To buy or not to buy?

7 replies

adoptmama · 14/08/2012 13:48

I was a very unconfident rider as a child so never really had strong yearnings to have my own. I now have a horse obsessed 5.5 year old who is desperate for her own horse. She has lessons once a week and seems to be quite a good little rider for her age. I have promised when she is 10 if she and her little sister still love horses then I will see about a pony. We have had some tears over this unreasonable statement and my reluctance to buy her a pony now to keep in the back garden to ride to school on :)

Out of boredom and curiosity today whilst DD1 is at riding camp and DD2 was sleeping I started looking at ads for horses/ponies for sale. I live abroad and from what I can see I can get a lovely ride for them for as little as 400 euro. I know obviously there are a lot of additional expenses: such as livery, tack, vets bills, farrier etc. Can anyone give me a basic list of the types of regular expenses I would encounter?

More to the point can anyone give me the reasons for and against pony/horse ownership for a child? Obviously having a pony would be a dream come true (at this time) for her. But as she already has weekly lessons and the horse will not be living at the bottom of the garden (!) what would she (and sister as she grows) really get from having their own horse? I work full time and am a single parent and whilst I know DD1 would want to promptly move into the stables we'd use for livery (about 15 mintues drive from us) I wonder how we'd fit a horse/pony into the schedule and whether, at her young age, it is anything more than an indulgance?

thanks in advance for replies

OP posts:

horseylady · 14/08/2012 15:07

I think 5.5 is fine to get a pony for a horsey family.

Ponies are a huge comittment and s lifestyle choice opposed to a hobby. They require care and attention at least once a day, every day of the year. More often than not twice a day. So that would be an hours travelling time alone - not including care.

They need grass (this sometimes needs to be limited) they may need feed and hay. They def need feet and teeth doing regularly along with vaccinations. Then theres grooming, mucking out, handling, riding etc. Your daughter(s) will still need lessons on their pony.

If you are not very knowledgeable you need to start learning quickly (perhaps going to the yard and helping out?) so you know what to expect and how to look after a horse.

It's a nice idea, but maybe wait a bit longer until both girls can help out more?

horseylady · 14/08/2012 15:32

I think 5.5 is fine to get a pony for a horsey family.

If you are not very knowledgeable you need to start learning quickly (perhaps going to the yard and helping out?) so you know what to expect and how to look after a horse.

It's a nice idea, but maybe wait a bit longer until both girls can help out more?

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 14/08/2012 19:09

I think that your initial suggestion sounds ideal. If you arent particularly horsey, you'll need a lot of support.
Id keep them both in lessons for the time being, with a view to a pony later. At 5, she could be into something else tomorrow.
Imagine a discarded 500lb guinea pig, standing in a field eating its head off.
Id say lessons for now, maybe a share in three or four years, then a pony when they are really committed and ready for the responsibility.

Booboostoo · 14/08/2012 22:17

I would hold off as well for a few years.

For starters at your DD's age it's you who will be taking on the commitment not her. Depending on the type of livery you go for you may need to be up at the yard as often as twice and day in all weathers and make time for farriers, vets, dentists, saddlers, etc.

Your DD may lose interest, but even if she does not, at such a young age she would need to be supervised all the time with the pony, you would need to give some guidance when she rides, walk along on hacks, etc and you may also need to school the pony and make sure it keeps doing its job right.

To be honest I would be a bit weary of a 400 euro pony suitable for first ridden. While there may be some bargains out there, good children's ponies still command a decent price because parents will pay for safety so make sure you go to viewings with your eyes open and take someone knowledgeable with you.

Butkin · 15/08/2012 04:26

I'd be tempted to indulge her enthusiasm now. 5.5 is a perfect age to learn and she'll get on great with her own pony and could possibly take it to various events - don't know what you have over there (do you have an equivalent of Pony Club?).

By 10 she may possibly have grown out of the idea and you'd need to buy a bigger and more expensive pony then. Also she may have a lot of schoolwork to cope with then whilst she can enjoy her pony more freely now.

I would agree with Boo though that 400 Euros seems unbelievably cheap for a good childs first ridden pony. Is it very young, very old or have something wrong with it?

Original poster

adoptmama · 15/08/2012 05:36

Thanks for all the great advice. I am going to hold off for at least 2 years I think and start looking when she is nearing 8. The price I mentioned was for a beautiful 9 year old (very nice, quiet, healthy but too big for the kids at 172 cm - not a pony at all) - nothing wrong at all, just a lot of people selling for financial reasons plus a large availability of animals. I saw a 5.5 month old welsh cob for the same price (do not want a young animal) and shetlands are half that.

OP posts:

rogersmellyonthetelly · 20/08/2012 15:35

If you hang on a couple of years it will be easier as ime kids of 7 can cope with mucking out unsupervised and are strong enough to fill water buckets unassisted. They can also carry saddle without dropping it on the floor.
This means you can supervise child 1 riding whilst child 2 mucks out. Following day child 2 rides whilst child 1 mucks out.
If kids are riding and you also have to care for pony, you are looking at a 2 hour session to catch, scrub muck off, tack up, ride, cool off, and do stable/hay/feed.

Flip