What are the odds of selling a horse to a loving long term home?

Fools Motto

Fools Motto

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Just (sadly) over thinking. Too much time and all.
I've sold 5 ponies in my lifetime, and helped sell a couple of horses. Helping sell the horses went smoothly and I believe they all went onto the loving home we all wish for and didn't go anywhere else.
My first pony went to an amazing home, and stayed until the end of her days. She was truly loved.
The second pony I sold, lasted about 10 months in that home, was sold as dangerous and then was intercepted on her way to potters, ending up in a good PC home for a couple of years before we found her and was given back to us. She ended her days with us.
I then sold a lovely NF four year old, who I had owned since weaning. I had broken her in and she was a character but very sweet. Thought she had a good home, but lasted about 6 weeks, sold to a dealer (didn't know this at the time) went to a nice family home (after I put out a 'help find' post on FB) for a few years and just found out they sold her on again, because she bucked one of the children off. She is now 10 yr old and I just hope she is ok.
I then got two lovely ponies from Ireland. They didn't put a hoof wrong, and were sold to a RS. The mare was PTS within the year for head shaking, and the gelding was (i believe) put out on loan.
So, what I'm saying is, are ponies much harder to find good homes for? I understand they can get outgrown, but my track record is pretty rubbish at finding the really good homes! - Perhaps I had tricky ponies!!
What are your success rates for selling?
I don't own any horses anymore, so won't be selling ever again.
 
I think ponies are more disposable if bought for children. However brilliant they are they get outgrown. Local reputation/pony club would hopefully find the best ones a good home but unless the original owners hang on to them and loan them out they will always be passed around. If a pony is bought for an adult rider they may get kept for longer as long as circumstances dictate, but they could still be sold on. I don’t think there is any real difference in that respect. Once you sell you can’t guarantee their future unfortunately, regardless of whether they are a horse or a pony.
 
So much harder, I think the average time a pony spends in a home is about two years in my experience. I have a 21year old that I sold as three year old, and when I bought him back he had four homes in just over two years. I saw him in one of these homes where he was adored, too fat, but they needed to sell.
My childrens ponies most of them we backed ourselves and the last one left is now 26. I almost sold him about three times, but although he has never done anything wrong, he is only 12hands had done PC, hunted, WHP and broken to drive, he is not the perfect pony and every one wants the perfect pony, he is too street wise for most small children.
Most people will not work with a pony, the pony they buy is the one they expect when they get it home. Add a child who doesn't ride as well as its last owner, or rides differently and soon the change of circumstances and mangement end up with a pony that is confused and child that is upset and disappointed.
With adults and horses they tend to work on it for longer,but then they have more time, they are not going to outgrow the horse
 
I don’t think I could sell any animal I owned because I am just too soft and like OP I would torment myself about their welfare if I lost track of them but I did send the kid to boarding school for eight years so I suppose that was like putting him out on long-term loan except he kept coming back for the hols and half-term.
 
I did not get my own pony/horse until I was 18 and bought her myself I have never sold or loaned out a pony/horse they have stayed with me till the end mostly in the mid twenties but 2 that were only five. So yes there are homes for life. I have one more horse in me at the age of 60 and I do worry about it living longer than me but if I go for something about 10 years old hopefully it will have a home for life. At the moment my 20 year old is still fit and well so will cross that bridge when it comes.
I think the fact that I did not have my own before 18 meant I never had an out grown pony.
 
My Connie is 14.1 so the ideal height to be bought and sold and that is exactly what happened. Bought as a foal and kept entire until he was 2, sold on to a showing home where he was gelded and shown a lot, sold on to a pony club home and outgrown. I got him at 8 and he is 12 next month. He won’t be leaving my ownership. Same for DP, 15hh, know his history from day 1, friend bought him as a yearling, I bought him off her as a 3 year old and he is now 10. Likewise he isn’t going anywhere so there are long term homes out there for both horses and ponies.
 
Yes I couldn't sell, it would be like selling a dog. Our pony went down the family and then was given to a family friend, with whom he had been kept, until he died. I know this is not reasonable, it is just how I felt. He wasn't even that nice to us - but when I went to see him, when he was old, he came over to me in a way he never had before and dropped his nose into my hand. I hadn't seen him for years. I was so glad he was safe and happy.
 
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It is possible, and I know this because I’m one of those homes. While I have no issue with other people selling on, it simply doesn’t sit right on my conscience, so all of mine stay with me no matter what.

My first mare I had for almost five years, before losing her to a broken leg aged 19. Before me, she’d raced, then gone to a show jumping home for around a year, before the lady who eventually gifted her to me purchased her aged four. She had her for 11 years, until serious arthritis intervened, at which point she loaned her and then eventually gave her to me, so Alice effectively lucked out twice over.

Pony number two was Sixpence, who we took on loan for my younger sister when he was 17. He never went back, was also eventually gifted to me, and is still here at 27.

Number three was Tudor. He was rescued aged two, after serious neglect and abuse, and kept by his rescuer for the next four years. I took him on at six and despite him retiring at seven, he stayed with me for the next five years, until we finally lost the battle against his numerous health issues in January.

Number four was Mary. She was taken on by a dealer aged four and unhandled, bought by a lovely lady who wanted a project to sell on, and then purchased by me around six weeks later. She’s still here almost four years down the line, despite an unexpected foal along the way ?

Number five is said foal, who was always going to end up staying too!

None of them will ever be passed on, and I’m sure I’m not the only one with this attitude. Am I in the majority? Probably not. But if you’re selling on yourself, I think you have to recognise that other people are only doing what you’ve done before. That’s not in any way intended as a criticism, just simple fact ??‍♀️
 
Ponies are a tough one as every is saying, they tend to be treated as disposable once the child has outgrown.

I couldn’t bear this to happen to ours so retained ownership and loaned them out to approved families. They are both back at home now retired and will live with us for the rest of their days. One attended Pony Club for 16 years straight winning everything with each new rider.

Interestingly as our community knew we would not sell, only loan, our ponies had a waiting list. The best part for us was being able to choose the best homes for them.

Did get some miffed parents though who were the true ambitious ribbon chasing parents who were most put out when we declined their offer of a loan home - 3 times. They were dicks and their children were hideous.
 
Unfortunately ponies are very expensive to keep so very few people can afford to keep them on when they have been outgrown even if they would love to. Our 14.2 has been with us for 13 years and will be with us for life now but that’s only because he was big enough for me to ride. The two previous smaller ponies were sold on.
 
I have kept my childhood pony and still have her now in my 30s. I think this is unusual though esp for very small ones that get outgrown, it must suck to be a pony really! I do remember in my teens a bit a peer pressure/general expectation to move onto horses but my response was always 'I can't afford two'. Selling her was never a consideration for me. She is part of my family. I'd never loan her anymore than I would my dog or cat. I have bought a second horse now and imagine I shall keep her till the end too, unless I have some extreme illness or financial difficulty.
 
I don’t often sell - my horses and ponies are family members. I have put horses out on loan in the past (I prefer loaning as it keeps me in control of their future and means they can retire with me) although I sold a talented home bred to my ex trainer (who had him on loan first).

As others have said ponies are tricky because they get outgrown. Maybe the bst approach is to find a family that won’t treat them as a piece of sports equipment.

When we bought one of ours, I turned up to view with a child the right size for the pony and her 3 smaller siblings. There was a queue of people wanting to buy her and we were chosen because we were a long term home. She’s not going anywhere.
 
The ponies I had as a child/teenager were sold, out grown,leaving home. Since then I have had one from 4 yrs - 29 yrs, and present retiree from 3 yrs - 23 yrs and not leaving me any time soon! In between I had a mare who went back to her breeder so I felt that was safe enough and one other pony who I sold when my daughter left home. So hopefully I have given two a happy life in the same home.
 
I have had my NF for 13 years since he was 5. When I bought him when he was 5 I was his 4th owner.

I think it is a bit easier with registered natives as they are popular with adults who will buy them for showing.

The age restrictions on some pony classes may have an impact on sales as children may not have outgrown a pony but are too old to continue to compete in the classes for that height of pony.
 
Yes I think its harder to find proper long term/lifelong homes for small ponies, which is why when I bought and sold the odd project years ago I tried to buy 14.2hh's as often adults buy them and they were always more likely to keep them. My biggest aim was always to find long term homes for anything Ive ever sold and did turn away people if I didnt think they were the right home. I sold about 7 project ponies ranging from 13.2hh - 14.2hh and all of them except two are in their original homes still many years on. I was most gutted by these two though as both I was particularily attached to - one went to a rich family who took the pony off to private school (Queen Ethelburga's) then they sold him after only a few months, he spent a few years with each family after that but like any 13.2hh pony club pony he was moved on which was a real shame as he was a superstar little pony but I think the really good ones tend to be moved about... the other one was actually one Id had as my own for years - it was an extremely hard sale but Id outgrown him and he still loved competing so I didnt want to retire him, I was very selective over his home and they promised many times they'd offer him a permanent lifelong home, even told me their plan for his retirement etc. I had first refusal as written in the contract but they ended up selling him after a few years and not privately but to a local dealer which absolutely horrified me. I never even knew about it until someone had bought him from the dealer. That pony should have never ended up with a dealer as he was an absolute legend. So its always a risk, no matter what people tell you... but you can only try your best to find the right home.
 
Unless you have good show ponies like Hoys quality they are expensive, and the kids only get a few years showing them in age classes and then they have to sell to recoup money for the next one, in these situations there are potential buyers queuing up for them once they are on the market.

My friend has a gorgeous 13.2 next year will be her daughter's last year on him, they are dreading having to part with him.
 
I've had six ponies over eighteen years. Sold/gave away five of them, and I know where all of them are except one.

My two first ponies who we had for eight years and four years respectively were sold (well, the older one was loaned) and they both stayed there to the end of their days. The new owners had them for about six years and were both lovely.

My next one I had for two years and sold to a PC home in 2013. They still have him.

The one after that was a really sweet standardbred mare. Only had her for about six months and no idea where she is now.

The one after that I just didn't gel with - had him for a year and sold him in 2017. They still have him.

The one I have now won't ever be sold.

Good homes are out there :)
 
I kept the kids first pony when arguably she could have gone to teach another child. She stayed with me until she was PTS age 28.

My last horse also stayed with me until she was PTS age 27.

I still have middle daughter's pony who is 20 this year. I do school her and have lessons on her but I don't particularly click with her in the saddle. Again, arguably she could have been sold on but she's quirky and I worry about her being misunderstood and labelled a bad pony so she is also here for life.

I've sold on 2 youngsters in my time who I'd backed and brought on myself. They are both in fantastic PC homes.

The only other horse I've sold was a big tank of an Irish cob who was just too big and too wide for me and was causing me hip and back pain.

When all this over I'll be looking for a pony for me to ride and I intend to take my time and make sure its 100% the right pony so that I can offer a home for life.

It does help having them at home. I know not everyone has that luxury and I think sometimes selling on a horse that is not right for you or you don't have a job for can be absolutely the right thing to do.
 
Do we think moving owner every few years to a new rider that fits the pony is detrimental to its welfare? Unless the family is massive and the pony has a short career I think they’d rather keep in use than become a laminitis risk pet and they’re more likely to have good care when they’re also in work. I’m not sure ponies mind being pets but it is harder to keep them well out of work. If you sniff people out you can find good homes but you can never be sure it’ll be for life- after all you’re wanting to sell them in the first place. Lives change in ways we can’t expect during the lifetime of a pony. I sold a welsh C about 2 years ago via a dealer that’s now shared between 2 sisters doing pony club, a D via sales livery a few years before that who’s in a similar home but with older kids and an adult mum also dressaging- both families worship them where they’d become spare (but well cared for) parts here. My big non pony kwpn is a yard owners horse who she hacks a bit- from his clumsiness has kept the vets busier than I could have afforded realistically! A coloured PBA that was too slow for trials is now in a show home and has been up to hoys, the grey one is doing scurry all over the country now aged about 20. The old welsh B driving team all got lucky- 1 moved to another team and is still competing, 2 moved to be singles and when one was sold the owner of the other took him and had them as schoolmasters. Their finishing off their careers as LR RS ponies at hers. A welsh A I drove indoors but was too sharp for his intended use is in a home for life driving single and pair in the West Country. My second pony who we had for 8 years has been in her new home for something like 9 years we found through hho! She’s now retired to a riding school still doing light work and unaff dressage. This is over nearly 30 years in ponies and a family of 5..! Money wise I’m not out to make a profit and home really does come first. I’m sure I’m at a loss. We have 3 retired here and have had about 4 PTS. I’m sure there’s more but trying to remember..! I like following ones we’ve had for portions of their lives :)
 
Ponies are tricky. Good pony club/competition ponies change hands every two years or so as they are outgrown either age or sizewise, unless there are younger siblings to take over. Some ponies stay in families for years of course. Good first ponies are like gold dust but of course are outgrown even quicker. Sadly, many small ponies are not really suitable for small children and once they have learnt a trick or two it is well nigh impossible to stop them doing it - they are very clever at knowing what they can get away with with different riders. Many small ponies are not properly broken and schooled in the first place due to lack of suitable small riders to do so and so they learn evasions quickly which doesn't help their chances. Inexperienced parents with young children are a nightmare as they have no idea how to keep a small pony on the straight and narrow and just expect them to be angels without any proper handling or work. The best way to increase the odds of a good future for a pony are to bring it up with impeccable manners and to ensure it is well schooled and not allowed to develop bad habits in the first place. Then look for experienced pony club homes or similar, not only will they have the best chance of buying the right pony for their child, they will also have a ready source of contacts to potentially pass it on to when it is outgrown. The third hint is of course to check that a pony is actually well suited to the family who wants to buy it. I don't though think it is realistic to expect horses or ponies to have "homes for life". After all, if you are selling it why shouldn't the next owner. For ponies in particular, for all the reasons already mentioned. Personally, I wouldn't really aim to keep in touch following sale. You have no control over what happens so it is often better not to know. That said, my children's first pony is still ours, and is currently on her second loan home. We won't be sellling her but that is largely because she has some quirks which make her a bit tricky and it is just too much effort to try, and she is now getting on and I have a soft spot for her and can afford to have a retiree or two knocking around. Many people can only afford one horse, so if it is no longer doing the job, they need to pass it on to make way for the one which will. That is life.
 
I think a lot of it depends whether you have your own land or livery? It's probably much easier to keep an outgrown but much loved child's pony if you have your own land rather than having to pay for (even just DIY) livery whilst said child has a bigger pony and perhaps the Mum and other child has one too .... Or even just a simple cash flow of needing to sell one to fund another.

I've never sold - but only because I've only owned two horses and the first was PTS after a field accident.

I don't think I'd sell lightly (as I am sentimental and they are family to me) but I think if I was fundamentally wasn't the right owner, I could sell to the best home to give the horse a brighter future. After all, if no-one sold, then no one could buy either ;)

I'm looking to get a second in the next few years, but only on the basis I can afford mine into his older age (he's mid-teens currently) as well as a youngster.
 
I think it's a bit of luck really, not that that helps you much! I can only speak from the other side of things but we have loved every horse and pony we've had until the end of their days. We've had horses since before I was born (am 32) and in all that time we have only ever sold one who was a pony who didn't grow big enough for me as a child and had his whole life ahead of him. The people who bought him returned him as they didn't get along and we kept him as a pet for the rest of his life.

I currently have a mare about to be 18 who I haven't ridden in many years. She has a few issues and is essentially too much for me, but I can't bring myself to sell her and so have committed to keeping her even though she takes up the field space. The same is true of my mother's horse really and we have two ponies who are barely ridden and will stay with us. We also had a glorious Shetland pony who an HHO member gave to us and we adored him and kept him until he was sadly PTS last year. We are however very lucky to have a field and to be able to do this.

I guess I am just saying that there are many of us who endeavour to keep and love whatever horses we buy until the end if we can. Having said that, I don't think it's a bad thing for them to be moved along to a new, more suitable home when they are outgrown or similar, if it means they can keep in work and will maintain some value (which generally ensures them being taken care of). People's circumstances also change and I think if you sell horses you have to be realistic in thinking that they might not be there forever, but it's not too much to expect them to be well taken care of!
 
MuddyMonster said:
I think a lot of it depends whether you have your own land or livery? It's probably much easier to keep an outgrown but much loved child's pony if you have your own land rather than having to pay for (even just DIY) livery whilst said child has a bigger pony and perhaps the Mum and other child has one too .... Or even just a simple cash flow of needing to sell one to fund another.
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^^ agree with this.
My childhood ponies had to go because each one funded the next, and there was only enough in the budget to keep one at a time. When outgrown they were still at an age where they had lots to give. My first pony went to a wonderful home with a whole gang of little girls, I think she probably died with them having taught them all to ride.

The horses I've had since have been a mix of loans, gifts and bargain basement purchases, I'm lucky to be able to say they all have a home for life but if I didn't have a field to park the retirees in then I would have had to make different choices.

I would sell on if circumstances were right. I'm expecting my first homebred which is intended to be my next riding horse but I would consider selling if it turns out not to be what I want, who knows. There are no guarantees, but there are lots of other good homes out there and many of us depend on someone deciding to sell their nice horse, in order to get one ourselves.
Having a horse on loan (as the loanee) if you really like it, is always tinged with worry. It'll never me my horse, what if the owner wants it back.... I hated it. I wouldn't choose to loan a horse out ever.
 
I have no issues selling ponies/ horses. That doesnt mean i care for them any less. My daughters pony ( 14.2) has ended up in his forever home, the girl who rides him isnt big so still looks great on him. Hes 19 now i think, and looks fabulous. The horses ive sold mostly have been young WBs and am lucky enough to follow their progress. Ive lost touch with the TB mare we bought for our daughter, we sold her to a lovely family who put a lot of work into her and sold her on. Other than that i know where they are.

Just one more to sell, but i will be very picky where he goes.Ive decided to get him backed and sell on next year as a 4 yo.
 
Thank goodness for people who train their ponies and horses well and are prepared to sell them or we wouldn't have had any! I bought two five year old pomies for my daughter, they were not cheap but they both had been started well and had good basic schooling. When she outgrew them I was able to sell them to excellent homes as talented but safe schoolmasters and have kept in touch with both, one is still going and sadly one was PTS at 19. Ponies like these are like gold dust and they gave several young riders a huge amount of fun if I had kept them they would have stood in a field. My daughter's first horse was bought as a five year old and sold aged 9 to a woman who still has him. All the horses I have bought for myself were aged 11/12, nicely schooled and mannerly. I don't have the skills or confidence to bring on a youngster. It is a huge luxury to have the resources to be able to keep children's ponies and frankly I have seen some that have come back from a loan in poor shape. I've always been prepared to have professional help in bringing youngsters on and that does not come cheap but it does result in having a saleable animal that then helps to fund the next size up. It's always very sad to sell a pony on but it really helps to have pics sent to you of the new child with a huge smile on their face, having lots of fun. All my horses and ponies are very well cared for but I know that I am not the only person capable of giving them a really good home, I'm not that arrogant.
 
I think we should avoid being too critical of selling on. If nobody sells horses or ponies when they are outgrowm either physically or in terms of ability/ambition then there are no experienced older animals for more novicey people to buy.

I know several who have had happy lives despite being passed about a bit.

My friend bought a veteran retired from hunting with a traditional shires pack and getting fat in a field. Many people would have roasted them for moving him on but he has proven to be a perfect first horse for a young adult and they have had many years of fun together, and although he has slowed down now he has a home for life.

I know several ponies who have gone through multiple homes gradually down grading as they can no longer cope with higher level competition but generally being well loved and cared for to the end (or reaching a home that retired them).

Obviously it is best if people can loan as then they keep control but there are good homes out there for good horses and ponies.
 
Leandy said:
Ponies are tricky. Good pony club/competition ponies change hands every two years or so as they are outgrown either age or sizewise, unless there are younger siblings to take over. Some ponies stay in families for years of course. Good first ponies are like gold dust but of course are outgrown even quicker. Sadly, many small ponies are not really suitable for small children and once they have learnt a trick or two it is well nigh impossible to stop them doing it - they are very clever at knowing what they can get away with with different riders. Many small ponies are not properly broken and schooled in the first place due to lack of suitable small riders to do so and so they learn evasions quickly which doesn't help their chances. Inexperienced parents with young children are a nightmare as they have no idea how to keep a small pony on the straight and narrow and just expect them to be angels without any proper handling or work. The best way to increase the odds of a good future for a pony are to bring it up with impeccable manners and to ensure it is well schooled and not allowed to develop bad habits in the first place. Then look for experienced pony club homes or similar, not only will they have the best chance of buying the right pony for their child, they will also have a ready source of contacts to potentially pass it on to when it is outgrown. The third hint is of course to check that a pony is actually well suited to the family who wants to buy it. I don't though think it is realistic to expect horses or ponies to have "homes for life". After all, if you are selling it why shouldn't the next owner. For ponies in particular, for all the reasons already mentioned. Personally, I wouldn't really aim to keep in touch following sale. You have no control over what happens so it is often better not to know. That said, my children's first pony is still ours, and is currently on her second loan home. We won't be sellling her but that is largely because she has some quirks which make her a bit tricky and it is just too much effort to try, and she is now getting on and I have a soft spot for her and can afford to have a retiree or two knocking around. Many people can only afford one horse, so if it is no longer doing the job, they need to pass it on to make way for the one which will. That is life.
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That is 100% right. Agree with everything.

Even good competition ponies can be difficult because the person selling has probably spent years and years taking that pony to the top, they have formed a relationship and the once 12 year old who bought a young pony is now 16 and much stronger and heavier. Seen it again and again and with people I know who took the ponies to national finals and then could never sell, as the parents parting with £10,000 wanted them to go out and win first time, which I know is unrealistic but also understandable. Any wobble is not tolerated. That is why some of these top pony show jumpers go on and on but no one makes the mistake of teaching the child to ride! All they have to do is sit on and steer and then they wonder why many never make it with horses.

I think the biggest favour we as horse and pony owners is to do the very best we can to make sure that our animals are good to handle, and well mannered. It doesn't stop them being spirited. The good ponies and horses are treasured for life. Anything that is dodgy shouldn't really be passed on. One old horse I knew as a 4 year old from Ireland I met up with again when he was in his 20s and I exercised him out from a hunter livery yard. He had been started by a riding instructor and had had a few misfortunes during his life but he retained his basic good manners and schooling and ended up being a safe hunter for an older lady.
 
I suppose I am lucky (doesn't feel it...) in a way as i'm only 5 foot and don't weigh much so my first horse was an outgrown 13hh pony who I kept until he died, because I could still fit on him to ride him!
I bought him from my friend who had him for around 3 years, I had him for a further 10 years. I didn't grow, my friend shot up and is really tall now! I'm not sure about his history before my friend had him.

I would never sell Buzz either, unless circumstances were very dire and it would be a last option. He's only 14hh. He was originally bought by a riding school at 3 then bought by his previous owners at 5. I bought him at 9 as the previous owner became really allergic to him, they didn't want to sell and said that it took them 6 months to put his advert up (even then it was only one line and a couple of photos!). He's 12 next week and I am still in touch occasionally with his previous owners just updating them on what we're up to and what colour he changes into next :D

So we do exist, more short adults need to buy ponies!
 
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