Where are all the ponies?

[Foxinthechickencoop]

Just that really?
I’m looking for a first ridden pony for my 8 year old daughter. 12-13hh
Not a show pony. Just a nice sensible best friend, for her to come off the lead rein and gain confidence on. Happy with an older pony even in its twenties.
Happy to loan or buy.
I thought I had a sensible budget (£2.5k).
But nope, all I get offered after apparently bombproof 4 year old mini cobs (some of the pics have actually upset me. Young ponies at dealers yards , filthy in horrid ill fitting tack, being jumped over massive jumps. So rushed. Heartbreaking) for about £3k or a couple that sounded promising but we’re talking about an 18 year old basic unregistered pony and they’re asking £6k!
What’s going on?!!!!
I know the best ones go via word of mouth via pony club etc, but I have a lot of horsey contacts, via the local hunts and pony clubs and livery yards around, plus farming community. and everyone is saying the same.

There's been a few threads on this recently - the market went absolutely bonkers (talking 'normal' prices doubling or even tripling) over lockdown, and doesn't really seem to have returned to normal - my friend has been looking for 6 months now and she says the market is now super super quiet, literally nothing coming on. The price rise was probably for similar reasons that puppy prices went sky-high at the same sort of time, people suddenly finding themselves at home in lockdown with more time on their hands, with the added factor that riding schools were closed so if people wanted to ride at all buying their own horse/pony was the only option...

I feel for you, horse/pony shopping is hard and stressful at the best of times, all I can suggest is be patient, come the spring people's thoughts probably will turn to moving on outgrown ponies, so as to be ready for the summer/competition/camp season and so that will hopefully be a good time to look - really work your network, make sure everyone at PC knows you are still looking, be on all the horsey facebook groups in your area, post wanted ads emphasising what a good home you'd offer etc etc, so you are the first to hear of anything suitable coming up, perhaps before it is even on the market. Also, can you start saving your livery/keep costs that you have presumably budgeted for the pony, just to increase your 'pot' a bit? I agree that pre-lockdown £2.5k should have been a fair price for a small average teenage pony but if you can up the budget a bit it will give you more options?

I am looking for a different type of pony but finding the same. I don’t understand why there are so many youngsters. I believe one of the problems this year is less ponies were imported from Ireland due to lockdowns. Have you seen the Pony Club Ponies Facebook page, might be worth putting a wanted add on there to see ponies in your area.

Thank you both! Great advice.
I’m on as many pony club ponies and other relevant Facebook pages I can find. And have put wanted ads out. And in our local hunt email circular. And pm’d everyone I know who has any horsey connection.
Funnily enough I’ve just arranged to see what looks like an absolute poppet of a loan pony on Saturday. So keeping my fingers crossed.
Good luck with your search @SnowmanDrinkingSnowballs

With the market as it is at the moment that budget will get you sweet FA, and anything on that budget you probably don’t want. I think you’re probably better saving a bit more and coming to look again in 6 months... sorry.

Tell me about it. We are after a 15hh (ish) absolute bombproof saint first horse and there is not a sausage to be found except endless very green cobs with dodgy dealers. The rider it's for wouldn't cope with green. You'd think somewhere out there, some private seller must have a horse for sale that is well schooled! Good budget too, but nothing on the market.

The market went crazy over lock down. And FRPs were like rocking horse poo round here to start with

Someone offered me £7k for DD’s pony back in the summer. She’s not for sale, but we only paid £3k for her 2 years ago. She’s 14.2, cracking pony. Sane and sensible and will jump anything you point her at, but still...£7k!

It’s quite mad

I’d keep my eyes peeled on local FB horse groups - I’ve seen a couple popping up recently for sale or long term loan/for loan with view to buy

I’d bite your hand of @Springersrock, that’s the type we are looking for a s there is nothing below 10k.

Prices have gone crazy. Enquire via your local pony club for any that are out grown or even a school reducing numbers

Surely SURELY the horses and ponies that people were paying stupid money for 6 months ago will be coming on the market soon, when people realise that owning horses is hard work and winter's shit and they're skint?

I'm predicting a massive price crash in 2021.

@2LittleSpeckledFrogs

Tell me about it. We are after a 15hh (ish) absolute bombproof saint first horse and there is not a sausage to be found except endless very green cobs with dodgy dealers. The rider it's for wouldn't cope with green. You'd think somewhere out there, some private seller must have a horse for sale that is well schooled! Good budget too, but nothing on the market.

This sort is hard to find anyway though and I think a lot of private sellers are holding off because they are wary of who was buying over lockdown.

Any that are genuine sales were moving so fast in the summer they weren't being advertised.

Its just barmy... I took in a lovely 13.2, 9 years ago who was homeless and literally nobody wanted him. He is amazing with kids. He was only 10..broken to ride and drive. Needed re schooling to be a proper all-round kids pony though and my kids were tiny and lead rein only, but at least he was safe and cared for with me. Mine enjoyed pottering on lead rein with him but were not that interested so he has been a field ornament for years now. Back then bog standard 13 hh ponies of no specific talent or training were literally worthless ! He wasn't a get on, go out and win PC type, but the type we all happily bombed around on 40 odd years ago..