Youngster or 'made' pony?

[lazycat]

I rarely post but when I do I splurge as I find HHO insights so helpful. I'll try to keep it brief:

- I may have the opportunity to own a pony again. I'm 23 and haven't owned or ridden consistently since I was 16.
- I'm going to be moving to York to work for a year and then hopefully to St Andrew's to do a master's (this is relevant!)
- For personal reasons, rent will be very low when I live in York so I will save a decent amount for outright cost of a new pony and ongoing livery, vets, insurance etc.

Now here's the long-winded question:

I know going for breed is frowned upon but having grown up riding them, my heart is set on a Connemara. My other choice (I'd love to ride one to find out) would be a Dales. My reasoning is I'd like a 14.2 native allrounder. Living in York I'd be close to Dales breeders too.

To afford a connie I'd have to buy a youngster and if I bought a Dales I'd like to support a local breeder. This would leave me unable to ride for a couple of years. BUT my reasoning is I'm already so used to not riding that I can bear the wait for something really good.

CONS:
- No way of knowing how they'd turn out.
- No riding.
- Potentially being over-horsed as I lack experience now.

PROS:

- Would have more time to focus on my master's.
- Both my past ponies were green problem five year olds and I enjoyed groundwork and positive reinforcement training to get our relationship on track.
- Would be able to afford my dream horse.

I probably would be able to save £4k tops. I don't think I could find a made horse for that that fits my criteria. Any thoughts? Open to any and all constructive criticism

 

[conniegirl]

Ditch the breed specifications and go for an established made pony.
Whilst doing your masters you wont have that much time and there will be periods where you just won’t be able to work your pony due to academic pressures.

This is not good or fair for youngsters, you need a pony you can pick up and put down again, one that you won’t have massive setbacks on or have to start again if you can’t ride for 3 weeks.

 

[Kizzy2004]

Having started many youngsters I wouldn’t underestimate how much time they need in their early education to establish good groundwork and experience.

If I was in your position I would probably wait and save for something more established if I had my heart set on a particular breed and look for a part loan/share to get back in to the riding side of things, you would then have the flexibility for your studies.

 

[lazycat]

Ok I needed to hear this.

Do you think it's unlikely I'd find a nice allrounder pony for £4k? I was rather hoping my 14.2 height category would mean I could find a nice type (I hate talking about horses like commodities but it's hard to find more inclusive terms!)

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Ok I needed to hear this.

Do you think it's unlikely I'd find a nice allrounder pony for £4k? I was rather hoping my 14.2 height category would mean I could find a nice type (I hate talking about horses like commodities but it's hard to find more inclusive terms!)

I think you will if you go for an older pony. Does it need to be 14.2? If you can go a few inches smaller you would probably get more for your money. I’m 5ft 2 and have a 14.1 connie which my 5ft6 mum doesn’t look silly on.

Agree tho to go for a made pony. My connie isn’t a youngster but she hadn’t set foot in a school when I bought her from Ireland. So I could still have fun hacking but it was a slow long process getting her going in the school which along with full time work and studying for my chartership has been tough. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it but I did have moments where I saw friends out competing having fun on their been there done that horses where I got a little jealous. Plus sometimes after work especially in winter I just wanted to get on and have an easy ride and it took a long time to get to that point.

 

[conniegirl]

I agree, if you can go smaller do so! Im 5ft 4 and ride a 13,2hh welsh C.
I paid £1.5k for him and he is a been there, done it, won it type with no hangups his only downside was that he was 18yrs old when i bought him. I can not ride him for months and then hop on bareback and go for a hack.
He is just lovely to have round, my last few horses were youngsters and them plus working full time sucked the joy out of horses for me. Its so much more enjoyable not having to worry about anything now.
I warm my pony up at shows rather than work him in, he performs when asked even if I’ve not felt like schooling that week, he is predictable despite his inner dragon and its just so much more fun

 

[Unicorn]

Ok I needed to hear this.

Do you think it's unlikely I'd find a nice allrounder pony for £4k? I was rather hoping my 14.2 height category would mean I could find a nice type (I hate talking about horses like commodities but it's hard to find more inclusive terms!)

I'd definitely be looking for something more established in your shoes.

It's certainly possible to find something that fits your requirements if you're happy with one a bit older. My boy is a 14.2 Connie - I paid £3.5k for him as a 15 year old, and he's worth every penny. He's chilled but fun, doesn't really change if he's had a bit of time off and is just fab!

 

[FestiveFuzz]

As others have said, definitely go with the made pony option.

While the initial outlay for a youngster may be “cheaper” unless you have your own place chances are you’ll have spent a significant chunk and be no better off financially by the time you get them under saddle, and that’s assuming they don’t manage to self-harm themselves in the process, grow too much or not enough or just turn out to be not your type of horse after all.

I have an almost 3yo who I’ve owned for 2.5 years now. I’ve had backed youngsters in the past but he’s my first proper baby and there have definitely been a few “OMG what am I doing?” moments. That said, the first 2 years were fairly boring as aside from the basics we mostly let him just be a baby in the field with his buddies. Fortunately I had my ridden horse too, but I really wouldn’t have wanted to only have the youngster during that time. It’s only really been since the summer that we’ve been a bit more hands on with him in preparation for being backed next year, and this is where we’ve really had to make sure we’re consistently doing bits with him little and often so it just becomes normal to him. Picking him up and putting him down when suits is not an option unless we want him to make his own entertainment in the meantime.

 

[TotalMadgeness]

Ok I needed to hear this.

Do you think it's unlikely I'd find a nice allrounder pony for £4k? I was rather hoping my 14.2 height category would mean I could find a nice type (I hate talking about horses like commodities but it's hard to find more inclusive terms!)

My connie (in my profile pic) was £4K and a green 4yo at the time (just broken in). Unfortunately he later turned out to have deformed stifle joints but even though he's still a very nice ridden pony - just limited in his potential (can't be jumped for example) and needs twice yearly injections. So he was young/green and needed schooling, but didn't need starting from scratch if that makes sense. He was 14.2hh when I got him he's now 15hh. His shape changed a lot during his 1st 2 years so I went through a number of saddles so that is the sort of thing you'd need to take into account for a youngster.

 

[Michen]

Just as an aside, I studied at St Andrews. Will you be able to travel to do your horse? There's not much in the way of decent livery yards that are very local...

 

[Michen]

Ditch the breed specifications and go for an established made pony.
Whilst doing your masters you wont have that much time and there will be periods where you just won’t be able to work your pony due to academic pressures.

This is not good or fair for youngsters, you need a pony you can pick up and put down again, one that you won’t have massive setbacks on or have to start again if you can’t ride for 3 weeks.

I disagree. Plenty of people hold down very busy, pressurised jobs and still have horses. A masters is no different. You can't work/revise/study effectively all the time without having a break whether that's exercise of some sort, reading a book, riding a pony. In times where there are periods where you can't ride for 3 weeks, or even 4, why would that necessarily be a problem? Most people agree plenty of breaks are good for youngsters. My 4, rising 5 year old has had several and is just coming to the end of 4 weeks off now. I'd think it could tie in quite nicely with any time pressures.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I had my "first" youngster when I was a seriously old fogey of 57 and it was a bit scary I have to confess!! (profile pic).

What I would say, and I hope I'm not coming across as "Granny Sucking Eggs"........ is that IF this is a first-youngster for the OP that it is essential IME to have a professional standing by to come in with advice if needs be. I knew that I wasn't either a confident or experienced rider, and that I had just the one chance with a sweet little just-backed pony, to turn her into what I wanted. I knew that if I failed, I had failed her too, and that made me take the safe route i.e. of ensuring that I had the help and support of the person that had backed her, to be around in case it was needed.

 

[honetpot]

I have 'made' a few ponies, and IMO they are harder to do than horses. Two years of consistency, because if you give them the opportunity to find a way out of doing something they are a devil to get back on track, and as an owner of several Connemaras, they are the worst. They have athletic ability and brains, some may look like they are going to be 'good', but they soon suss you out.
If I was you I would look at larger PC ponies for sale, perhaps something that is outgrown, they seem to move up from a 14.2 to horses quickly, and forget the breed.

 

[eggs]

Connies seem to be very popular at the moment and prices are correspondingly high.

I had a Dales pony and he won at BE100, BD Elementary and BS Discovery so they can definitely be sporty.

I am another who would go for an older 'made' pony for the reasons that have already been given above. I have bred and backed a number of youngsters and even though I keep them at home it is not a 'cheaper' route.

 

[conniegirl]

I disagree. Plenty of people hold down very busy, pressurised jobs and still have horses. A masters is no different. You can't work/revise/study effectively all the time without having a break whether that's exercise of some sort, reading a book, riding a pony. In times where there are periods where you can't ride for 3 weeks, or even 4, why would that necessarily be a problem? Most people agree plenty of breaks are good for youngsters. My 4, rising 5 year old has had several and is just coming to the end of 4 weeks off now. I'd think it could tie in quite nicely with any time pressures.

im not saying don’t get a pony. I would have loved to take mine to uni with me but couldnt afford to.
A masters is a huge commitment in time and an older horse would be much easier and more fun when you know you are going to have periods you can’t exercise it or of very high stress where you will want to just get on and ride without all the fuss/worry/wondering if today is going to be a good day or not that comes with a youngster.

 

[Jellymoon]

Agree with everything but where does one find an established 14.2 connie that is safe and sane and can be left for several weeks without being ridden for less than £4K???

 

[Littlewills]

Agree with everything but where does one find an established 14.2 connie that is safe and sane and can be left for several weeks without being ridden for less than £4K???

You dont. You may well find a dales if you are very lucky. Or an older non specific breed pony

 

[Widgeon]

Have you thought about a bigger Fell? They seem to be easier to find than Dales, presumably because they're that bit smaller, but a chunky 13.2 or 13.3 Fell might suit? Also being a native they tend to last for ages (sorry, I mean "have long ridden careers") so if you bought an older one you could pick up and put down and not worry about needing to give it consistency. Just a thought.

 

[Leandy]

What do you want to do with this pony? Whilst of course many adults own, ride and compete ponies, most adults would have a bigger horse as a first choice. Now you are a grown up do you really still want a pony, or are your rather harking back to your teenage pony years?

 

[conniegirl]

What do you want to do with this pony? Whilst of course many adults own, ride and compete ponies, most adults would have a bigger horse as a first choice. Now you are a grown up do you really still want a pony, or are your rather harking back to your teenage pony years?

This is simply not true, and is very old fashioned thinking. particularly when it comes to the native breeds

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

What do you want to do with this pony? Whilst of course many adults own, ride and compete ponies, most adults would have a bigger horse as a first choice. Now you are a grown up do you really still want a pony, or are your rather harking back to your teenage pony years?

I wonder why no one stopped me buying my 14.1 pony when I bought her at 23 years old. Maybe at 5ft2 and with a penchant for Disney they didn't think I was grown up enough for a horse.

 

[mustardsmum]

What do you want to do with this pony? Whilst of course many adults own, ride and compete ponies, most adults would have a bigger horse as a first choice. Now you are a grown up do you really still want a pony, or are your rather harking back to your teenage pony years?

Why posts about "adults riding ponies" exist...........

Leandy how utterly patronising! I think you will find that maybe some adults ride bigger horses to prove a point...... sadly they may be missing out on the ride of their lives because they are so busy looking down on the rest of us pony riders......

 

[Leandy]

Why posts about "adults riding ponies" exist...........

Leandy how utterly patronising! I think you will find that maybe some adults ride bigger horses to prove a point...... sadly they may be missing out on the ride of their lives because they are so busy looking down on the rest of us pony riders......

Not meaning to be patronising in the least. I know from experience that as I matured, so did my desire to have a more grown up "horse" and to move on from ponies. Hence I asked if the OP had a clear view on what they wanted to do with it. If a pony is what they really want then that is all fine. Just suggesting it would be possible to buy a pony because that is what they had before then realise it limited what they want to do is all. Of course adults (including me) can and do ride ponies very happily, I pointed that out that the beginning.

 

[Palindrome]

I would just scours the ads until you find a pony that catches your eye. You might find a connie in your price range or you might find another pony that suits you.

 

[Littlewills]

Not meaning to be patronising in the least. I know from experience that as I matured, so did my desire to have a more grown up "horse" and to move on from ponies. Hence I asked if the OP had a clear view on what they wanted to do with it. If a pony is what they really want then that is all fine. Just suggesting it would be possible to buy a pony because that is what they had before then realise it limited what they want to do is all. Of course adults (including me) can and do ride ponies very happily, I pointed that out that the beginning.

How does riding a pony limit what you can do?

 

[Leandy]

How does riding a pony limit what you can do?[/QUOTE

If you want to compete there will be restrictions as an adult on a pony. Many pony classes will be restricted to junior riders 16 and under other than the native classes which usually allow adults on ponies. If you want to compete affiliated - BS has a minimum height of 14hh for an adult to compete and will go in horse classes so at a disadvantage for distances etc, - BE also has a minumum height of 142cm to compete except for BE80 and BE90 where it is 132cm and again adults can't compete in the pony classes.

 

[Leandy]

How does riding a pony limit what you can do?

If you want to compete there will be restrictions as an adult on a pony. Many pony classes will be restricted to junior riders 16 and under other than the native classes which usually allow adults on ponies. If you want to compete affiliated - BS has a minimum height of 14hh for an adult to compete and will go in horse classes so at a disadvantage for distances etc, - BE also has a minumum height of 142cm to compete except for BE80 and BE90 where it is 132cm and again adults can't compete in the pony classes.

 

[conniegirl]

If you want to compete there will be restrictions as an adult on a pony. Many pony classes will be restricted to junior riders 16 and under other than the native classes which usually allow adults on ponies. If you want to compete affiliated - BS has a minimum height of 14hh for an adult to compete and will go in horse classes so at a disadvantage for distances etc, - BE also has a minumum height of 142cm to compete except for BE80 and BE90 where it is 132cm and again adults can't compete in the pony classes.

The only showing classes with age restrictions for ponies are childrens riding ponies. There are plenty of other classes to do and there are classes (NPS) for adults on riding ponies.
Most riders never want to go bigger than BE 90 anyway but 142cms is a smidge under 14hh so riding a 14.2hh pony is fine.
Finally for BS most ponies are far more nippy and adjustable that horses so striding isnt as much of an issue, only really starts to become an issue when you get over 1m

 

[Leandy]

There are some very touchy pony fans here I see! Of course they are great if that is what you want, as for any type or breed. I'm just encouraging the OP, as a relatively inexperienced potential purchaser, to be aware of the various pros and cons of what they are considering doing! Which was the point of the query presumably. On the direct query in the OP, given the relative inexperience, I don't think they need a "made" pony but I would suggest something relatively established. Or yes, loan or share to get back into it and see what is feasible and what they want and have time and resources and the inclination to do.

 

[SO1]

If you have not ridden for 7 years, even if you have owned ponies as children it is quite different as adult when you have to pay for and organise everything yourself. I am saying this from experience as I had a break from horse ownership whilst at uni and then whilst paying off my student debt and starting working life although I rode at RS and had a share it was very different when I got my own pony again at age 35.

If you get a pony that is already backed and up and running you could get a sharer whilst you are doing your masters which would take some pressure off you both in time and financially. I presume you have funds to pay for livery whilst studying as you would not be able to work full time and do a full time masters and look after a horse. Even a non ridden pony out at grass is going to need to be checked on a daily basis and will cost money to keep.

Connies are very expensive and you are right you would not get one that has been backed for 4k unless it had a few issues. You may even struggle to get youngstock for 4k at the moment as they are so popular. I love the breed and really wanted one when I was looking for a pony 13 years ago but even then they were very expensive and I was priced out the market. I end up getting a 5 year old new forest who will be 19 this year. You could probably get a nice new forest already backed for 4k but 14.2 is a difficult height to find as a lot of them are around the 14h mark and you end up paying a premium for the full up ponies.

If you really have your heart set on a Connie you might be better off putting the money you save by not having livery and other equine bills to one side every month and saving up so you have better budget and then buying after your masters. In the meantime you can try and find a share to start refreshing your riding and stable management skills.

Additionally with youngstock you really won't know if they will make the height so if you do need a full up 14.2 there is a risk that the pony will not make that height but if you do get a Connie selling on is probably fairly easy to do if it does not make the height.