Trying to find a decent LR/FR pony is it really this hard???

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Help,
I am banging my head against a brick wall!
I have been looking constantly, scanning adverts, putting wanted ads, and viewing many ponies for 8 months.
I am looking for a confidence giving 11.2-12.2 lead rein, safe, steady, reliable been there done it, that will allow my daughter to brush, love and learn to ride on. We would like to go to local shows, hack out and maybe join the PC.
This is where I have failed......Everything I think is suitable, ends up to green, to sharp, to grumpy, to young, only LR not FR, or if i find something I have just missed it....story of my life.
Where are these ponies advertised???? I appreciate every mum is looking for a super safe, been there done it pony, so they are in demand, but surely i can find one.
I really only want to loan, as I have been caught out before. It ended up not being as described. However, i would consider buying it is it was allowed to come on a trial.
I am currently scanning the PC websites, H&H, Horse Quest, Ad horse etc etc.....i have tried Pre loved, although they tend to be mainly young projects.
I would prefer a Dartmoor, but really breed, colour, is not important, neither is age as long at is not too young.
Loads of people want to give me their young just backed pony so my little girl can bring it on....errr she is 5! I really don’t want her bucked off or ran off with if I can help it ;)
Where else can i search, or put a wanted add?
Anyone else had this problem?

Any advice really appreicated, i really do not want to fail! :p
 
I agree, the PC or local RC is by far your best bet

Also try Horse Gossip, there are usually little ones in their for sale section
 
You really are looking for the ultimate 1st pony, they are extremely hard to find and will either change hands without being on the open market, so a wanted ad is a good idea, or they will be very expensive.
I would go for a safe lr to start with, if it will not go off the lead when she is ready, you can sell and your daughter may by then be ready for something a little more green or forward than she is now. I know it is a lovely idea to buy the right pony to last for a long time but a stepping stone one is probably easier to find for now.

I have known one or two that fit your needs but they are the exception rather than the rule.

I have just read you are looking for a loan, even harder to find so a wanted ad would definitely be the way to go.
 
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I would say that yes, it is that hard. The LR bit is not too difficult, it is wanting it to be a good FR that will make you struggle. Keep your finger in the PC pie and put up wanted adverts anywhere you can think of locally. If you end up buying not loaning don't expect it to be cheap!
 
When you find one let me know...I'm looking for the exact same thing!
BE POSITIVE - did you get my reply to your pm? I did it on my phone and never convinced they work that way :-)
 
These ponies are not advertised, but passed from family to family. If you don't know of one where you can see current rider is getting leggy and without a follow on child, then I suggest contact your local pony club DC and ask if she knows of one coming up, or a very nicely worded wanted advert - folk want their beloved pon to go to a really nice family who will love that now outgrown pony as much as they do.
 
Thanks everyone......herin lies a more of a issue that i cannot decide what to do.....
I mentioned i have an 11.2hh sec A, he is really good, but just a bit much right now. He is really good at LR but can be a little spooky, nothing major but for a 5 year old it is off putting. A 7 year old friend rides him and gets on fab. I have been approached to sell him, but have a feeling in 12-18months time my daughter will want exactly what he is.
Shall i hold on to him, and loan him....or sell him, and search again later???
So i will begin just a LR search......wish me luck!!
 
They do exist, but rarely combined to do both jobs. And real true fr's tend to go word of mouth, especially if you want to loan. The one my daughter had on loan actually has a waiting list of a few people at any one time. It's never going to be a star in the show ring, is in its 20's & has mild manageable sweet itch. But is such a cracking fr everyone wants it. I'd recommend just looking to loan a lr pony for now, then when she comes off lr get a fr.
 
I doubt if you will find one to loan, or to have on trial. The only hope for a loan would be if a family have quite a big gap between jockeys. It may be worth looking in less likely places, small ride and drives can be excellent as first ridden, they won't be show ponies, but likely to be able to do the job infront of them. I would let your current pony go on a years loan, with all the usual checks in place, then get it back when your child is ready.
 
I am in the opposite situation.

My daughter has really outgrown her 12hh sec B mare, which we bought as an unbacked 3 year old and had professionally broken. But since then my little girl has done everything with her all by herself as I am far too big to ride. She is very loving, fun and healthy but not a superstar county show winner and everyone seems to want one of those.

However my daughter has done LR at 7 with her, and was LR points winners at local show, then did FR classes and won, then cradle stakes WH, SJ and last year represented BYRDS at the inter-regionals with her. She can be hacked out alone or with others, done fun rides at Kelsall & Somerford including the water complexes, can be cantered in open fields without taking hold, did PC camp and lots of rallies.

But, I couldn't sell her as I owe it to secure her future, and would prefer to keep her reasonably local. And I can't find anyone I know would appreciate her near us.
 
I have one :) Took a lot of finding, he is one in a million, 17 years old, goes on and off the lead calmly and sensibly, been to Royal International as a F/R in his prime. Bought him unseen from a good few hundred miles away and he wasn't cheap but he's worth his weight in gold. Unfortunately my littlest two girls are only 5 and 3 so we wouldn't be looking to loan him for a few years yet.

You sometimes find first ponies for loan on Horsegossip so may be worth a look.
 
YorksG said:
I doubt if you will find one to loan, or to have on trial. The only hope for a loan would be if a family have quite a big gap between jockeys. It may be worth looking in less likely places, small ride and drives can be excellent as first ridden, they won't be show ponies, but likely to be able to do the job infront of them. I would let your current pony go on a years loan, with all the usual checks in place, then get it back when your child is ready.
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I disagree, I think you will find an older, been there done it type on loan as these kind of ponies are far too precious to sell and end up with an uncertain future. I have a fabulous pony that is one of those (and have had wonderful ponies on loan/bought for a nominal sum for my older children as well). He has just been gifted to me as he is starting to run up larger vets bills with his cushings, but he is worth every penny. I also have a little 12.2 Dartmoor that I bought en route to the meat man as an unhandled 3 yr old, and he will be 5 this year and is going to be a little cracker that will be a great LR & FR. My daughters are schooling him for me at the moment and when I sell him I will be more than happy for him to go on trial first of all as I want whoever buys him to be very certain that he is right for them.

I would definitely agree that you should loan your pony and then review in a year.
 
'Perfect' ponies are few and far between! I would stick with the pony u have and encourage the 7 yr old to ride it as much as possible off the LR. I have an 11.2h dartmoor mare who is a complete cow, has sweet itch but my 6yr old can canter her in an open field through woods and take her round a 1ft6 course all off the LR. She is a moody mare at times, she will throw in the odd buck and will try and nap if she can get away with it, but my daughter has learned to ride her through this and is a much better rider for it. My point is a pony you know, faults included is better than one who I painted to be great.
 
Never did find the first ridden !! We bought a shettie X as lead rein but she wasn t an ideal first ridden. She did teach my kids to ride and sit up ! they can also sit a good buck ! I wont sell her and she is currently with a family teaching her 3 kids .
I think trying to join up with the pony club and perhaps going to some of the unmounted sessions and getting to know the families will be a good start. Each year at the awards they hand out sacks of carrots for the best pony club ponies. It starts with a question of right who has got Gilbert or Sooty or Angel etc this year ? They never hit the open market and are usually just loaned around until retirement.
Good luck
 
In all honesty I would send daughter to a riding school / pay for private lessons until you find one. It will widen your search horizons.

I'm looking for a good safe 13.2hh at the moment, but they're like hen's teeth too :( I have a healthy budget but don't want some spindly show pony thoroughbredy thing - which is all that's about. I want a nice solid sensible native.
 
Imho you are looking for a first ridden, not a lead rein pony, two very different types of pony. A good first ridden will not need to be put on a lead rein and should follow you on foot/on horseback.

I have found my ponies by placing wanted ads, they are out there, and the good thing is they hold their value no matter what their age (by good, I mean when you eventually outgrow the pony).
 
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/classifieds/details.aspx?pu=BPmXvHOJFapxpHa6zlSgMw&cu=975&kw=Horses%20for%20sale&ca=&st=&at=2&ag=975*35296030*HHO:318542&pg=1&si=CAT*1**0&cr=9&sn=1&kwe=horses-for-sale%20$i77&ref=http%3a%2f%2fwww.horseandhound.co.uk%2fclassifieds%2fhorses-and-ponies-for-sale.xhtml&utm_source=cheetah&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HHnewsletter070213
 
my friend has a pony she is trying to sell and she has had nothing but time wasters , the last person to view wanted a trial , fair enough she would allow them to trial as long as they like , come and ride her whenever they wanted and treat her as there own but there is no way the pony is leaving the yard
people seem to find this unreasonable but if i was selling there is no way i'd let my horse go on trial anything could happen to it
 
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