Where are all the young ponies?!

[kit279]

Took a young friend and her Welsh Section D pony showjumping at the weekend - I had totally forgotten the 'pony mindset'! He is a nice pony but quite opinionated and naughty and only 9 years old. Chatting to my trainer, she was saying that most children need a pony that is about 20 years old or they can get a bit over-ponied! Indeed most of the ponies jumping that day were quite old.

Then we got to chatting about where you can find these older ponies for sale and where are all the young ones? This Welsh Section D was bought from his breeder but I just wonder what happens to ponies aged 5-20? Didn't they used to go to riding schools and then be sold on to private homes later on? I've been on horses for a long time now but just curious!

Do any of you have young ponies and where did you find them?

 

[rara007]

We have 9 ponies in that age bracket, and none out of it

.
Ajay, who is 16 we got from the stud at 4.
Teddy, who is Also 16 we got from a local family, at 7, we already knew him well from the local shows.
Pip and Ginga, now 9 and 11, we got from a lady driving them at 'local' competitions as a pair when they were 6 and 8. Just saw there advert on a few driving sights. She got Ginga as a 'failed' team pony from Holland aged 4, and Pip as a 'failed' team pony, conisidently from the team we now own aged 4 too.
Bobbie, Brook, Freddie, Rory, Richard, now 12,11,10,9,7 we got from a man driving them very competitively as a 4-in-hand last year. He got them all as youngsters, mainly from sales.

None of ours are particularly badly behaved TBH. Although I think all of them would benefit from 'adult' schooling once in a while if they were meant to be childrens ponies, with the excpetion of Ajay and Teddy, who are absolute angles, and always have been.

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

Mines a big pony(14.2) and she was only 7 when i got her. You can find ponies suitable for children but there are alot of cheeky little ones too.

 

[chunkytfg]

our 12hh pony is only 10 and we have had him coming up to 6 years. our daughter is now 14 and still does the odd dressage test and jumps him up to 3ft regularily although it's now her feet that knock the jumps down and not his!!!

 

[Maisy]

I bought a 4 yr old a couple of years ago. She has been mistreated at some point in the past, but is coming together now. She is a bit sharp really, but is getting better all the time.....I reckon by the time she is 20 she will be great for kids to learn on!!!!!

....pity my kids are trying to learn now!

 

[cobden99]

Ive got 3 in that age bracket ! Welsh Sec D 9year old bought as a foal from the breeder, 7 year old miniature given to me by a friend to be cobs sidekick, and 4 yr old mare, again brought from breeder. Mare is an angel, geldings are monsters

 

[amanda1788]

i have a 5 year old sec D, who i bought as a 4 yr old from a dealer. He lives up to the pony cheekiness. And likes to push his luck sometimes but has the best personality and and loves lots of hugs and fuss.

 

[vickyguns]

I have a 12 year old pony for the kid. He was driven for most of his working life and is absolutely bomb proof for it. However, now the kid is learning to canter he is true to pony form. The other day decided he was out hunting and the brambles hanging out of the hedge were there to be sprung over.....cue kid over his head and at his feet, where-by he stopped and casually tucked into the grass round next to her!

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

Our riding school currently has
> 4 yr old exmoor
> 5 year old small cob type
> 4 year old medium cob type
> 7 year old New Forest pony
> 6 year old Heinz 57 13.2 pony

> 7 year old heavy cob type
> 7 year old Hafflinger
> 10 year old Hafflinger
> another 7 year old medium cob type
> 8 year old Welsh Sec D
> 7 year old Welsh Sec A...

So in all honestly in answer to your question, I think we have them all

 

[ttt]

We have 4 ponies.
The best one for competing is the 18yo 13.2hh. She can be a bit of a handful but we have had her 4 years now and we are used to her ways. She is never out the ribbons. Unfortunately, my daughter is now far too big for her so we are looking to sell her towards the end of the year. This pony will 'over -pony' most children as she is so quick so the older ones do not always make the best ones!
We also have two 6 year olds and a 5 year old 14.2hhs.
Bought the 5 year old as a two year old, just starting to take him out now.
Bought the other two New Foresters as 4 year olds.
My 14 year old has produced these 14.2hh ponies herself so good ponies are out there.
New Forest ponies!!!

 

[Faithkat]

Come down to the New Forest, we're eyebrow deep in 'em! Look on http://www.nfed.co.uk/ classifieds . . . . .