Would you sell your horse to buy a pony for your child?

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Ilovefoals

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I am having this dilemma just now. I bred a coloured foal from my mare last year as my future horse. Her mother is away on loan to a friend which will be a permanent arrangement, leaving me with the black mare in my sig who I'm currently re-breaking and the coloured yearling.

My daughter is 4 and wants a pony of her own but I cannot afford the keep for 3. I have my own land etc but we are always stretched financially as it is so I would really have to sell one of my 2 in order to buy her a pony.

Do you think 4 is too young for her to have a pony? Am I being selfish not buying her one this year? Should I wait til next year when she's 5 and maybe will be a bit more serious about it? Next year we will also be in a better position with our finances too.

I'd love her to have one but I'm really reluctant to sell either of mine!

Thoughts please. x
 
I wouldn't sell mine for my kids and they are 4 and 8.

It might be selfish but that's they way it is. Thankfully, mine have no interest in my horse :).
 
Yes, I would if the child was maybe about 7 or 8 or older. At least then you could get a 13hh and ride it yourself (depending on your height/weight).

However, at 4, then no I wouldn't, especially as your finances are tight. Definately wait until next year and if your finances have improved then consider it.

In the meantime, can you find a local pony she could maybe ride at the weekend? You might be able then to gauge how keen she really is.

Also, it teaches her a good lesson that she can't always have what she wants when she wants it - explain to her that pony's cost a lot of money to buy and to keep and that you don't have enough money yet, but that you are saving up to be able to get her one next year.
 
4 is too young as you will be left to do all the work, and unable to get the pleasure from riding it. I would hang on untill she is older and more serious about riding. Maybe if theres anyone local near by with a pony you could let her ride that? Summer is coming and im sure there will be lots of fat ponies that need some extra work?!
 
ellie_e said:
4 is too young as you will be left to do all the work, and unable to get the pleasure from riding it. I would hang on untill she is older and more serious about riding. Maybe if theres anyone local near by with a pony you could let her ride that? Summer is coming and im sure there will be lots of fat ponies that need some extra work?!
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I agree, ask around your local area for rides, I remember when we were little we had an old pony who belonged to neighbours to ride. I recall we had her for the summer holidays one year. I didnt get my own pony until I was 33. I am trying to keep the urge to get my 2 year old a pony under control.
 
Ditto ellie_e. If she was dedicated and about 9 or 10, then maybe. Until then I am sure you could find a pony to exercise to keep her happy.

I bought my daughter a pony when she was 4, and although we had a great deal of fun, she wasn't that bothered and after a year or so she would have to be 'encouraged' to ride.

I never made a great deal about it, and she got keen again when we had friends here with their pony - but I was often tempted to say 'what's the point of having a pony that you never ride? Lots of kids would give their right arm/left leg/fav granny to have a pony!' Fortunately I resisted, but riding on your own isn't that great when you are young, you need friends and no pressure, so don't feel guilty,your daughter may well lose interest if you get her a pony now.

Plus how would you feel if you sold the coloured yearling and it turned into the most perfect first horse for a teenager?! Your daughter might have a word to say about that in ten years :)
 
If you have enough land maybe you could do a bit of a deal where you could offer an owner somewhere to keep a suitable pony in return for letting your daughter ride it sometimes? Obviously would need to be sure it was the right pony but there are a lot of people looking for 'sharers', so might work in the right circumstances
 
Personally no... I have worked bloomin hard for my horse and I'd like my child to grow up with the same appreciation of the value of them and the work involved. I think at 4 or even 5 they are still too young to do any of the work and so it would be far to easy for mummy to end up mucking out all the time while child has all the fun!
 
my daughter is now 12 and untill this year we always had loan ponies (4) all of them were excellent and we had a v good relasionship with all the owners (3) only now that we wanted a specific type of pony have we bought one.I have also got a mare and youngster and will be out n about this year, my daughter has understood that as last year revolved around her, this year will be focused on getting the 4y/o up and running. there are some super ponies out there looking for homes.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. You have made me feel so much less guilty! Especially the comment about the yearling maybe being a perfect teenagers horse. Never thought of that! I think I will have a nose about for something she could maybe have shots on. I'd hate to get her something and then be nagging her to ride it. When she does get her own, I want her to be really keen and able to participate in its care so she learns the value of hard work and what is involved in looking after a pony.

Thanks again guys. x
 
Hypothetically I might sell a horse if I had a teenage child and we could have a mother/daughter share. Otherwise, as long as I had the time and energy to ride, I wouldn’t be selling my horse so my kid could have a pony. There’s plenty to be learned from RS ponies and friend’s horses when kids are young, and when they’re older they’re more capable of taking a bigger, more responsible role in their upkeep. Until that point’s reached, I wouldn’t be sacrificing a beloved neddy of my own unless it was absolutely necessary!
 
No I definitely wouldn't!

First of all because having a pony is a privilege, not a right - you've worked hard to have your horses, so why should you have to give that pleasure up because your child wants a pony - as others have said, 4 is too young to really appreciate or care for one anyway.

I would say, see if anyone locally has a small pony that she might be able to ride occasionally, and see if she stays interested.

If she is still really keen in a few years then you can review the situation, but I was only ever allowed a pony on the understanding that I worked really hard to help pay for its keep, and did all the looking after myself - in my personal opinion it means so much more if it is something you have to work hard to earn, you really appreciate it then.
 
No. But then again I don't have kids because I love my life and don't want to compromise anything about it. ;)
 
I'd wait for a few years before you get her a pony. My kids had a pony on loan and to be honest the cold nights feeding and mucking out killed their interest. A couple of years later I bought my horse with a view to my elder daughter sharing - she has recently had her first ride on him.... 2 years after I bought him, if I'd been relying on her to help or exercise him it would have been an issue. Kids of 4 change their mind about what they want and are too little to be much real help with the pony in my experience.

Keep your 2 and enjoy them!
 
Think 4 is just too young! Lots of children want a pony but would soon lose interest if they actually had one. When she's a bit older re assess but certainly not at this young age, IMO anyway! Good luck! :)
 
Can't really say if I would sell my horse for my child, at 17 I've never really thought about it lol (and don't plan on it for a while!!) ;)
but when I was about that age I went for a lesson a week on a friend of my mum's horse, then at 6 had a pony on shared-loan type arrangement & only went a couple of times a week. I spent a fair bit of my weekends going with my mum to different horse shows & watching her ride or going with her to lessons while she taught (it was either that or sitting in a tractor with my dad lol) I have to say, this made me sooooo much more keen & I remember thinking when I was little 'I want to ride like my mum' (obviously then she was Anky/Mary King/Whitaker all rolled into one...) I know not many kids would put up with this, but I seemed to be quite happy :rolleyes: anyway, because it wasn't a given that I would always ride, when I got my own pony at 11 I was over the moon & worked so so hard to get him going :)
I also know that my auntie has got a little ruffian native which my cousin (6) shares with a friend from school who's parents also contribute financially. My cousin is so easily deterred by bad weather and has so many other things going on (swimming, brownies etc) that she can really take or leave the pony. Hope some of that helps lol
 
No.

I sold mine to get Bubs a pony. It went tits up and she lost confidence. Pony went and we are horseless.
Bubs is now at a fantastic riding school and loving it.
Ideally I would love to find another mum in the same situation and find a pony to share. I think that works better as for children its all about the friendship as well as the pony and its a bit of help for the mums too.
 
Oh Crikey - I am going to go against the grain here on the all the answers you have had so far.

I loved every minute of teaching my kids to ride, they had countless ponies from the year dot and it was so much fun. The times shared are indelible. Pony club was the best years of our life :D

But...... I always had my own horse to ride with them - a real safe old ex hunter, whom I could jump off and trust to leave if I had to attend to a child :) We went hunting together, hacking, rallies etc and both my children are really fond of those memories.

However - they are both teenagers now and neither are particularly interested in riding, occassionally my daughter might tack up and go for a hack but very sparodically.

Enjoy every precious moment of your 4 yr old - God, if only I could turn back the clock and have my children as little kids again. Time passes in a blink of the eye - if she wants a pony, then encourage it - it may not last long :(
 
I'm with most posters, i wouldn't sell my horse to get my child one unless i wasn't that interested in rding myself. At that age they can easly change their minds. If they were older and had shown some commitment to do the chores as well as ride then I probably would.
 
Hi, I have a pony mad daughter, and decided that she could have riding lessons when she was 4.
She has loved helping me with my shared horse, brushing, mucking out etc.
This year (Sunday in fact) she is 9, and as I no longer have my share, we have decided to buy a pony for her and her cousin to share, and a horse for my and my sis to share. I think the years of getting muddy, wet, cold and doing the work will have left her in no doubt that horses are hard work. Also, sharing with her cousin I hope will keep her interest as they will egg each other on.

If I already had my own, I would not sell it. I had my share and wouldn't have given him up except he was PTS.

I think she is keen, but it is MY hobby, and I fund it, so on my terms!!
 
NO NO NO you can not sell Lola!! Kibob probably has the correct solution!
I,m sure you could loan a pony for daughter as has you have land it would not cost to much to have a small one. I find shoeing the biggest expence and a little one is unlikely to need shoes all other costs are scaled down with a small pony and it would make a nice companion for lola when you are working with the other horse.
 
Thanks guys. And Hobo, don't worry, Lola is here to stay. Jess just makes me feel guilty when she says she wants a pony but in my heart, I know she's too young. I'm going to have a look about and see if we can find one she can get shots on and maybe look into a loan next year. There is also a riding school up the road which will take her when she's 5. I just have pictures of us in my mind having fun at shows and going out for hacks together, but maybe I'm just dreaming! In reality, she could lose interest quick when the winter returns and 2 horses will be enough for me to do without a pony to add to the mix. Thanks for all your replies guys, you've made me see sense and feel much better!

Kibob, maybe if I had more than 1 child I could swap one, but I kinda like the 1 I've got! :)
 
Most of the people I've known who bought ponies for their kids ended up with a child who lost interest and then the mother was left with all the chores and expenses. It might be acceptable if the child is old enough for a mother/daughter share. I know a lady who bought a pony to share with her daughters. The daughters lost interest VERY quickly but at least the mother enjoys riding and caring for the pony.

Another lady I know bought a pony for her kids who lost interest within months of purchase. She can't really afford her own horse and the pony, especially if the kids can't be bothered, but if she discusses selling the pony, her kids start crying, even though they don't spend any time with the pony.

So I think you need to go from your head, not your heartstrings here. If your child has to wait till she's older and "prove" her dedication, she might even enjoy the pony more.
 
I think she is too young to have a pony of her own. I'd leave it until she was about seven, then decide. Remember ponies such as Shetlands live on air, they really don't need much grazing at all, and you might be able to fit one in for her to learn the basics on.
 
Sorry, no help whatsoever but I'd sell a child to buy a horse............
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My mum always had ponies when she was growing up but all got sold by my grandad when she got married. For some reason horses were in my blood even though mum didn't have any. I started riding in riding schools when I was 3yrs old. It wasn't until I was 12 that my dad eventually gave in that this issue was not going to go away. I was bought a very cheap pony which I appreciated enormously. Out of all the kids (over 12) on the yard with ponys there are only 3 of us who have horses still and only 1/2 that still compete. My horses always became before boys / going out as I had to work so hard to get one in the first place. I'm now 30 and have 2 which to this day I appreciate how lucky I am to actually be able to have them in my life and afford to keep them. Although my husband does keep pointing out how many good holidays we could have a year with the amount I spend on them.
 
Go through the pony club, find a nice loan pony that exists off air (not literally!) that needs a new tiny tot to ride, really shouldn't cost you much to keep!
 
No way......I never had my own pony/horse until I was 22!!!!!

Managed fine riding others for friends etc... and believe i'm a better rider for it.

Everybody can ride thier own horse but can you all get on something completely different and still get a tune out of it.

She'll be a better ridder and will appricate a pony of her own much more if she has had to earn it.
 
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