Project Pony Now Permanent Pony

texenstar

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Roll up! Roll up!

Everyone who has fooled themselves into thinking they could buy a 'project' pony and sell it on.

So, after a year of not really trying very hard to sell my project pony I have decided that he is going to stay for good. He's a 14hh New Forest pony with a cracking jump and medium+ dressage potential and I just could not bare to part with him. I needed a friend for my other horse and I think he would be a bit strong and sharp for a child so he is best suited to an adult rider anyway (or so I tell myself). Welcome, non-project-pony Harry, to the family.

Who else has a project pony that is now a permanent resident? And what motivated you to keep them?

Looking forward to hearing everyone's stories!

Thanks :)

Unfortunately, photo uploader is not playing ball so this blurry picture will have to do!

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MagicMelon

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Ive always made sure my projects were always a bit too small for me so I really had to sell eventually! I spent many a summer playing with projects, loved it. So much fun and very rewarding. Good luck with your one, at least you can easily get away with it size-wise! Lucky you!
 

milliepops

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yep I fall into this camp... :eek:

In my defence, Kira was really really intended to be a project to be sold. The proceeds were supposed to be my warmblood fund. Only took her on while Millie was rehabbing an injury. If she hadn't been so bl00dy awful when I rebacked her then she would have done a couple of little shows and seen hounds and been moved on sharpish. She had other ideas... she arrived in the summer 3 years ago, and by the following Easter I still couldn't hack her off the yard or get a lap of the school without a mega nap attack, rearing, the works...

I have precious little in the way of photographic or video evidence of this because I was still determined that she'd be a selling-on project so didn't want any record of this!! :lol:

We finally found her happy place in the school, and since then she's rocketed along by playing to her strengths and not really trying to improve the stuff she finds too difficult. So we don't really hack a lot, she doesn't really jump, but she's gone from her first prelim show to training towards Advanced in 2 years so I reckon we can live with that. If all goes well I think she's on course for PSG next year.

It's her cuteness that saved her, I was ready to send her to the kennels at the point she finally turned around. But who couldn't love this nose? She's still rather idiosyncratic so I don't think I could bring myself to sell her now.
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milliepops

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Ive always made sure my projects were always a bit too small for me so I really had to sell eventually! I spent many a summer playing with projects, loved it. So much fun and very rewarding. Good luck with your one, at least you can easily get away with it size-wise! Lucky you!

hahahahaah I have this problem but she's the most advanced ride I have now so I'm stuck with her! :lol:
 

SEL

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Yup. Couldn't see a 4yo who'd been screwed up through no fault of her own shot. Uncovered a few physical issues in our 'journey' & she's with me for life.
 

chaps89

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Haha that would be me too. Mine broke 6 weeks after getting her (very much as a project to sell) 3 and a half years later she's still with me as she has had too many problems to move her on now. The better news is she has grown on me and I'm now very fond of her and love her to bits fortunately.
 

loz9

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Oops I seem to be part of this group too! & have 3 non-project-ponies, the downside to having the land to keep them!

Number 1, bought as a yearling to keep the retired boy company whilst I had my riding horse with me at uni. Plan was to sell her as a 3/4yo, but she's was similar to yours in that not suited as a kids pony despite her size (or so I tell myself). 10yrs later she's still here, now with her multitude of health issues!

Number 2, bought as a weanling to keep my foal company, plan to sell as 3/4yo, but I love her too much!! She's a quirky ride & doesn't seem to like anyone else on her, but anyone's horse on the ground. Progress has been slow with her, but I'm not bothered as she's not going anywhere now!

Number 3, sympathy buy when getting the above weanling (I shouldn't be allowed horse shopping!) An underweight, worm & lice infested foal. Planned to sell her as a yearling once healthy, but she's complex little thing who trust no one :( I've had her 7yrs now & its probably only the last yr or so she has truly trusted me. I have no idea what went on in those first few months of her life, but it definitely messed with her head. I could never put her through the stresses of being sold, so she will without a doubt have a home for life with me.
 
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My darty was a project. Bought at 3yo with the idea of breaking, bringing on, showing and selling by 5yo. He is 16yo now and still here. He is not a kid's ride as he is cold backed due to a mental issue that developed when he went out on trial as a 5yo. He'll stay for life as he is useless to anyone else. And I do enjoying riding and showing him from time to time. He went to the Highland the other week a his one outing for the year and had a ball lol!
 

MuddyMonster

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Awww, how lovely 💜 My project pony ended up staying too. He's a native pony, so could take a child ride but he can be a little too sharp so stayed and I wouldn't be without him 6 years on. I hope you have lots of fun together too!
 

Bubblewrap

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My best friend has had 3 young project ponies in the last 3 years, so far they are all still here with no sign of them going anywhere, at various stages of their education but she 'needs' to keep them a bit longer as not ready to go yet ����
 

ihatework

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No, I'm very good at keeping my projects separate, I've done 3-4 now and always sold them on within a few months. I do buy horses that I wouldn't want to keep for myself long term, I generally 'underhorse' myself when getting a project
 

zaminda

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I bought a dinky new forest as a project. Unfortunately he is a dear soul and my OH really likes him. I recently lost my old pony, and even though a bit smaller, he is looking like he replacement, as he is one I can put friends on and go for a hack, and is easy in every way. We are moving to my MIL place soon, and planning on having a family, so we have simply got the pony before the child!
 

Dubsie

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All my daughter's ponies/horses have been projects. I figure that as we could never afford to buy a schoolmaster, she might as well learn as much as she can from each project. My stipulations are the horse must be of reasonable conformation, no vices, and pass a vetting, be kind and easy to handle - a pleasant and safe personality, must load well (can't be faffed with wasting time), and not a grey (mistake with first one, cannot be faffed with all the cleaning of a grey that likes to get grubby). Not done too badly with purchases so far.
 

micramadam

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Oohhh yes! We bought Breitlingh as a project horse whilst Ruby was out of action with Four. 5 years later she is still with us as she is too quirky to sell on and we don't want her falling into the wrong hands. She is going better than ever and my daughter hopes to try her back out on the dressage circuit.
 
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