Pony now up for sale

[Fatonfreshair]

I posted a month or so ago about problems with our pony which lots of you lovely people responded to and gave excellent advice. He is too much for my fairly novice young teenage daughter, he is increasingly taking the mickey and generally doing what ponies can do best - be stubborn and opinionated and develop strategies to avoid work! We had another instructor come out to assess him when being ridden and he did play up so she confirmed that he and my daughter were not a good riding combination and he would be better with a more assertive and experienced rider, but also confirmed he is a fabulous good tempered pony.

There is no point really to this post other than I feel very sad that he is now up for sale - I feel guilty when I go to give him his evening check and cuddle and I really hope we find a great, caring and experienced home for him. I suspect with the right partner he and they will have so much fun.

We will try to find a steadier loan pony/horse for my daughter so that she can get her confidence back and enjoy riding again. I would also miss not having a pony to look after.

 

[dianchi]

Well done to take steps to sell on a pony not matched- so few people do and continue with a pony the child isn't happy with.

Fingers x you find the right pony for your daughter and get back enjoying it asap!

 

[twobearsarthur]

You will be surprised at the amount of relief you feel when your pony finds the right partner and so does your daughter.
I always remember my mum saying to me "it's meant to be enjoyable". And I was in my 20s at the time!!! When I didn't got the horse I had.
Good luck selling and finding your daughters new pony x

 

[Fatonfreshair]

You will be surprised at the amount of relief you feel when your pony finds the right partner and so does your daughter.
I/QUOTE]

I hope so, I do tend to watch with my heart in my mouth anticipating that our beloved spotty pony will decide at some point to tank off and then throw in a few stops and small bucks to get his rider off (this is his latest tactic) - and I then have to watch my only and very precious to me daughter come sailing off and hit the dust! She always gets back on but as you say, this is supposed to be fun.

......I will miss him though....

 

[Fatonfreshair]

Well done to take steps to sell on a pony not matched- so few people do and continue with a pony the child isn't happy with.

Fingers x you find the right pony for your daughter and get back enjoying it asap!

thanks - I think this is the right thing for both of them. It is hard as he is our first pony and it seems very odd to be selling an animal instead of caring for it for life - but fingers crossed for a happy ending all round.

 

[BlackVelvet]

Ponies are meant to be fun, if they have not clicked then it makes things really hard work.

I got my first pony at 15, he was a young gypsy cob with a nasty habit of bucking. I never really bonded with him so after 6 months we were offered an exchange with my lovely boy. We clicked straight away and I always felt 100% safe on him. Dom went on to find a lovely home with a family, hope you find the same with your pony!

 

[noodle_]

bet thats a relief too???

im loaning out mine - hopefully forever - as im done with horses and as lovely as she is, i need something bigger IF i got back into horses again in a few years

the relief is great once that decision is made and stick to it

its not worth the hassle and expense not to enjoy it

 

[PorkChop]

I agree, well done for taking a brave decision, it is so important to get the right pony for a child, and there is a fine line between testing your daughter and knocking your confidence. Good luck with finding the right one.

 

[lurcherlu]

At least you're understanding , my mum made me keep my mare for 7 years before she let me sell her myself after the last time I was dumped and ripped some tendon in my arm..... Well done for doing the right thing and good luck

 

[Fatonfreshair]

It is good to hear of others similar experiences and good outcomes .

It is supposed to be fun (as this forum keeps reminding me) and my daughter does not enjoy riding her pony but does love riding so this is the best thing to do. I do hope we can find a suitable loan once the spotty one has been re-homed and I really hope everything then clicks and my daughter has the fun and enjoyment we hoped she would have in the first place.

After 2 years we are still very much novices at this but we have stables and paddocks crying out for a horse/pony that appreciates how cushy he or she has got it there - I think our pony knows how cushy it is and work is getting in the way of his preferred sybaritic lifestyle .

 

[Blythe Spirit]

Oh I remember this from when i was a teenager - I must have been 16ish when after years of nagging my poor parents paid for me to have my own pony. Was sold with 'help' of RS owner a very unsuitable horse and 6 months later I was faced with having to ask my parents to sell the horse I had longed for. Happily they were understanding about it and also believed me that the replacement had to be chosen 100% by me! Happily Oliver went to a lovely home who were BSJAing him within months and I got the actually much sharper Peggy but she suited me well and we had 12 or so years of fun together.

 

[Fatonfreshair]

Oh I remember this from when i was a teenager - I must have been 16ish when after years of nagging my poor parents paid for me to have my own pony. Was sold with 'help' of RS owner a very unsuitable horse and 6 months later I was faced with having to ask my parents to sell the horse I had longed for. Happily they were understanding about it and also believed me that the replacement had to be chosen 100% by me! Happily Oliver went to a lovely home who were BSJAing him within months and I got the actually much sharper Peggy but she suited me well and we had 12 or so years of fun together.

I think we have a reverse in that the pony is too sharp and clever and so we need the more snoozy version for now! Although not too snoozy either as all teenagers love to jump and canter around. It is so difficult finding the right horse isn't it - but I am on my daughter's side on this because I am horse mad but too chicken to ride any more and can understand the stress of having to ride something that makes you feel unsafe or have to be on guard all the time. I am taking her to the local riding school every fortnight where she rides a much bigger horse and happily goes round the school in circles following the others and having a ball.

I will post on progress of the horror of selling a horse and weeding out unsuitable new owners plus the equal horror of finding a replacement! if anyone wants a lovely but lively Appy in Lincolnshire - then come over here

 

[Clare85]

You are doing the right thing for your daughter and the pony. It should be fun - if daughter is happy then pony will be and visa versa. I hope you find a lovely home for him and another lovely pony for your daughter

 

[Fatonfreshair]

To update, it looks as though our beloved spotty pony will be leaving us early next week to go to a lovely family on a LWVTB basis. The family have an older teenage rider who is more experienced than our daughter, and the mother has her own horse and they have a whole shed load more equine experience than us. He would be kept at their smallholding with two other ponies (one a companion pony).

If I had to hand pick potential new owners; they would be exactly it so I really hope it all works out well. I am horrifically tearfull about him going though and our daughter keeps just hugging our pony in his stable. I am dreading it but I know in my heart it is probably the best thing for all parties. I hope he behaves himself whilst on loan . ..............................

 

[Spotsrock]

Once u and daughter have new equine to love it will get easier. Sounds ideal for pony.

 

[View]

It sounds as though you have done everything you can to find him a good home. I wouldn't worry too much about whether or not he behaves while on loan - you just want them to feel that he is right for them.

Our wonderful lad was a horse that was written off as bad, mad and dangerous - and my parents were accused of being irresponsible by letting me anywhere near him. He could have been considered as dangerous, but only because he was terrified of women through having been badly beaten over several years by a female owner. He was wonderful and taught us so much - we clicked with him straight away, when he was in the field. Nothing put me off - not the turning his back, pulling faces, threatening behaviour - because when Dad was with him, I could see this wonderful, friendly horse. Eventually he was like this with me too.

Don't feel guilty for doing the right thing for your spotty pony and your daughter. Of course it's sad to have to part with one of the family, but hopefully you have found him the right family.

 

[Fatonfreshair]

It sounds as though you have done everything you can to find him a good home. I wouldn't worry too much about whether or not he behaves while on loan - you just want them to feel that he is right for them.

Our wonderful lad was a horse that was written off as bad, mad and dangerous - and my parents were accused of being irresponsible by letting me anywhere near him. He could have been considered as dangerous, but only because he was terrified of women through having been badly beaten over several years by a female owner. He was wonderful and taught us so much - we clicked with him straight away, when he was in the field. Nothing put me off - not the turning his back, pulling faces, threatening behaviour - because when Dad was with him, I could see this wonderful, friendly horse. Eventually he was like this with me too.

Don't feel guilty for doing the right thing for your spotty pony and your daughter. Of course it's sad to have to part with one of the family, but hopefully you have found him the right family.

Thanks - I really hope the new people bond with him and get on better with him as a riding pony. He is not mad or bad, he is very sweet natured but he can spook and he can try it on and lack confidence. The most important thing is that we find the right home and rider for him; the new people want a pony their daughter can bond with and I think he is exactly the right pony for that..........oops getting tearfull again...................