Selling a beloved but quirky pony

[onedayallthiswillbeyours]

Please can anyone give me some reassurance that it is possible to find the perfect new home for an outgrown quirky pony . I think I'm the worlds most rubbish salesperson as I just seem to focus on the negatives and then convince myself that no one else will ever want him (even though we absolutely adore him!).

We've owned him 4 years. He is DDs pony and they have the most amazing bond but at 14 she is outgrowing him in terms of her height and her aspiration (his limit in competition is an 80cm course, and she is aiming higher now). She can get him to do anything, even learning medium trot in 3 lessons when they last minute had to take up a team place riding a Novice test at the riding club championships!
BUT... he won't do it for just anyone... he likes to be ridden in a certain way... at pony club camp they all had to swap horses and the other riders couldn't even get him to trot! My younger DD cannot get him to move at all!

Older DD spent a lot of time working out what buttons to push and once she cracked it they have had the most marvellous time together attending competitions and championships all round the country in all disciplines. There is no denying he is hard work on the leg at times though and he will buck if whipped on the bottom so a rider can't use that as an easy fix!

So... we have millions of photos & videos, hundreds of rosettes and have achieved placings at national championships and this all looks amazing on paper but I know that it is not really indicative of the "true" him as he would not do it for just any rider. So how on earth do I find the right person who is willing to get to know him and work with him like DD has?? I'm so scared that he will end up in the wrong home - he's only 10 so touch wood has a lifetime ahead of him - but so far I have only managed to talk people OUT of their interest in him in my eagerness to be completely honest. I am far too emotionally attached!

So if anyone can reassure me with stories of finding wonderful new homes for their beloved equines, no
matter how quirky, then that would definitely give me some hope that there is someone out there for our lovely boy and that I just have to keep looking

Of course there is someone! As long as he is safe to ride, you should find a good home. He has a good record, and only pros can get a tune out of a horse from the off. Being honest is fine. He will click with the right person, just keep at it -PC & Facebook groups are good places to advertise.

Completely agree; although your DD has done a wonderful job, she is not the only rider of that capability and the right person will be out there for him.
If I was the parent hunting for a pony I’d be thrilled if the pony was going to teach the child the right way to ride (by not responding to the wrong way). And he sounds pretty safe if his default is not to move if the aids are applied wrong!
I think it would be interesting to know if he responds to very correct aids or to very unique aids. The latter obviously being more of a problem than the former! Is he big enough for a light instructor to ride to see?

I agree with everyone else that with some time and patience you'll definitely find the right rider for him but I do understand the feeling. I was 100% convinced that one of my little rescue cob mares, despite being the right size for a kids 2nd pony at 13.2hh, was going to be with me for life, she was just so tricky to ride, stressy and hot prone to tanking off , I couldn't see any kid enjoying riding her or being able to do normal kids activities without being scared or losing all brakes etc. She also isn't particularly talented unlike your boy and is just a bog standard hairy type really. But last year I was talked into letting one of the young teens on the yard have a sit on her and against all my expectations they got on really well, it evolved from occasional rides to a regular part-loan/share and he now has her on full loan. They have a right whale of a time bombing around hacking and doing PC, they even did a baby XC in a snaffle and no martingale (I had to watch through my fingers!), she's barely put a foot wrong so my fears were completely unfounded . I do dread what will happen when he's outgrown her, although he does have a younger sister who might take her on, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Point is that although we as owners tend to be a bit precious about our darlings and think no-one can ever know them as well as we do, there will always be a good home out there for a safe and successful PC pony despite some quirks!

It will help a lot if you were prepared to consider a loan arrangement or LWVTB as this will minimise risk for the buyer and give you some assurance that the rider can handle him before committing to properly letting go. Can you utilise PC network and get your DD's instructor to put the word out there amongst suitable families that he might be available? Local families that have seen him at PC will know what he's capable of so won't be too put off by initial difficulties, and some lessons/hints from an instructor that knows him well would also be invaluable for his next rider, so it would be great to keep him local if you can...

You will find the right person. You just need to sift. I found the most amazing long term loan home for a hellcat of a chestnut mare. Super talented but not for the faint hearted. If you were on her wavelength she was a dream. If not ........

Thank you everyone for your replies. I really hope we can find him his next special person soon. I'm nervous of loan or lwvtb simply because we keep our horses at a small livery yard and there might not be anywhere for him to come back to if he is rejected (I am sure the yard owner will have rented out his stable to someone else before his bedding is even cold!).

I hadn't actually considered the fact that his "quirks" could be seen as a positive in that they will teach his rider to ride properly and that there are no short cuts! Consistent and positive aids are required at all times! He has been ridden by DD's instructor (schooling when we've been on holiday or busy etc) and she will say that he makes you work hard but he will give as much as you ask once he knows you mean business. A dressage trainer also schooled him a few times for us and made him look like Valegro from the moment she sat on him . Clearly neither of them are your average pony purchaser though! DD is certainly very fit as a result of riding him, which is no bad thing of course.

He is safe (and the least spooky pony ever) and will hack out alone on busy roads, past any type of machinery or animal without a second glance with DD but I have no idea if he would be the same for another rider. He does mess my younger daughter around when she tries to ride him but she has never been a keen rider (very much fair weather) and it's as though he senses the lack of commitment!

It's also really hard to know how to price him. I'm asking £1500 more than I paid for him 4 years ago and he has done so much in that time and gained so much experience (not to mention the 100s of pony club rallies and lessons he has attended!). I also bought him a professionally fitted good quality saddle and bridle plus all his rugs and other bits and bobs which all probably add up to way more than £1500! But perhaps with his quirky nature I am still asking too much... so hard to put a price on a member of your family!!!

You will find the right person. We will be coming soon to the same issue. My daughter has a 14.2 who is very quirky and spooky. We bought him as a 2ft 3/6 and now he is doing 1m 10 speedy as anything. However she has been dumped numerous times and they wouldn't anyone to even swap at pony club camp. However a friends daughter who does mounted games got on him recently and fell in love! There is hope for us all ❤️

I was also told by her instructor that good competition ponies all have quirks!

This sounds almost exactly like my daughters pony (also owned for 4yrs and outgrown). I advertised her at the price I thought she was worth and was completely honest about her quirks. I communicated a lot with everyone who inquired about her and quite a few decided not to hiew her after our conversations. My thinking was I wasn't in a hurry to sell and the right home would come along....and it did.