When will i ever get a pony?

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comet&joe

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so ive been riding for 7-8 years and ive never been able to get a pony. We have land at my grannies(15mins away) and my mum says its too much seeming im going into the exam year(junior cert) i asked for a loan pony for the summer but she said no. ive been asking since i was like 5! and im 14 now. ive lessons every week ans the highest ive jumped is bout 3'9. Im an expierenced rider and ive ridden some difficult ponies at the yard(not bragging). do other people have the same problem?
 
Yup!!! I have been riding since I was 4, and finally I managed to buy my own horse at the age of 20... having begged, borrowed and stealed for the 16 years!!
Having a horse changes everything, you cant go ANYWHERE without making serious arrangements for said beastie - its a massive resposibility, and you Mum is right to be wary!!
Try and get as many summer/holiday jobs with horses showing your committed, and you never know what might happen...

the 16 year wait has made my horse so special to me, and the sacrifices I will make because of him wont matter, because - sad as it is - he is all I want!!!
 
I'm sure you're not alone, at least you are able to ride and you will be gaining experience all the time. Although your grandparents are only 15 mins away it is still a big commitment, the travelling, money and time and though it is easy to think you will do all the work involved i can assure you there are very few kids who manage it all on their own with no family involvement, someone will need to do the pony twice a day, every day,easy in the summer but not so good in the winter. Remember too, will you have an arena to ride in, jumps, transport etc.
Keep going with the lessons, ask around to see if there is anyone who needs some help with their horses. Dreams can come true, but sometimes they just take longer than we want.
 
i know exactly how you feel i had been riding for ages and i had riding lessons and jumped high and rod some of the ponies for more experienced riders, it was about a year ago i got my first one and im just about to turn 16 i have to do all the yard duties buy everything for him etc and allthough i was one of he more exerienced riders too the pony i bought was dificlut too and when its your own pony theres nobody to tll you what to do especailly if your parents arent horsey if you do get a pony make sure that you get an instructor straight away, as that was the mistake i made i didnt get an instructor for about 3 months and then he started behavin badly now i have lessons and my pony have changed alot!(ask horsecrazy 25) and due to that i have only just started competing and taking him to pony club because he was a little thug before
hope this helps and you get a pony too :D some riding schools do an own a pony kinda thing have a look at that too :p
 
I know the feeling!! I begged for lessons for about 4 years before I finally was allowed to start at the age of 8 - I left my RS 'cause my mum didn't think I was getting anything more from it and from then I started with a part loan 13.2hh gelding twice a week....at the age of 12.
I'm now under 2 months off being 21 and I am still with my second part loan mare (a 14.2hh bolshy diva-ish rescue horse!) but...I wouldn't change anything for the world. I'll be with her until the end of never now :)
My parents told me we couldnt afford our own horse - obviously its not the buying of the horse, its keeping it - it now turns out that we could have afforded it - but they knew I was planning on university and they aren't horsey enough to have looked after my horse so I'd have had to sell. Now I'm so grateful that they didn't let me have my own horse I don't think I'd have coped with selling!!
Be patient, your mum will maybe change her mind as mine did as you get older and let you start with a part loan - that way you can still go ahead with plans you had, but still have that horse there when you are free :) taking on a part loan is the best thing I ever did.
 
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It is really hard to wait when you are younger! But if your parents are not horsey then you really are better off waiting. When you get to exams and uni - and lets face it even boys! - you need someone who can do the odd muck out etc for you. Without horsey parents, and especially using your own land, you are in for along hard and very lonely slog at a time in your life when you will very shortly want to go out with freinds, maybe go on holidays with them, school trips etc. Even going away to college or uni. You can't do that with your own pony. And selling your first one is nigh on impossible emotionally.

A share might be a possibility - but a loan has all the same problems about mucking out etc as your own. Plus it would probably be very hard to find someone to loan you a pony to look after by yourself without support on your own land.

It is tough - but keep the dream alive. Carry on with the lessons. Perhaps keep your ear to the ground for a share where you usually ride. If there is a local pony club center near you then join that. When you do get your own you will know that you are really able and mature enough to keep it in the way it should be!
 
I too know how you feel, but don't give up on your dream. I came from a non horsey family and quite simply lived and breathed ponies at your age. Now, as an adult and mum, I still remember the longing I felt and, as such, have many times helped keen youngsters realise their dream. Often mums and dads who are non horsey are wary of the huged commitment that having your own pony entails. Not just the cost but the time and tie it brings. As such, I have allowed people over the years to loan a pony of mine, provided they have their own insurance and are willing to commit to looking after a pony ALL year, then, under my supervision I have free loaned my 13.2 superstar mare. She is now 30 years old and has helped give the confidence to a fair few people, some of whom have gone on to have their own horses or ponies once their parents recognised their commitment and ability.

Just a thought, you could always (check with parents first that it's okay to) put an advert up in your local saddlery advertising your offer of help to someone with a young child on a pony. My sister is looking for someone to help her with her twin daughters who have been riding since they were 2 years old. They are very capable, but at 7 they still need help tacking up and getting on etc especially at pony club and shows. If you could find someone who is looking for something like this in your area then you will be getting your pony fix and showing your parents your dedication to your chosen sport. My sister also has a 13.2 at her place (actually belongs to her sister in law) that they are looking for someone to loan - no cost involved at all.

You don't say where you live but if you are in E Staffordshire area then this may be ideal for you, alternatively, just start a thread on here and any other forums you frequent offering your services in exchange for a pony to ride or whatever you are happy with either yard duties or helping someone with their children. There are plenty of people who don't want to part with their ponies and would love to see someone enjoying and taking care of them, just ask ;)

I hope you get lucky.:)
 
carry on with the lessons, ride as many different horses and ponies as you can and try to forget about being tied to one horse until you are in a position where you can look after it yourself. I didn't get my first horse until I was much older as I don't think my parents took my hobby seriously and thought I would grow out of it. Much as I adored him, I think I was even too young at 16 to do proper justice to him and am only now really appreciating having my own horse at 35!
So often, you see kids with ponies who get tired of them, don't have the support they need from adults and really don't make the most of the opportunity they have.
The OP's are right - you will soon want to be going out and socialising with your mates and trust me, the last thing you want to be doing after a night out is getting up at 6am to muck out!
Also, there's nothing quite like the worry that comes with a vet's call out on a Sunday when your pony has put his foot through the wire fence, or is colic'ing - at the riding school, you don't have all that hassle!
Your time will come. If you are still that keen when you have the means, you will make your dream come true yourself.
But for now, enjoy all the joys of ponies and riding without any of the hard slog and worry that can come with them!!
 
The best thing you can do (although boring!) is to show your parents how organised and committed you are. Meaning doing homework, helping round the house, the usual things parents would like to see! Is there any chance you could help with someone else's horse or offer your help at the riding school or become a sharer? All small ways which will give you more time with horses and show your commitment to your parents before taking the plunge, or your parents taking the plunge! Ultimately your parents are quite likely to worry about how schoolwork would suffer, as mine were, I got my 'first' horse on loan aged 15.
 
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