11hh pony or forever type 14hh for 6 year old child? help

[anydreamwilldo]

Have to make a decision, both lovely ponies. The little one she will love but fear she will outgrow it and be heart-broken when he has to move on. Don't want to over-horse her with the cob, but we could keep him forever ........ don't know what to do. Any ideas welcome, probably lots of things I haven't thought of? Thanks

[Butkin]

At the level she's at I'd suggest she'll outgrown the little one quite quickly - especially if she takes most of this year to re-establish. I think you should keep looking for an older 12 hand type she can ride for the next 3 or 4 years.

[bishboschone]

I got my 14.2 pony when I was 10 . I was super short but I loved it . I too kept her until she died at 37!!!!!!!

[anydreamwilldo]

Thank you all so much for advice, definitely not getting the cob, taking an experienced friend and her daughter (to ride) to look at the little pony again. Realise now how much DGD riding needs may change over the years.
May also look at some loans but not many available around here.

[5OBalesofHay]

An experienced child's pony is certainly a joy. That's the pony who made my gd a confident rider. Then a period of riding difficult, young, challenging ones made her the capable rider she is now at nearly 15. (Plus really regular lessons, with a great instructor, loads of pony club etc)

If you can get hold of a lovely schoolmaster they are worth their weight in gold.

[Booboostoo]

I think you need an elderly pony ready for a quieter life. Everyone moving from RC to their first horse needs to take a step back. The pony will know its job, your DD will have fun and her confidence will build up. In 2-3 years you can think about getting something more forward going for more advanced riding.

[anydreamwilldo]

Oh pony is 10 years old had a foal when she was very young. I have not owned a horse before, loaned many years ago. Now I fill haynets and walk miles across the welsh countryside while GD rides. I have jumped on a pony for a little ride but did I ache later!

[anydreamwilldo]

DGD currently rides ponies between 11hh and 13hh, she's off lead rein and starting to canter and jump little poles. She also hacks out on a very safe plod with other children and adults.
Her favourite pony is an elderly 11hh with a very bouncy trot and sometimes a bit naughty.
If we get the little one the older girls at stables will ride her for a while, DGD may have to go on lead rein for while. We will mostly hack and play in the field, no pony club or shows for us. Think she just wants a pony friend. DGD can tack up and poo pick etc

[britnay]

Have you tried contacting your local pony club? That's the best place to start looking for ponies.
OP, do you have much experience with horses yourself? How long has your daughter been having riding lessons for?

[BethGoLightly]

We sold our 11 year Section A Welsh for £1200 with tack etc but he was virtually guaranteed as had been in our pony club since 4 yrs regularly changing hands.

[BethGoLightly]

I would go for the smaller pony that your 6 year old can lead and groom more safely than a 14 hh cob. The cob will be quite strong so what happens if he tanks off with your child. My DD outgrew her 11.2 hh welsh pony at 11, but he had quite a long stride, not a short one, iyswim. You can always find a home for a small pony when your DD outgrows it and by that stage she is looking onwards and will be excited about the next pony. I really think you will over horse her with a 14 hh cob.

[Butkin]

What do you plan to do with the little one if you bought it? Would you have it on the lead or off? Did you see it ridden before it was turned away? How old is it? What was it doing for the previous owners? Breeding in small ponies is irrelevant unless you want to breed from her yourself so don't get caught into that red herring. Has she bred any foals for previous owners?

How experienced is your daughter. What has she been riding so far and what sort of ponies has she liked riding? How confident is she and what are her riding ambitions in the short to medium term?

Sorry to ask lots of questions but just trying to build a picture.

[Booboostoo]

If you want a pony for a 6 year old you just have to resign yourself to changing ponies as she outgrows them. The best plan is to find a family (though the PC?) whose children are 2-3 years older than yours and loan their outgrown ponies. Good ponies get loaned on through word of mouth and are worth their weight in gold.

A 14hh pony risks shattering you child's confidence. Her legs probably wouldn't clear the saddle flaps, she'd have trouble finding her balance with the bounciness of the bigger trot and it's a long way to fall.

[5OBalesofHay]

If you are inexperienced I wouldn't buy that one, id spend more (or try for a loan) but go for a 12.2 schoolmaster.

[anydreamwilldo]

Thanks Butkin-She is for sale for £250 because she's been out of work, before that she was ridden by young child, can pop a pole has quite good breeding.
What will I need to do to get her going again once settled?

[ChoudeBruxelles]

I wouldn't consider 14hh a forever horse. I was riding around 15hh at about 12/13 as I was tall.

[Butkin]

Have a look on sites like Horsequest to see how much little ponies are worth. We're selling our 14yo 11.1 Section A gelding at Easter. He's done everything including Showing (won at County Level on Lead and also won first Riddens/Concours), Pony Club, pleasure rides, mounted games and been hunting on the lead. We'll offer him for 1,000 pounds so you'd need to compare your little pony against this. Yours probably worth between 300-500 pounds if unridden for a year unless it has previous good experience. For a 6yo child going forward you probably need about a 12 hander maybe up to 12.2.

[anydreamwilldo]

I am new to this, and it is indeed way dodgier than I thought, so may hold on a while. Thanks folks!

[Littlebigbum]

Ok for my 8 th bday I was given 15-2 tb which I loved broke and did loads of stuff on.... For my 15th bday I got a 12-2 rig which I love to bits and could do everything on.
So look for both and see what you can find. Because it is not the size of the pony, it is the pony.... and good luck

[Muddiboots]

well i wouldnt pay anthing for her tbh, pretty little section a ponies can actually be the devil incarnate!
Would be looking for something in regular work, regularly out doing things (pony club/showing whatever)
Would want to see it ridden in all sorts of circumstances by vendor before even considering it for my little one.
Sorry, not teaching you to suck eggs but if this is your first horse purchase you may not know quite how dodgy the whole horse buying lark can be :)

[anydreamwilldo]

Thank you all so much, think the 11hh makes sense (it could be me that
secretly wants the cob!)
Another question if you don't mind-how much would you pay for pretty 11hh section A ,10 years old but been left in the field a whole year. I know she will need a lot of work.?

[NotGoodNotBad]

Little one definitely. Then she can actually ride it instead of just sitting there.

[OuterFromOutersville]

I'm also amazed at people saying to go for a 14hh cob for a 6 year old child !

[Butkin]

Ditto what Marialuisa has said. I can't believe people are saying it is a good idea for a 6yo, presumably quite inexperienced, to learn on a 14 hand cob. We've just bought our 11yo daughter a new 13 hand pony and we wouldn't overface her with a 14 hander (although she has recently sat on one). How come the only other option is an 11 hander though? That does seem small - even littler than our Sec A lead rein. How come you're not looking at ponies around the 12 hand size for her?

[Muddiboots]

oh and my son took up mounted games and was still riding his 11h pony at 12!

[marialuisa]

Would also add that whilst parting with ponies is horrible your DD will see most of her friends going through the same thing. My DD is 13 and has been through it twice, it may sound hard but in many ways it's actually been a really good life lesson for her and helped her mature. My first pony died unexpectedly when I was 8 and that was much harder than when my second pony was sold as outgrown when I was 12. I knew dpony2 was off to have fun with someone else.