Buying pony from the field?

[Fudgeball123]

Our children are 8 and 12 and took up riding during lockdown. They are now hooked and ride about 4-6 times per week. They are at the stables all weekend.
We have a pony loan deal with the riding stables which unfortunately will come to an end. So we have been considering buying a pony (or two).
The pony could be kept on livery at the stables and we have access to a very knowledgable and light teenager.
We have seen a pony for sale who has had only 'light' work for 3 years. Previously it was used for pony club and jumping etc.
So the question is how long would it take to bring the pony back into work? (We could consider a working livery with the teenager).
Has anyone had any success / disasters with buying from the field please?

I don't wish to be rude,but with your level of experience,I would say that it's a bad idea.
Why is the pony being sold from the field? It's not a great selling point and most vendors would get it back into work if it were possible.Why haven't they done this,or put it on sales livery?
Has it had an injury? If so,what if it can't be brought back into work? Or possibly only fit for light hacking?
Will it be suitable for your kids even if it can be brought back into work again? Being in pony club doesn't mean that it isn't/ wasn't difficult,tricky or quirky. Both my dds went through pony club on the ponies that no one else wanted to ride and that we loaned.
Bear in mind that privately owned ponies are a world away from riding school ponies. It's normally advised to take a step down a level when going from rs to having your own. Rs ponies are used to having a strict routine,lots of work and after a few years,many 'switch off' mentally to deal with the boredom.
In your shoes,I'd be looking for a proven first ridden, currently in work,with references if possible. Steadier the better.
Good luck!

I've been told it was out of work due to COVID and lack of time not due to the pony itself.
Do you know of anyone who's bought from the field and whether their experience was good / bad?

TheFnozwhowasmirage I appreciate what you say about the steadier, the better and that riding school ponies switch off I'm sure this is true. We borrowed some over the winter and they were noticeably zippier by the time we took them back. My daughter said they were happier :-)

I have seen plenty of absolute disasters... So much can go wrong. Why was the horse given time off? Can you be sure that you are being told the truth? Will you get it fully vetted and will the previous owners allow you to have full access to its veterinary history?

Do you have professional help on the yard or nearby if things go wrong - not just a local teenager although they can be useful at times. Do you have the money to put the horse into full training if it isn't straightforward to bring back into work? Are you willing to deal with the emotional investment for the children if it doesn't work out?

I've had a few projects from the field, but I am aware of the risks and have ridden and competed regularly for 20+ years, as well as learning my trade working on breakers yards, dealers and with racehorses. Some you can tack up and get on like they've never been off. Some can be really tricky. Working livery may not be appropriate for the pony, it doesn't suit them all.

It's so important that a child's first pony is the right pony. Unless you're wanting to put them off such an expensive hobby that is! In your position I would absolutely swerve this pony, unless you can do all the above and the owners are willing to do a trial/lwvtb.

I’m a very experienced rider/owner who has done a lot of instructing
if a parent of two novice children (which in real terms yours will be) came to me saying they were considering buying their child’s first pony from the field I would ask if they didn’t like their child very much.
honestly it’s a stupid idea. I often find it’s a way of masking something with a nasty quirk or that goes lame if it’s ridden for more than 3 minutes a week as it’s from the field so it’s your problem.

i bought a horse I knew from the field, she’d had two years off. Prior to two years off she was forward but safe and sensible. After she was a witch and she never really improved and stayed incredibly sharp. One of very very few horses that has ever scared me, and I’ve ridden some nasty fuckers.

I honestly think it’s just daft, and if you are talking yourself into it because it’s cheaper than buying a nice PC all rounder that will look after your kids at a rally tomorrow don’t. I’d be wary that it would turn into a massive money pit as I’d hazard a guess it may well not be that sound.

At the very least ask for a loan with view to buy - you will need 8-12 weeks to get the pony fit (sarah pilners ‘getting horses fit’ is a classic). If it goes well in this time in terms of you being able to handle to pony and it staying sound then buying it won’t be such a risk. Maybe you pay a deposit over this time (monthly?) which comes off the price if you buy it but you lose if you decide not to. And make sure the pony can be returned immediately to the owners during this period if it isn’t working.

Kudja this was my very experienced chum's suggestion.
I think on balance this idea is probably a non starter, I just have to talk myself out of it...😬

Light work generally means an injury or it's not a novice ride and isnt ridden

No, don't do it. They need a confidence giver.

They're only sold from the field when there's something wrong as an out of work pony is devalued a lot.

Don’t consider it! Appreciate it sounds like you aren’t!
I am relatively experienced, we have horses and recently bought a pony for my 8 year old DD. I bought him from a well known dealer in the SE who we have been familiar with for years.
It has been pretty much a disaster. Despite being assured pony was suitable for a novice/first pony. Said pony was at pony club in the summer etc. We got the pony home and within the first day he had bitten me hard, which I put down to settling. First week he bronc’d and that has continued over 7 months. He has his good points but is not what we wanted or paid a lot of money for. I have had the vet out, chiro, reiki you name it we’ve done it as the dealer inferred it was our yard making him unpredictable.
I then contacted two previous owners who confirmed he was not suitable for a novice child and was a handful. I am now stuck with a pony that we are fond of so don’t want to sell as he would be passed around and end up god knows where, a daughter who has lost her confidence and we are thousands out of pocket.
My point being don’t believe anything anyone tells you if you’re buying, always try to verify what you’re being told (history/circumstances) etc.
I bought from a dealer who is relatively well regarded and I am furious both with myself and her for this situation.

notafr I'm sorry to hear your pony hasn't worked out, very disappointing and frustrating.
I cancelled the viewing and didn't go. The more communication I had from the seller the more dodgy things seem to get. I did contact the previous owner and she was super helpful and confirmed it's a great pony but on balance I didn't want to take a gamble.

@Fudgeball123 thank you. Live and learn. Just very disappointed but also accept the risk when buying through a dealer who is ultimately running a business to make money.

Sounds like you made the right decision. It’s very hard finding a suitable pony. I will say though it’s a fantastic hobby for children and teenagers! Good luck

This sounds like a total disaster. You are very novice equestrians with little experience and a years worth of riding under your belt. Buying from the field even for an experienced equestrian is fraught with dangers and unknowns.
Do yourself a favour and keep with lessons only for your kids, own a pony days etc and maybe get some lessons yourself. Help out at yards, continue loaning riding school ponies. Even buying an established horse doesn't always work out so until you have the knowledge and know how don't buy one as the only one that intimately suffers is the animal

Alwayshoovering no need to worry about your intimate suffering if you read two posts up the viewing was called off..
I did a fair bit of riding as a child and the children are already pony sharing and working at the stables, we would have kept the pony at the livery yard so would have some backup in case of illness etc.