Would anyone share / loan a small pony who has been out of work?

shellonabeach

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 February 2006
Messages
809
Location
Cambridgeshire
Visit site
As if this wasn't hard enough I lost this post the first time I tried to write this! This version will therefore be much shorter!

I have spent the afternoon writing and re-writing an advert for our little Bambi pony. THIS IS NOT AN ADVERT!!

The pony is owned by a Friend of a Friend who I share a yard with. She has lived with us for 3 years. FoF is having to give her up due to personal reasons. My friend has been the ponies main carer with FoF helping out with her share of the poo picking, doing pony's shelter and grooming her once or twice a week. Any financial arrangement was between Friend and FoF as the pony was included in her half of the yard rent. Pony has been very good in her role as companion to our 3 horses and we will be very sad to see her go :(

Friend has said she doesn't want to be responsible the pony, I had offered to contribute to her costs. Neither of us have enough time to spare to take her on. We have agreed to try and find the pony a loaner.

Pony is approx 11hh Shetland cross mare in her mid 20's. She has never been sick or sorry and is very low maintenance. She is very stocky and if I wasn't too heavy I would get on her (I'm 5ft2). She is a lovely girl and has no ailments, vices, habits etc

Since she has been with us the pony has been sat on by various childen and ridden once by a Skinny friend. She really is only a lead-rein pony as she can be a bit stubborn but will be lead happily. She will lead from another horse. She lunges and I have long-lined her down the lane.

We would like to find her a little jockey to give her the exercise and attention she really does deserve. We would love for her to stay at our yard where we would be happy to continue with her day to day care. All we would ask is for her feet and teeth to be paid for (only trimmed), rider / pony insurance taken out so she is covered to be ridden (we have 3rd party liability cover for her) and help with her share of the poo picking - she lives out 24/7.

She could of course go out on loan as a lead-rein pony or a companion

Do you think anyone would be interested?

I intend to get her lunging and long-lining again and will also take her out in heavy traffic, in hand and on long-lines, to see how she reacts before putting her advert up. Unfortunately we have no-one small enough to get her going under saddle for us.

Any ideas, words of wisdom, or pointing out of glaring errors would be more than welcome!

I just can't see who would want to take on an elderly, out of work, little pony :'(
 
there is defo someone out there for her!

there'll be a mum out there, who wants a companion for her horse, that her children can have a plod about on.

i'll keep my ears/eyes open for you xx

p.s. try preloved, it's dead good for horsey things and is freeee x
 
Aw thank you.

I really just don't want to see her go :(

I'm going to pop her advert up in the village shop and put one on the gate, really hoping we can find someone local.

Whenever I have taken her around the village she has been a parent and child magnet!
 
Tbh I think you will be inundated with offers! It sounds like just the arrangement I could do with for my daughter! She needs a pony that she can be invloved with and that she can be led on to really build her confidence! Go for it!
 
If you can, I would hold out for a sharer who can leave her at your yard. As a mum with two kids I know how time consuming it can be to have to stand over them all the time and lead, especially if you have a horse of your own. This sounds like the ideal arrangement as a family would have help. She sounds fantastic and I'm sure you wouldn't have any problems. If you were in Somerset I could think of at least three familes who would love to share!
 
Shame your in cambridge, i'd love to have something like that, as although i do love riding (could never ride a shetland - being 5"4) I love grooming/general horsey tasks

I'm sure you'll find a lovely loan/sharer :)
 
Argh!
If you were closer I would snap your hand off!
Bubs likes riding but really likes to just groom, talk to and take for walks any poor pony she gets her grubby paws on.
I have been searching for something like this for months-since we lost Ted.
Damn-I'm going to have to see if OH is willing to move!
 
Thanks guys for your positive responses. Feeling much better about the whole situation now :)

Going to pop her advert in the local shop tomorrow and see what response we get.

If worst comes to worst and we get no response I have decided I will have to take her on, she is a valuable companion to my stressy gelding. I think she knows as she has been extra soppy to me the last couple of days!

For all those looking for something like Bambi, I hope you find a pony like her
 
My friend has recently bought a pony for her two boys which has been out of work for two years. She is only 7, so obviously couldn't have done that much work before. We were far more interested in the pony's personality and manners when we went to view her. My lightweight sister rode her briefly (bareback) to check that she didn't object. The pony has been with us for a few weeks now and is proving to be exactly what we thought.
Just a thought though - if you are prepared to do the day-to-day care, do you really need a loaner?
 
Sounds ideal for any mum of a pony mad small child - not having full responsibility and also having knowledgeable help around if need be.

I'm sure you'll have plenty of offers, and maybe mention it to everyone you see when you are walking her out.
 
Top