Am I looking for a pony that doesn’t exist?

[Mumtothelittlefella]

When I was younger buying ponies seemed easy; you looked in the paper or you knew someone who knew someone with a suitable pony. You viewed it and bought it (on three occasions I bought first seen and all three where pretty poor choices to be fair! But I had options).

Now I’m looking for a first ridden for my daughter and it’s become a full time job. I just want something kind, nothing showy or forward, and over 10 years. Decent budget.

Everything seems to be about 5 years old which we really don’t want. I’ve got back into riding a few years ago so still a bit rusty but buying has changed so much.

I’ve contacted everyone I know as well as local breeders and stables etc. Maybe this pony just doesn’t exist, or someone is hiding all the 10 year + plus ponies somewhere? 😬

They're like gold dust. They're usually passed around the pony clubs and never sold. These ponies do exist (I have somehow ended up with one though it doesn't jump). But expect to look at 30, travel everywhere, advertise heavily, swoop in, don't be put off by age and comb the internet etc.

Is yours for sale? 😬 I’m combing the internet and have travelled a fair few miles already.

I think you’re right. They must have a waiting list of people so they never come up for sale.

My daughters instructor and the yard owner have both advised not to go for anything under 10 so I’ve been following their advice but maybe I need to consider something slighter younger?

I wish you the very best of luck and you will find their unicorn!

If you don't have experience, you're absolutely right to go for age. If you do, it's a different ball game (I believe) and I'm not the right person to speak to, really.

The 'first pony' Facebook groups have a few highly respected traders who have ponies like this sometimes. We never got in there fast enough to get one!

I've been contacted by past owners of our pony who tracked him down and wondered if they could buy him again for their own children. These little babysitters are so precious.

your

Ponies like this go by word of mouth.
My friends little girl had an 11.2hh unicorn that ended up with a waiting list of over 10 children!
Speak to pony clubs/local show centres etc.
When they are advertised if they are as the advert states they tend to sell in days if not hours.

Thank you, I keep missing out on them so they must exist. Adverts attract so many people that most of the time I don’t get a response.

I had hoped they would have the summer holidays to get to know each other but maybe I’m looking at the wrong time of year?

Definitely speak to the DCs of your local pony clubs. Also try farrier and maybe vet (altho hopefully he doesn’t know your prospective unicorn TOO well! )

It might also be worth speaking to your local show organizers to see if they know any coming up for being outgrown. Just trying to widen your net a little. Our local show organizer knows EVERYONE and would probably be able to point you in the right direction. This might only work if you have a little traditional local riding club show.

Also with regard to age, I might (and was) a bit flexible IF the pony is already doing the job you want and doing it well (references from instructors/PC). We were looking for my son’s first pony we’d said ideally 8-15, but we bought ours who’d just turned 7. But he’d been a first PC pony for his teenage owner (who’d bought him straight off the boat from Ireland, green as grass but very kind). So by the time he was 7, he was happily doing all the things we wanted to do and the DC comfirmed he was what his owners said- suitable for a nervous novice to have a go at everything.

The market has notoriously gone absolutely mad since lockdown lifted, you can usually add a bit onto the price tag of any pony in the spring, going into summer as that's when everyone wants a pony to take to shows and camp etc over the school holidays, and I guess this year corona has just made everything super concentrated and meant prices have doubled if not more. I think if you can bear to wait until the autumn you might save quite a bit of money as that's when people might be looking to shift their outgrown ones they don't want to have to keep over winter? Agree with all the advice about asking around networks etc., the right pony is absolutely out there you just need to keep looking.

I'd be suspicious of any dealer who has this kind of pony at a reasonable price, I am sure there is an exception out there but most of the reputable dealers I know mainly their MO is irish horses/ponies bought up cheaply as unbroken youngsters and sold as 4-6 year olds having done a little bit of everything but still green as grass, which I agree isn't what you want at all. The seen-it-all and got the T shirt 'unicorn' first ridden types hardly ever end up at a dealers yard unless something's gone badly wrong along the way because they sell so easily privately...

You could try a wanted ad - on your local FB groups and maybe also on horsequest? Really lay it on thick about what a lovely, 5 star home you'd give the pony and how your DD is a wonderful gentle quiet rider who just wants a pony to love, you will provide references from instructor/ PC DC and let buyer vet you thoroughly etc etc. Provide pics if you are comfortable doing so? It might just catch the eye of someone who was thinking about selling but reluctant or not yet got round to posting an ad?

max There are some dealers who specialise in children's ponies and they have an excellent reputation. They can virtually pick a number when selling a first ridden though.

We were lucky, found ours on preloved, raced down for a viewing and snapped her up! She is awesome and wouldn’t part with her. Have you tried looking on pony club classifieds? Also agree with asking DC at pony club branches. They do come up , although rarely. Good luck!

Oh, I’ve also just thought, how about putting a post on horse and hound forum asking if anyone knows of such a pony. There are loads of people on that who may have the perfect one!

Thanks for all your advice. We decided to extend our search range and travelled much further to view than we first planned. We’ve seen three ponies and put a deposit down on a little section a yesterday.

And then couldn’t sleep all night wondering whether we’d done the right thing! Feeling great about it this morning so think it was just gitters.

Fingers crossed for you. If that doesn't work out, I would say temperament is more important than age. I know some Dartmoor hill ponies (the hillies, not the purebred Dartmoors) who have fantastic temperaments and learn very quickly. I know you want something you know can do the job, but I would say the age is the one thing you can give on a bit.

Well sadly pony failed vetting so we’re still looking. So glad we had the vetting done as although I know they don’t bring up everything, at least I’ve not purchased a lame pony.