Thoughts & opinions on this pony to bring on and sell

Tiarella

Tiarella

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Hi :) link to advert first - m.horsemart.co.uk/lovely-class-1-dapple-grey-148cm-connemara-gelding-/Horses/317577

A girl I briefly know is selling this pony having bought it from Ireland and done all the basics with it. She now wants to sell him to make room for her new competition horse. I am going to see him this afternoon hopefully and see how he moves and look for lumps/bumps etc.

I've never bought a horse to bring on and sell before but have many years experience with my own and lots of warmbloods at work so I'm hoping I am capable!

I can get the pony for cheaper than advertised, and what would be the likely price I could sell him for after I've established the schooling work and took him round 2'6-2'9 jumping and some pony/riding club stuff.

I obviously need to see the ponies work ethic and attitude as he is nervous at the moment but nothing naughty apparently, but wanting this to be a short term buy - no longer than 3 months really.

I've been looking at 14.2 Connie's advertised and they're all 4k+ mostly even for a 4yo.

Any hints/tips/what I should look out for? Any major costs I've forgotten etc.

Or tell me this is a stupid idea :D
 
I think he is lovely but he looks very under-developed. I would be looking at a slow build up with a view to starting jumping when he is a bit stronger. Price mid summer could be £4k if he has done a bit (but not too much, he really needs to be taken slowly) but earlier I would say £2.5k unless he can jump the moon.
 
Think hard about it. He seems nice enough but you will have to factor in all the costs...will he come with tack or will you have to buy all of that? All the comp entry fees, fuel costs for transporting him about etc. When doing it for him it is all money eating in to any potential profit. Will he
 
Come with rugs, how much feed does he need. How much will his basic keep cost you etc?

It's a great idea but you need to give it serious thought as the market isn't what it was.

Like I said though, he seems nice enough.
 
seems like a nice pony but to make money he would have to be a quarter the price in the current market. They may be asking 4 grand plus for connies for sale but you are unlikely to get more than 1500 So if it as money making project forget it if it is because you want the experience then its up to you I know of a couple of HOYS ponies that have been unsold at the top of that price range
As he is from Ireland he was probably from the sales there and they barely make 1000 over there in the sales and do not cost that much to import Look at the results for the connie sales at cavan before valuing this one
 
I've been scouring the market, and Connies seem to be popular at the moment, I've seen lots for sale.

I've set the upper price limit to £3k for my searches.
 
I think his price is about right, but not a 'spin' price... More one where the pony will come good and you'll have a nice pony whose original price was good.

He looks like he'll be a really cute pony though, and if you have good PC links you'll probably be able to get £3k for him with some decent results under his belt at PC shows, and rallies and things act as good outings.
 
Thankfully I have tack/rugs all sorted - I have 4 adjustable saddles to try and 28 5ft9-6ft3 rugs haha! And he can share current ponies boots etc.

It would just be a money making thing and would look at buying and hoping to sell for 4k+ having done unaff events - he is completely upside down and under muscled everywhere too.

I just don't know what to do!!
 
Just a 'heads up' :
Bought a lovely 7yo Connie last year. Very smart, been over from Ireland about 6 weeks and at reputable dealers. Had ( allegedly) only been recently backed, very sweet, uncomplicated etc: rode fine when I went to try him. Had him vetted and he passed.
3 months later, having had increasing difficulty getting canter strike offs and following me being absolutely catapulted off- which was totally out of character, he was found, on X-ray to have serious stifle problems which may or may not resolve - outlook is very guarded. He is currently a companion to a friends pony. Cost me over£4000. He also looked very immature when I bought him.
All I'm saying is be very careful. I wa told that there are lots of older, unbroken Connies in Ireland due to current market, but, as my vet pointed out , a quality pony will always sell- in my case the feeling was that he'd been left till 7 yo for a reason. No problems showed up until he was getting well into his schooling - he was also very green when I bought him.
 
My only real question is why, if he came over from Ireland, does he have a British connemara passport, I would double check it is the correct pony and that the passport matches, hard with a grey, and the history is true. Otherwise he could be a good project if all went well he should easily make £4k later this year.
 
I saw him on Facebook and actually discounted him because he looked very week for 'proper' work this summer which is what I was looking for but I imagine he'll be lovely next summer. Profit wise I've seen a few Connie's up for £4000 but with a record in something be it SJ or workers or showing. So to actually make money he will need to have found a job.
 
Haven't been able to go this afternoon as sharers pony club rally over ran. He is advertised on horse mart as a 6yo but she said he was a 4yo so I do need to dig deeper and check passport etc!
 
The first photo is an awful angle, but his front legs don't look good in it. They might be OK IRL, however if he does have conformation issues with his front legs, it's something you can't improve and therefore you must take it into account.
 
he looks like a 4 yo, - if he is 6 I'd wonder why he looks like he does/why he hasn't done more - even more so if he did come from Ireland. I think he'd have to be a pretty straight forward kids ride or pretty talented for you to manage 4k in 3 months time.

I'd also have him vetted if you are planning a turn around.
 
Thats nice! Just needs a bit of muscle
Depending on how safe he is we would have sold something like him
Safe to hack alone with others
Pop round an 80cm course
Xc school round be80/90 course
Prelim dressage test
Done a few comps
For 5k upwards
 
Im no expert and ponies are not my think but he would have to crap diamonds for me to pay that price for him...and in the current climate I think you will struggle to make an actual profit :(
 
So IF he is a 4yo how much would you pay for him? I wouldn't buy him looking like that as a 6yo.

Faracat - I am very very careful in looking at conformation, it's a big part of my current job anyway so know what I'm looking at thankfully :) I don't look into much detail at confo looking at pics, I go and see them, feel them and watch them move.
 
rachaelstar said:
So IF he is a 4yo how much would you pay for him? I wouldn't buy him looking like that as a 6yo.

Faracat - I am very very careful in looking at conformation, it's a big part of my current job anyway so know what I'm looking at thankfully :) I don't look into much detail at confo looking at pics, I go and see them, feel them and watch them move.
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If he is 4, rising 5 he is going to be harder to sell on than if he is 6 rising 7, you will have to take things more slowly, have less people to sell to so to me he is worth less now than if he was 6, if he is 148 now he may grow if only 4 so again take that into account as a pony that is over 148 may be harder to sell.
 
Buy a horse to bring on by all means- its very rewarding and enjoyable. But DONT do it for the money. Do it for the fun, the experience, the love of horses- but DONT do it expecting to make a profit. And don't take on a horse unless you are prepared to keep it if a suitable new owner doesn't turn up.
So many things can go against 'making a profit'- the cost of good quality feed, diesel prices, the time taken- skimp on time and going for the quick-buck is how problem horses are made. Also theres vaccinations, wormers, possible vet bills, shoeing........all have to be taken into account.
Go for it by all means- but for enjoyment only :)
 
rachaelstar said:
It would just be a money making thing and would look at buying and hoping to sell for 4k+ having done unaff events - he is completely upside down and under muscled everywhere too.

!
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You wouldn't get near 4k in the current market.
To get that for a 14.2, it would have to be older and have lots of comp experience with a child.

More realistic would be to buy around £500, bring on to do a few unaff events, advertise £2500 midsummer to sell around £2000.

But unless you have your own land and comp venues close by, you won't make money at this in this climate, unfortunately! :)
 
I'm with bepositive on that, I think as a just five year old with not much mileage he is probably still only going to be for people/teenager who want something they can work on and improve not the finished article to go and compete next summer and as he doesn't look great confo wise from those pics his price will have a limit.
 
I have looked at the ad- I couldn't get it to work before. He is rising 7 according to the ad. She's saying he's 4??? why the discrepancy? Irish -bred and registered connemaras are registered with the cpbs (Connemara pony breed society) not the British Connemara society. Another discrepancy! Is he microchipped? check it out. I have a feeling that he possibly isn't a true Connemara.-, or surely the breeding, sire and dam - very important with pedigree ponies- would have been put in the advert? He isn't very 'typy'. Is your friend being totally honest with you?
In the ridden picture he is horrendously overbent with trailing hocks. In the standing picture you can see his quarters and neck are very weak caused by incorrect training. It will take time to put this right. But if you like the pony and want some rewarding fun, go for it.
 
_GG_ said:
It's a great idea but you need to give it serious thought as the market isn't what it was.
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I agree with this. Its fine if you're just doing it for some fun and not necessarily to make much money out of it, but I think the time of making decent money out of horses has gone. I used to buy unbacked ponies and bring them on to sell but haven't bothered doing it since the market crashed. So many buyers now want everything for nothing so its not really worth the effort anymore, unless you're happy just to have fun doing it. Connies are popular, and natives always sell easier than anything else IMO as they attract adults as well as kids. The pony looks and sounds nice and I dont think the price is that high, but if as a project I never used to spend over £500... so its really up to you. I don't really see it selling for over £4k though personally with just unaffiliated results, you can get decent PC ponies for £2,500 these days easily.
 
rachaelstar said:
Thankfully I have tack/rugs all sorted - I have 4 adjustable saddles to try and 28 5ft9-6ft3 rugs haha! And he can share current ponies boots etc.

It would just be a money making thing and would look at buying and hoping to sell for 4k+ having done unaff events - he is completely upside down and under muscled everywhere too.

I just don't know what to do!!
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Mine is in a 5'6" rug, that he does not require. I wouldn't pay what is being asked for this one, sorry. £650 tops, to include transport, and subject to vetting. Three months will not change his value to a level where he is profitable. Is he four or six and a half? I'm confused on that, but still wouldn't pay more.
 
Arizahn said:
Mine is in a 5'6" rug, that he does not require. I wouldn't pay what is being asked for this one, sorry. £650 tops, to include transport, and subject to vetting. Three months will not change his value to a level where he is profitable. Is he four or six and a half? I'm confused on that, but still wouldn't pay more.
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Can you find me 2 like this pony preferably 5 or 6 years old at £650 each inc transport, I won't bother with vetting them but would want to give them a quick check myself.
 
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