient that we fixed the napping and rearing, I then had someone older ride her at pony club, and I took her to the grounds on non club days and rode her there myself. Eventually she got confident enough to be ridden out and my kids all have ridden her regularly since. She does still rear and nap when she gets anxious or/and in a new place - but generally is a really good pony.

She rears when the vet comes out and has to be sedated (also difficult) and with wormers and in fact anything that smells odd or different, or anything she might be suspicious about that you are holdng in your hand. It is just her very anxious personality.

My kids have sported, hacked, dressaged, trail ride, evented etc on her and she is good as gold.

I had the previous owner ring after about 2 years and ask if we still had her because she missed her, I was pretty annoyed when we first bought her, but kind of accept now that if we sold her - she would go through rearing napping and worse with any new owner, and for that reason will not be able to sell her.

I would be surprised if the owner was not aware of her tendency to rear, but it has probably bcome more of an issue beause of the move. I would certainly follow up with vendor - but do not like your chances. I would look at a sale rather than legal action, as for many this may be a non issue.
 
When I sold last pony I put on the invoice"aged mare sold as is, with all faults, if any" because I wanted to have no issues. I was honest with them about the pony, yes she bites, no I do not know how old she is,(I was told she was 10-12 when bought her and had her 8 years so approx 20 years) and her medical history - 1 hoof abcess in 8 years.

I was glad that I did put that on, as the purchasers did ring me up and say - we think she is older than 20 - well I did say I did not know how old she was.

And then another phone call- we think she may have cushings - yes she gets very hair in winter, but she always loses her coat in summer, and she never has a sick day. never had her tested for cushings as i never thought she was ill. They said they were going to get her tested but never heard the results.

So buyers as well as sellers can be a pain - you are best to cover yourself in writing.
 
Holly Hocks said:
So the pony could be scared and unsettled in his new home and you would beat it?
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I would get someone competent to ride it strongly past the napping point and if it needed hitting to do that then yes I would. They like humans to be in charge really, they worry less with a strong leader. (I don't mean indiscriminate bullying and beating, but a no nonsense approach).
 
I haven't read all the posts but I wanted to comment. My daughters pony is 12.2 and she is 9. He goes lovely for her, sometimes a bit lazy and sometimes a bit cheeky (can throw in a buck or a sharp shy and yes she has come off) but she adores him and they work through it together. I had an older girl ride him and he hated it. I could see he was unhappy and eventually he chucked her off. I know this sounds a bit irresponsible but he clearly only likes little people on him and I trust him totally with my daughter. She hacks him out, does pony club, local shows and he's as good as gold. I wont put anyone else on jom now (my other daughter 5 rides him on the lead, he loves it). I understand that rearing is frightening but I say give him time, get to know him first before rushing into a decision.
 
You know what I haven't bothered reading all the replies as I am gobsmacked with the amount of people here who think a child's pony that kicks out at the child in the field and then rears under saddle is acceptable. Because I don't. The OP has clearly stated (several times) that the pony is not hers but her sisters and they are both well aware of the need for a settling in period. She also stated that the child is competent if not always confident - 7 is not a baby, it would have had 3 years under saddle at least and past all the "teenage tantrum phases".
Also hacking past a gate that leads home - people never do this?? I do and I always expect a horse/pony to do as I ask in a quiet, no fuss manner.

OP I would get the instructor to keep riding the pony for a while to see if it settles down, in the meantime contact the PC to see if there is anyone there who remembers the pony.
 
Did you have the pony on trial before buy??

I would always do this with an already broke horse specially with an inexperienced rider or for a child. My livery just brought a mare £400 never kicks the door :rolleyes::rolleyes: right sure its already kicked 3 big holes through the kickboards:(
 
I do not understand this "settling in period". Having just bought a childs first pony from a very reputable dealer, he was delivered Friday morning, having been collected from previous owners last weekend ( he had been there 3 years), ridden by girl at yard and daughter friday night and ridden by daughter all weekend on her own as she had so much confidence in him, bathed, led, groomed, played with in the stable. He is exactly as was described, a frist pony that does his job.I would expect a childs pony to behave from the word go. I would not tolerate rearing or napping. My horses when they have come to me and majority from abroad have been ridden straight away, i have never had any issues and i wouldn't expect any either.

If i had pony, i would continue with instructor riding it seeing if they can get over this napping business and also see if old owners would just come over and see if they can shed any light on it, I see they are trying to be amicable. I also think legal advice should be sought. Good luck to them and i hope it doesn't knock childs confidence.
 
wench said:
If it was a private sale you have no legal right to send it back.
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Although in a private sale there is no duty upon the seller that the goods are of satisfactory quality they must still be as described. This is one of the basic statutory rights set out in the sale of goods act.

The difficulty is proving what the description was (as it is likely given verbally with no genuinely independant evidence) and proving that this was incorrect.
 
It may well not be an established problem. The pony could simply be trying it on as they always do in new homes (although I do appreciate that rearing is not something you want any pony to display, ever!). Has it reared again since? I think if they were going down the solicitor route they need a bit more evidence that its an actual issue because rearing once really doesn't confirm much. I'd get the instructor to ride it every day doing a variety of things and see if it does it again and if so, in which situations. Even if the pony IS an established rearer, it may only ever do it when going past its gate in which case that could be avoided (ie. take a different route or get off an lead past etc.) and the pony may be perfectly good with everything else.

Its so difficult to prove anything when buying a horse. Its buyer beware and unless you got the seller to sign a contract confirming that to their knowledge the pony has no history of rearing etc. and you can prove otherwise then I dont think these purchasers have much of a case. Yes, the seller TOLD them it had never reared but how do you prove that!

Broke_But_Happy - You cant assume the pony has been under saddle for 3 years, not all ponies are backed at 3 or 4. This one, for all we know, could have been backed last year for example and could be genuinelly very green!
 
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When i got my boy he i was a novice, so horse was sold to me as bomb proof etc.

When i got him home he was awfull completley different to when i went to view him.

He was a nappy mess, not good but it as made me a very strong and patient rider lol haveing to put up with it all.


Vet Checked, teeth, back, saddle, bit every thing checked.

Made excuses for him all the time.

Took me two years to get him to hack out fully without no fights on his own, wanted to get rid off him at one point but i was to attached to him.

Now he is amazeing, so laid back willing to please and not spooky or nappy at all.

One good thing he as never bucked or reard.

Just got my own yard 4 weeks ago, and the monster is back he is horrid and he as allso started rearing! ahhhhhhhhh. Feel like i have gone 2 years back.:mad:
 
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