How did you buy/aquire your horse?.

[Mirage]

It's been weeks since we lost out on a lovely loan pony and not had so much as a sniff at one since.There seems to be nothing about at all.The dds riding instructor says that the best ponies are 'booked' for loan by the PC mums years in advance and unless you are in their circle,you will never know about them.[Several other people have said the same thing]She has advised us to buy as she reckons good ponies are still holding their prices if we have to sell again.So,I'm trawling Horsehunter,Horsequest,Preloved and visiting the tack shops and country store to check out noticeboards,trying to find a suitable boy.

Where did you find your horses and ponies?

That's a shame, what sort of pony are you looking for? Perhaps we can suggest a few more places to look.

My horse found me . She belonged to my instructor and I had been riding her every week for about 3 months when I found out she was for sale. That was 10 years ago and since then I have bred my second horse from her too.

Good luck with your search - the right pony is out there somewhere....he just needs to find you!

Similar to CluckyKate, bought from my instructor although had him on loan for ages before buying him. He was my 2nd loan horse, I was scared of responsibility of full ownership but never regretted.

The pony I bought on total impulse, will never sell but can imagine letting his sharer have him on full loan if I had to. He kept changing homes and I kept seeing him and thinking 'I like that pony' so when he came up again I parted with way too much for him. Glad he is mine though and not endlessly being bought and sold.

The dartmoor, I just said to someone one day 'would like a dartmoor' and they said 'I know a nice one who needs a loan home' and he's fantastic. Took forever to organise and now I feel bad that have to terminate agreement so soon.

Will watch thread with interest as would like to find another loan pony for my daughter, but think something will crop up - just keep asking around!

We got DD's pony from Horsequest but the sellers were local and "known" to people we knew as it turned out; we have since become friends and they've been enormously supportive through soem rough patches. The Pony Club website threw up a couple of good ponies (that would have been more sensible purchases!) but DD fell in love with Dpony at first sight.

My show cob - off Horse and Hound
DW's Connemara - off Horsequest
DD's Section A - off Horsequest
DD's Section B - by stalking him at shows until the rider was too big for him when we pounced!

We've alway sold our ponies on Horsequest as well.

GD's pony via Pony Club website. (instructor is right, we'll be offering him on loan in about 6 months, and are already getting a lot of interest from fellow Pony Club mums; we're unlikely to be advertising. We'll give first refusal to the nice girl who rides him when GD's not here though). He failed his vetting as slightly lame so came on loan until we were sure he was sound, then we bought him

DH's mare, Friday Ad. We visited a lot, and tried her loads before we bought. We really gelled with her and with the previous owners

My mare, from a friend on the yard. I knew mare for about 6 months before she came up for sale.

Don't get downhearted, the right pony will be along! Don't get in a panic and buy the wrong one because there doesn't seem much around.

I was told about DD's pony through a friend of a friend who knew I was looking for something. He was too small, too young and too feral but there was something about him I liked so I bought him (very cheaply). He has turned into the best possible pony for DD, though she will grow out of him fairly quickly which is a shame.

BTW don't believe what your instructor says about ponies holding their value - the price of hay, feed and bedding is going to go through the roof this year and I think there will be a glut of horses/ponies on the market come the autumn, when people realise that they can't afford to keep them.

Thanks for your responses.We are looking for a gelding up to 12.2,age colour and breed immaterial,not a plod,but not too fizzy.DD1 is a very good little rider,nearly 8 and been having lessons since she was 4,can canter and jump a small course and is fearless.DD2 is just learning to canter and jump,she turned 6 last week.Both need more practice and to learn to ride using their initiative,rather than being told what to do by an instructor.DD1 is a member of the affiliated PC and is doing her silver award,but both want to join the Quorn as are keen to do games and children's meets.So we need a pony who has been around a bit.

I've rung up about 3 this week,one never got back to me,the other was already sold and the last one turned out to be a bit too excitable at shows/meets,so decided not to go and try him.I've tried Horsehunter,Prevloved,the PC,Horsequest,told everyone I know even remotely horsey that I'm looking for a pony,put ads up.We are in Leicestershire if that helps.

I found my horse on horsequest, went to see her and was going to take her on loan, but then had some personal issues (exh being a twat, too long a story) so backed out. A year later when things had moved on and life was back to normal I saw her again being advertised by the same owner but only for share, got in touch and owner agreed to let me take her on loan, had her on loan for a year and then bought her. Was just meant to be.

The right horse is out there so don't give up.

I got DD's pony from an ad in Gumtree, she's is an awesome 13.2 been there/done that who was just sitting in a field being wasted. She is an absolute mother's dream.

Good luck with the search, you will find what you're looking for.

At Pony Club level I've noticed that timing is important. Many mums get revved up at this time of the year to make sure their DC get a nice pony for the summer holidays and Pony Club camp. After August there will be hundreds available on the websites.

Don't get discouraged though and don't buy one just for the sake of it.
Good luck.

Have Pm'd you about pony I know of as am in East Mids.

Nobody's mentioned HorseDeals yet - I sold via there pretty easily in the past. I've bought both of mine from friends - horses that I've ridden lots before buying so I'm pretty sure I'm getting the right horse.

It's a minefield even without people lying in adverts. Friends of mine have just sold a lovely pony but the buyer's not happy because it's behaving differently with them - of course it blooming is, they're not turning him out and don't have the experience to be assertive with him so he's got too much energy and is struggling to understand his boundaries. Not the fault of the sellers (IMO), but the buyers are clearly disappointed. Before buying they spent 3 half days with/riding the pony so were confident he was the right one for them.

On the other hand I know of a few people who've just turned up to an auction for 'a look' and couldn't resist a pretty face for a couple of £hundred - those ponies have turned out to be little diamonds and have made money when sold on (based on purchase price not taking into account costs). Depending upon your experience and with a bit of luck this could be a route to consider.

A vey good friend of mine bred my girl from her own 17'3 Bavarian warmblood mare with a view to breeding a Badminton Champ for herself. ( Friend is a brilliant eventer) My girl's Dad is Welton Apollo. It became apparent at 3yo to my friend that my girl was far too laid back and didn't have the psycho streak required for 5* eventing, so she decided to sell. My girl is chestnut and mealy mouthed and so put some off. I decided to buy her and it was the best buy ever. She was backed and hacked by me with the help of my friend in 10 days, and we never looked back. Soundness problems have been an issue in the last 4 /5 years, but I love her to bits and have never regretted buying her. She is 19 now - I've had her 16 years. Love her to bits!!!!!!!!!!!

Polly: as a freebie from a friend as she had been lame and vet couldn't trace it so said she wasn't to be ridden as it could be dangerous, not been lame a day since!
Tiny: bought for £150 from a "friend" who wanted to sell her, 3 weeks after being given her! She was DDs first Pony, so I bought her for old times sake!
Ducky: bought from friends riding school.
We have sold through horsequest and H&H. Have you tried asking at riding schools, ponies have a shelf life in schools, and get bored and fed up. A few weeks r&r and they are usually fine!

We impulse bought dd's pony on Preloved for 500 quid- saw the ad on Monday, vetted on Wednesday, in our yard on Friday.

A million reasons why we shouldn't have done - but 18 months down the line (touch wood) the best 500 we ever spent.

marialuisa,thankyou for the link.I'll look into it when I get a few minutes peace,[we are due to have guests arriving shortly].

I've asked at the riding school,but she wants her loaners to stay at the school and has none for sale presently.I'm a bit wary though,my cousin bought a pony from a school and got it home to find that it would only go with another horse in front.Have had a response from a PC lady and am going to see her pony later in the week,but fear he may be a bit speedy for my girls-may suit my neighbours who are after a show pony,so they are coming with us too.

My experienced neighbour has been to the auctions for me,I daren't trust myself as our local one is well known as a place to get rid of unsuitable horses.A cousin bought one from there that had been drugged,once the drugs wore off it took her 6 months to get a head collar on him.She sorted him out eventually,and he turned out to be rideable in the end,after years of work.Another frioend bought one that bucked her children off-he had a back injury that hadn't been disclosed and ended up in a horse sanctuary..There are some dodgy folk out there.

We got ds' pony by asking his instructor to look for one - she found Donnie who although a baby, suits us down to the ground and is the nicest pony I know

Dmare - (Not recommended way to buy a horse!) I was house sharing with some dodgy people who knew gypsies who had horses. I went with them to see them all once and fell in love with the mare who was 18 months old at the time. Dodgy house sharer and Gypsies then fell out and I thought that was the end of any chance of having her. A year later heard from the gypsies- they had been kicked off their land and the horses had no grazing, all were for sale. I got them to deliver an emaciated DHorse to me, they still wanted £400 for her though!

My Irish Draught (now sadly sold on - damn finances) - He belonged to my best friend. I started out part loaning him to help her out and eventually bought him.

The Dartmoor (now not so sadly, no longer mine!) - Advertised in the free ads.

Good luck finding your pony, I'm thinking of loaning one for my kids as not sure I can guarantee they will always be as interested as I'd like them to be!! I sold my little arab when they came along, so I'd love them to love horses as much as I do so I can get them back in my life!! Lots of websites out there with horses for sale, and loan, but finding local ones so you don't have to trek all over the country is tricky. Try www.hoofheads.co.uk - new website so not masses on there at the moment, but you can put your postcode in and specify how far you want to travel, and it will filter results. Make sure you choose the right category, e.g. loans or horses / ponies for sale.
Good luck! :)

Snoozeanne,thankyou.We have one on trial at the minute,we are one week in and just finding our feet with him.He hadn't been ridden since Feb,so has needed re introducing to traffic,which has been 'interesting'.But he is a lovely,kind gentle friendly boy and we are starting to see him gain confidence in us.

I put a wanted advert on HorseQuest with my email address. Had to sieve out the rubbish and timewasters but it was the best thing I ever did!