This is not an advert, I just need advise (hope that's ok)

[mrsh2010]

I have come to the heart breaking decision to sell my 4 year old. I've owned her since she was 4 months old, but unfortunately she just hasn't grown big enough.

But I don't know what price to sell her for and I refuse to give her away as she's a very special girl.

She's currently standing at 14hands, vet thinks she'll grow another 2 inches or so.
I've started her late to allow her to mature.
She'll be 5 in April
Piebald mare, equally marked
Lightly showed as a yearling and 2 year old and placed every outing.
Takes tack, and I've laid across her (don't have the facilities to back her myself, plus I'm too big for her)
Fantastic movement
free schools (herself!) over fences in the paddock
Too switched on to just be a happy hacker, so ideally want her to go to a competition or hunting home.
I bought her with the dream of riding club and ODEs
She's Welsh section D x TB x Irish Sports horse
Update to date with vaccinations and teeth etc
Trimmed by the farrier
Travels in trailers and lorries

These aren't current pictures

 

[Farma]

She looks sweet but her age and height mean there is a limited market. If she was broken fully and safe she would be nice for a child or small adult as a fun all-rounder but unbroken its hard to say how much you could ask as you can buy a very similar horse all ready to go for under 3k. Maybe £1500 to £1800?

 

[be positive]

As she is she is really not worth much, as a pony under 14.2 of her type until she is riding she will be of very low value unless someone really wants her and is prepared to buy her and put in the work for the next 2 years, when you consider you could buy a 14 .2 hand cobby type with some miles on the clock for around £2-3k it puts it into perspective that she will be under £1k in my mind, I have bought backed ponies for well under £1k and been able to crack on with them immediately.

Two things to suggest 1 to send her away for backing if you really cannot do it, keep her ticking over until the spring, even if you just long rein and get her out on the roads every weekend it will mean she is seeing the world and if she is sweet then someone could crack on with a pony semi fit, already started at the best time of year.
2 trim her up, she is not hairy enough to be a traditional, is more of a native but I bet she would look worth far more without the hairy legs and all that mane and tail, appearance is not everything but my first though was gypsy cob until I saw her breeding and looked closer, a good trim could help her stand out from the crowd and be worth more, if she came here it would be the first thing I would do.

 

[milliepops]

any chance you can get her backed and riding away this year? I understand your reasons but think she'd command a better price as a backed 4yo than unbacked

 

[mrsh2010]

Unfortunately I just don't have the facilities to back her myself.

I know if she was backed I could ask quite a big for her because of her height for showing etc, been told that by a few people, especially ones that have seen her move.

That's why I'm trying to weigh up (a) sell her as she is or (b) back her and sell her whether there's much different in the prices if I take into consideration paying someone to back her etc

 

[be positive]

Unfortunately I just don't have the facilities to back her myself.

I know if she was backed I could ask quite a big for her because of her height for showing etc, been told that by a few people, especially ones that have seen her move.

That's why I'm trying to weigh up (a) sell her as she is or (b) back her and sell her whether there's much different in the prices if I take into consideration paying someone to back her etc

It depends what is most important, and whether you have the cash to spend, to my mind you have a far better chance of a good long term home if they are backed than if they are not, as she is her next owner is more likely to buy her to back and sell than to be the end home, not always the case but the type of home she is suited to will usually not want to take on an unbacked pony but will be happy to take on a green one.

 

[milliepops]

If she's as straightforward as you describe and she's done the basic groundwork then it shouldn't take her long to get backed, understanding the basics and doing a bit of hacking... You might even advertise her at the same time as she goes to be backed if she takes to it well.

Don't know your set up mrsh but if you've got a safe field at home to start her in then I'd try and find a way to do it, maybe with a decent freelancer coming in. At that age it's more appealing to be able to have a sit on even if she's as green as grass.

Maybe put a post on the regional boards to get recommendations? If you were in my area i could think of a few people I'd suggest for starting a slightly educated 4yo and I wouldn't expect it to take long.

 

[SpringArising]

She's exactly the type of thing I usually buy and I wouldn't pay more than £700 for her. Being brutally honest as she is she's not particularly valuable. She's a mish mash of breeds, not riding away, and too big for a child really but not big enough for a lot of adults.

The fact that she's placed at showing doesn't really mean anything - almost anything can place at local shows if turned out correctly. Likewise for the free schooling thing - anything can pop a few jumps loose.

 

[milliepops]

It depends what is most important, and whether you have the cash to spend, to my mind you have a far better chance of a good long term home if they are backed than if they are not, as she is her next owner is more likely to buy her to back and sell than to be the end home, not always the case but the type of home she is suited to will usually not want to take on an unbacked pony but will be happy to take on a green one.

that's a really good point

 

[VikingSong]

Sorry, Millie. I know she means the world to you and she does look a lovely sort, but I'll be amazed if you could get anyone willing to pay over 1k for her. I'd sell her around the £800 mark ono. Might be worth selling her on Dragon Driving. People do look for unbacked youngsters on there.

 

[SusieT]

She's lovely but i'd be suprised if you get more than 500-800- there's a glut of coloured ponies all over the place

 

[Crackerz]

When you say you don't have facilities to back, what do you mean? We have nothing other than paddocks and a lane, that's all you need to back and ride away anything

Echo others, Around the £700 mark at a push as she is imo

 

[FfionWinnie]

Agree you don't need facilities. Pay a freelancer to come and sit on her then get her riding away. We bought a completely unhandled uncatchable little pony a month ago and with very little effort and absolutely zero in the way of facilities he's hacking in front or behind no problem with a 7yr old child, cantering out hacking and jumping a small fence.

I'm afraid she's special to you but to everyone else she's just a small unbroken pony. To get her a good home and set her up for life I would absolutely do the work and then sell (spring would be better)

 

[Wimbles]

I am currently in this situation and with only one working arm I decided to send my 14 hand mare away to be backed as I hope it will give her a good start in life and means that it's easier to find her a great home.

I had not even had a saddle on mine, although she has been shown in hand and is well handled. The person I sent her to had her sat on and walking round within a week without any stress to the pony so I don't feel that it will cost a fortune to get her going.