Pony shopping help please!

[Jo1987]

Sorry as I know there are a lot of 'what's he worth?' Questions flying around, but we're pony shopping for my niece (13) at the moment, and there doesn't seem to be much to choose from!
We've found a pony she likes, but I think he's over priced and just wanted your opinions in case I'm being unreasonable.
Pony is a small/fine 14.2, bay and white coloured and quite nicely put together, although slightly pigeon toed.
He's rising 9, has zero topline and apparently pretty much zero schooling as he is quite 'upside down'.
He was 'rescued' from someone who wanted to pts (not sure why!) 4 years ago and has been used in a riding school ever since, riding school is shutting down hence sale.
He does seem very sweet and genuine, and looks as though he will be a talented jumping pony with some correct schooling to build him up (popped 95cm on initial viewing)

However I'm not keen to pay for 'potential' as this pony is to be used for all pony club activities and I think the asking price is top whack for a proven pony of this type, rather than one that has trotted round a riding school for the last 4 years!?
Just wanted to get opinions on what would be a sensible amount to pay for such a pony?
Sorry for the long post, it's bad enough horse shopping for myself, let alone for a child!

 

[flying solo]

I'd pay around £2500, he's obviously sane and sensible which is priceless. He sounds like he has a decent jump in him and once schooled properly and ridden consistently by one person I'd expect him to improve. What I would be wary of is riding school ponies are ridden 2/3 hours a day, 5/6 days a week usually. If they then only get ridden once or twice a week problems can arise, become spooky, sharp etc

 

[Jo1987]

Thanks, you've confirmed what I was thinking really, pony was advertised at £3900 and my sister went to view expecting a pretty much ready made pony that might even be a bit too much for my niece, however on viewing he was just a nice sensible type but not really worthy of such a large price tag as he really needs quite a bit of correct schooling and has no real experience of anything other than their arena.
And as you say my concern is that when taken out of the riding school environment he may well start showing some less desirable behaviour!
My sister offered £2900 which I still think is a little over the odds for him as he is, but they are not willing to take below £3500.
I've advised her to leave it for now in the hope they will struggle to sell at that price and come round!

 

[Mega]

I think that your advice is very sound.

 

[be positive]

I was thinking around £3k with no experience other than in a RS he will be at the top of his value at that, who knows what he will prove to be if he gets fit, builds up, schooled but less actually hours of work each week, he may blossom but he may also go the other way and be tricky, even with jumping talent if he has not been out and proved he will do it outside of his home then it is a gamble, I think they will be stupid to refuse the offer and may regret it if you find something else in the meantime.

They are valuing him as a pony that has proved itself and should at least have tried to get him looking better, I would be a little concerned about a total lack of topline as even being badly ridden most ponies are good doers and carry a certain amount of weight in the right places.

 

[Jo1987]

Be positive - my thoughts exactly, even down to the slightly concerning lack of topline, he lacks a lot of condition and has that 'out of work ex racer' protruding spine behind the saddle as well as quite visible ribs.
I was disappointed as soon as the rug came off but he really does seem very sweet and genuine... Unfortunately I think the sellers are just being rather greedy, and who knows what this pony will be like with a full tummy and some muscle.

 

[Dubsie]

Far too much IMO, I was thinking £1800-2500 maybe £3 if including tack.

 

[rowan666]

I think they are asking far too much, I've known so many (including one of my own) ex riding school horses/ponies be pretty difficult outside of a school enviroment, even with corrective schooling, they get so comfortable with just following the one infront around the arena it becomes ingrained into them so when they are out hacking or ridden alone they fall apart/vices become apparent and are often dead in the mouth and sides(granted there are many genuine crackers in riding schools too). For her budget I would imagine she could easily find something ready made, so long as she's not looking for a HOYS contender and is flexible on type/age etc although should always be prepared to travel some distance

 

[peaceandquiet1]

Far far far too much money for a pony in poor order. Absolute greed.

 

[Jo1987]

Thanks folks, I wasn't sure if I'd gone mad or the sellers had!

 

[gallopingby]

These "what would you pay" threads appear to be very common at the moment! Basically a ponies value to the seller seems increasingly different to the amount some buyers appear to want to pay. You are buying (you hope) a pony who is sane, sound and sensible - i.e. will start stop and go without too much effort. Can be caught, handled etc, has been looked after for X years and has reached a certain level of training and you the buyer want to pay less than the asking price which should take into account the cost of getting said animal to where s/he is now. You are buying because YOU can't afford in time/money/expertise/facilities to get the pony to the level s/he is at. Yes there are cheap ponies about sold by people who have to sell because they can't afford to keep them anymore etc etc. In a few years time quality well educated ponies will be VERY expensive, the numbers will have reduced considerably because breeders will have given up breeding - it simply isn't worth the hassle when we've had a winter like this last one, especially when someone comes along and wants to pay you peanuts for a safe pony.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

These "what would you pay" threads appear to be very common at the moment! Basically a ponies value to the seller seems increasingly different to the amount some buyers appear to want to pay. You are buying (you hope) a pony who is sane, sound and sensible - i.e. will start stop and go without too much effort. Can be caught, handled etc, has been looked after for X years and has reached a certain level of training and you the buyer want to pay less than the asking price which should take into account the cost of getting said animal to where s/he is now. You are buying because YOU can't afford in time/money/expertise/facilities to get the pony to the level s/he is at. Yes there are cheap ponies about sold by people who have to sell because they can't afford to keep them anymore etc etc. In a few years time quality well educated ponies will be VERY expensive, the numbers will have reduced considerably because breeders will have given up breeding - it simply isn't worth the hassle when we've had a winter like this last one, especially when someone comes along and wants to pay you peanuts for a safe pony.

Don't agree in this case.

'Safe' = no guarantee's when out of riding school, so you're paying for that risk, and everyone is well aware of this risk with riding school ponies, including the seller.

The school hasn't necessarily been putting money into it, they have actually been getting money out of it, whilst not improving it's way of going, hence why it's upside down with no topline.

It also doesn't sound as though they have been spending much money on its food..

So quite what time/effort/money/1to1 time schooling you're talking about, I do not know.

 

[be positive]

These "what would you pay" threads appear to be very common at the moment! Basically a ponies value to the seller seems increasingly different to the amount some buyers appear to want to pay. You are buying (you hope) a pony who is sane, sound and sensible - i.e. will start stop and go without too much effort. Can be caught, handled etc, has been looked after for X years and has reached a certain level of training and you the buyer want to pay less than the asking price which should take into account the cost of getting said animal to where s/he is now. You are buying because YOU can't afford in time/money/expertise/facilities to get the pony to the level s/he is at. Yes there are cheap ponies about sold by people who have to sell because they can't afford to keep them anymore etc etc. In a few years time quality well educated ponies will be VERY expensive, the numbers will have reduced considerably because breeders will have given up breeding - it simply isn't worth the hassle when we've had a winter like this last one, especially when someone comes along and wants to pay you peanuts for a safe pony.

Your points are valid in many cases, I think people generally undervalue a safe, sane equine and when buying expect to get a paragon for virtually nothing based on the prices badly put together, uneducated poor quality animals are advertised for on various sites, just because you can pick up a cheap horse, with or without problems does not mean every horse needs to be priced at the bottom end of the market if it does not have a brilliant record competing.

The pony the OP was asking about though is not well cared for, it is poor, unmuscled, unschooled, has only been used in a RS so may not be sane out of that environment, I think anything over £3k for the pony described would be too much to pay on what is still a risk that it may not do the job it is being bought for, if it was educated, in good condition, fit and ready to go to PC then it would easily be worth over £4k, the sellers need to put some effort in to achieve the price.

I sell a few and they are always turned out to their best advantage, I put in the time and effort to get the polish on so they can get a decent price, if they need a few weeks of extra work or food they get it, I can then expect a premium on the price.

 

[windand rain]

sadly ponies and horses are only worth what someone is willing to pay. From the sellers point of view there will be a minimum they are prepared to accept if it is more than the buyer wants to pay they they look elsewhere and the seller loses the sale. These threads are pointless from that point of view. Ponies are greatly undervalued and poor ponies being sold cheap undermines the market for quality ones. From the op I would guess the pony in question is unlikely to be as described once it is fat, healthy and doing less work so it is pay your money and take the chance.