You were very kind (and knowledgable) last time!

[needastrongone]

So I thought I would post again. My first and only thread was about the PC trainer throwing a bottle at DD's loan pony.

Well, we have just bought DD a much more suitable (for PC and competing) pony. I think I am allowed to do links? Here it is anyway! Sure it will get taken down if not.

www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/107398391/sold13hh-welsh-b-sj-shp-pony-club-1st-or-2nd-all-rounder.html.

The decision wasn't taken because of the incident. We loaned one of the farm ponies for hacking and for DD to be responsible for a specific pony. Then she decided she wanted to do gymkhana etc. The loan pony is a Section D, on occasion stroppy and ill mannered (but lovely too!) and far too strong for DD. Plus, she just doesn't want to do PC again (did it all years ago with owners daughters), would be a nightmare on camp as she hates being in and we knew it would be a matter of time only.

Our lovely and extremely knowledgable friends have taken a lot of their own time up seeing loads of ponies and this one seems to be a little dream. His owners are super too, very genuine and helpful, they clearly care deeply about him. I've had insurance company and vet confirmation that he's never had treatment, goes unshod, loads well etc. He's done all PC stuff apart from gymkhana, but we took the games equipment with us on the last visit and he was picking it up in minutes. He's so good, it's a battle with DD's current pony, this one does as he's told!!

Anyway, I know nothing about ponies but am learning quickly, particularly about how expensive they are (tow bar, tack, pony, insurance!!),

And I may ask some very daft questions, lots of them

Ask away, Dd is a luckily girl

If the ad is genuine then he sounds fab. Has she jumped him? Reading between the lines he sounds sharp when SJ, which is not necessarily a problem - far from it according to my own dcs! But be aware! Good luck!

He looks and sounds just gorgeous. Good luck.

Wow...I'd buy him. He looks & sounds great!!

Let us know how you get on.

Thank you! I am quite taken with him myself, and I know nothing

Yes, he's a sharp jumper - sort of point and go, just takes himself over the jumps really, according to my friend. He's so so much slighter than the loan pony so, the first time my DD jumped him, she leaned too far forward (which she can do anyway) and almost went over his neck, banging her nose. He didn't flinch at all, just stopped calmly until she settled again. Friend said that was excellent.

Friend has really put him through his paces when she hopped on as he's not done gymkhana before, he stopped and started to voice instruction, in fact, most things are voice command, loan pony needs tons of leg (if that's the right terminology). Friends DD rode him too with mock games and he coped really well then came for a nuzzle with me and I was sold

So far, I have purchased - travel boots, head collar, lead rein, travel blanket, light weight blanket, hoof cleaner and paint (clear), saddle but not girth or stirrups etc as there's loads at the farm to try first. Numnah for general use, he's coming with bridle but might need a new bit. No food as he's out now but just has a standard feed anyway. DD has various brushes etc anyway. Oh - feed bin and scoop He is going to look like a smurf as DD wanted all blue!

Have I forgotten anything major?

Tow bar fitted and we are now insured for one of the farm trailers (gulp, scared of towing!)

He sounds fab, I bet your DD is in love already!!

Have you towed a trailer before? It is really easy, as is reversing, but you must take it slowly, especially around corners and up and downy bits. Is there anyone who can give you some lessons before you take your pony out in it?

He's gorgeous. I want a bigger version please!

Thank you.

Callisto - no I haven't towed before. I am nervous, probably more of the thought of it than the reality. When we go to training, there's always been enough trailers going for us to use space there, or my friends DH has towed. Or the owner of our loan pony has towed etc etc. We can use one of the farm trailers whenever we need.

I think that there will be folk around to help me get used to towing, I think that I just need to bite the bullet and tow (with or without pony).

Is there anything that I need that I haven't mentioned? We collect on Sunday, owners wanted one more day with him for their DC to say goodbye. I have promised to send loads of photos, they are pleased he will be so loved. Our friends at the farm have rearranged the other ponies so he can go in a smaller field, not with the hard nuts in the top field

Also, don't forget your trailer might be wider than your car!

If you've got the basics - headcollar and leadrope and secure grazing with access to fresh water, you can leave everything else until it occurs to you that you need it.

He looks lovely congratulations!

Oh I just thought of an item, large orange horsewear wash bag for when the numnah and rugs go in your machine, well worth it!

Oh that's a good one. I have recently stuck a numnah in the washing machine with dire consequences........................

Will he need a settling in period? There's a two day friendly competition the weekend after next, which we had hoped DD could participate in. Then the week after (half term), there's some rallies organised. So it would be good if he got stuck in, even if he doesn't know games etc. Or should I let him settle first? We will go on a few gentle hacks etc next week initially.

I know our friends will say, never mind all that, let him do stuff!

He looks lovely, how exciting for you all!

Just a couple of practical thoughts: I take you have had him vetted? If not you should strongly consider it. When you first get him home do expect him to be a bit unsettled so try to have him out as much as possible, don't feed him any hard feed, supervise your daughter when handling him and take it easy (i.e. lunge him the first day to give him a chance to blow off some steam, ride him in the school for a couple of days and then hack him in company with another very calm horse).

You also say you bought him a new saddle, saddles should be fitted to the horse by an experienced saddle fitter (word of mouth is the best way for finding someone good). Ill fitting saddles cause pain which in turns causes bad behaviour and problems so it's important to get this right.
Good luck!

Thank you - all this advice is just exactly what I need.

I haven't had him vetted. I have his full medical history from the insurers and a full vet history too (both clear) and his passport. Also, our friends have done ponies for years (farming family, their farm wil be his home), three have seen and consider him fine. However, if that's not enough I shall certainly consider vetting. Would you consider that I should?

No school but a training field to use, hope that's sufficient. He's out already and not being fed so I won't change this. I plan on being at the farm a lot and getting to know him. Slightly difficult to explain the farm situation but always someone with experience milling about. It's certainly not posh, a proper working, stuff everywhere farm, motto 'the only thing we don't have on this farm is pain' (towards animals, kids get called pains a lot ).

They have moved the ponies around to put him in a small field with two (poss three) calm ponies, he will hack with these and the other ponies who PC ponies through and through.

Saddle on a trial and the GP version of current saddle, but yes, fully take on board this point and will rethink if required asap.

Hope I haven't said anything daft in my ignorance

Not daft at all, sounds like you are being sensible and know what you are doing.

Different people have different views on vettings. Some people do not vet 'cheaper' horses but for me it costs as much to look after a sick/unable to work cheap horse as it does a sick/unable to work expensive horse. The vetting is not a guarrantee that nothing will happen to the horse it's a snapshot of a moment in time and a vet's judgement of whether the horse is suitable for the job it is being bought for (so a horse could be suitable as a hack but not a top level competition horse due to minor lameness issues). The vetting covers things no expert looking at the horse could know, like checking the eyes, the heart, etc. as well as putting some pressure of work on the horse to check it is still OK after that (horses are worked in then re-examined which often brings up problems). 5* vettings also include taking blood which can then be examined in the future for sedatives which may have been masking bad behaviour (you'd be surprised how many people come to regret not having done this). It's a personal choice but for me it's a relatively small amount of money for some peace of mind.

If you possibly can turn him out on his own right next to the others for a while to check all is going well and introduce him to his field companions one at a time gradually.

I would definitely vet. It costs a couple of hundred quid but totally worth it for peace of mind.

I would vet him too - consider it insurance.
It may through up a stiffness or something , which you are happy to "live" with , but at least you know what you are getting to a certain extent (vetting is by no means a guarantee).
The head of the riding school has been around horses her whole life and was buying a young horse for her daughter to bring on and compete..... She went through 2 that turned out to have huge health issues (problems with legs - thy were screwed, a problem when you discipline is jumping) before she got a good one.... So being around horses your whole life is no guarantee.

he looks and sounds lovely, the best kind of pony by the sound of it, one that has genuinely been loved.Im sure your daughter will have years of Fun.
If he is a PC pony he will be used to being carted about and Im sure the activities you have planned will be fine, we bought a pony for my son a few years ago and he took it to camp the following week and it was actually a really good chance to get to know each other.
Re vetting, its your choice really. At that price and with access to his history, I personally wouldnt. Its a snapshot of the horse on the day really and little ponies are generally fairly good with leg problems etc.
And lastly welcome to the dark side of Mounted Games, soon you will be spending your weekends schlepping round the country doing this
www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YMvLlEoT15g
PS start saving for the lorry now

I didn't vet either of DD's ponies, but one cost £170 and one cost £800. If I was going to spend over £1500 on a pony or horse I would probably have it vetted.

As for settling in - I would see how the pony is really. He may need a couple of days, he may need a couple of weeks or longer. Just get a routine going with him as soon as you get him home and he will settle more quickly. Horses love routine.

thank you for the YouTube link miggy

And good luck with Merlin OP, he sounds fab

he does sound fab. In fact I am looking for one just like him but in the bottom half of the country if anyone knows of anything

Oh man, how fast are those ponies? Gulp. I hear good stuff about the MGA. Less sniffy than PC according to our friends?

Thanks again for all the advice, you are all so kind. To vet or not to vet, that is the question........................

I did bargain for him btw, and didn't pay asking price. I found it hard to ascertain what's a reasonable price to pay tbh. Our friends have the uncanny ability to find excellent ponies for pennies but they have the expertise to bring them in a way that we can't. We needed a good, solid, well behaved pony for DD (and myself!) so I guess the price goes up. However, on the other hand, I went on the PC classified website and saw the prices that similar ponies are advertised for and consider that we haven't done so bad.

He definitely is loved and 100% will be from us, even if we lack experience. Apparently, it's one of the reasons they sold him to us rather than another family. I have promised pictures and updates etc.

I need now to consider insurance. This isn't something I have researched at all so need to get up to speed asap. Would be interested to hear who NOT to consider?

ps - we can afford insurance, just haven't researched.

Petplan have quoted £46 per month!! Horseinsurance.co.uk £20!

i have NFU and its just under 50 a month, thats with 5,000 vet bills and a 150 excess plus third party liability, ours hunt though so that puts premiums up. The girls are insured through the pony club.

Some insurers won't insure without a vet certificate - at least mine won't!