Anyone around? Help/opinions needed!

[seeker]

We are going to look at a pony for dd today. She's a 14.3 Arab mare and looks just what we need - except that she is 16. I was at first OK with that - I know lots of ponies working and competing long after that. But I've got early morning frets about it. Should we even be bothering to look? Dd is 13, and will have outgrown her (if she's still riding!) in a couple of years anyway, and there's plenty of space at the yard we use for her to retire into if necessary (I know that she will probably be too old to sell on once dd's outgrown her). But is 16 too old?

I'd still go and look if she fits your requirements in every other way. If she's a sane sensible type then even in a few years timer she may be just what someone else is looking for. Someone I know on an equine forum has been trying to find a pony for a long time - she was prepared to wait for "the one". She's finally found him amd he's 16 years old. She had some doubts too but others on the forum told her not to dismiss too readily on that basis. Obviously be a bit more cautious if you think there may be any underlyinghealth/soundness issues.

Thank you - can you tell I'm in a lather about this? Fortunately dd is FAR more sensible than me!

I'd be just the same!!! I've never really had to go horse-hunting though - they seem to find me .

One found dd earlier in the year - then very sadly un-found her again. I can only hope another one finds her soon - she's so very sad!

Hi Seeker,
I'm new to Mumsnet (this is my first post) so sorry if I make any gaffes!

We went to see a 16 year old, who was perfect in every way except age and I had the early morning frets too.

We had a full vetting, and he found slight stiffness, and suggested a supplement but it was enough for the lovely lady selling him to suggest we have him on loan, and send him back when ready to retire/outgrown.

He's doing fantastically on the supplement and we are besotted with him!

Might be worth investigating whether the seller would consider a loan?

Seeker how did you get on? Only thing I would add is remember you won't get vet's fees cover on the insurance. Think some companies will let you have a small amount of cover for accidental injury only.

Thank you all!

Well, we've put a deposit on her, subject to vetting and inspection by dd's riding instructor - which should happen tomorrow! Very scary - she seems too good to be true (she is a real bargain) so we're keeping fingers very firmly crossed and excitement very firmly battened down. Eeeeek.

Grandmabaffled - the owners don't want to do a loan, because their daughter is very reluctant to sell her and they want her properly away. And dd has just been crushingly disappointed by the breakdown of a loan agreement, so we'd rather buy if we possibly can.

That's good news . You may be able to get illness cover on insurance. I've had a quick look at Pet Plan and they say if you insure with them before your horse is 20 you'll get injury & illness cover up until the horse is 25.

I've just checked Petplan - they gave me a good quote - thank you.

It's so hard to stop dd building up - as I said she seems like a real bargain so there must be something wrong! She's not been worked properly since the summer and she was a bit fidgetty, but she still did whar dd asked her to do, and was beautifully calm in traffic.If anyone would like to see a video of her, please pm me for the link!

We've got full cover on Ben (16 years old)(£5,000 vets fees)with NFU mutual. As long as you take the policy before age 17 they will cover to age 23 (I think) It might be worth looking at.

I picked up from an earlier thread about your d's disappointment. What a horrid thing to do to her!.

I think we just got lucky with Ben, but I would have bought him if loan hadn't been possible. Fingers crossed for tomorrow!

Ah sorry times have changed since my last oldie was insured then. That's good news.

Yes please to a nosey Seeker.

here is the link. The password is curlew1905. Hammy to have any comments!

Happy even. Pleas don't judge dd on being so badly left behind a few times - the pony caught her by surprise!

Her instructor likes her - vetting on Thursday. If all goes well, she'll be in our yard on Sunday! HELP!

I couldn't get the video to play as my computer seems to be on a go-slow, but she looks beautiful!

And un-naturally clean and white, if I may say so as the former owner of two greys .

Same here tried to get the video to play but couldn't. Have to say though Seeker she looks great. Agree with Pixel, how did they get a grey to look soooo white?! Fingers crossed for the vetting on Thursday. Pat on the back to your DD as well for riding an unknown horse so well.

Shame about the video - I just tried it and it worked fine - maybe it only works on Macs or something?

Just had an email from a friend saying don't even think about buying her because she's far to small for dd - so I'm early morning fretting again! I know she's a bit on the small side, but dd's not going to grow much more now, judging by all the other women in our family! Friend is a ery serious high level dressage judge - and I think she has forgotten about being a girl on a pony messing about and going on hacks and local shows and stuff like that - she's thinking 17.2 warmblood Grand Prix contenders!

I had a nosey too , worked fine on my PC (makes a change!!). I think she looks fine, my 14 year old dd1 rides a 13.1hh New Forest and my 13hh Fell and I won't be getting her a new pony anytime soon!!! I'll put a couple of pics on my profile for comparison!
As long as you & dd are happy with the pony sod everybody else .

Oh good - the more people look at her and reassure me that I haven't missed the fact that she's only got 3 legs or something the happier I get!

I don't want to be a wet blanket and Spirit looks lovely on the videos but are you totally sure that your DD won't grow much more? There's not a huge amount of leg room there IYSWIM. Having said that Arabs are tough little things and she has a lovely head doesn't she?

Her paces looked even and nice to me although she was chucking her head around a bit but if that was DD's first time on a strange horse then well done to her! Hope it works out.

I know she's on the sma side but she has to be a bit of a compromise pony- she has to earn some of her keep in a riding school. I'm thinking she will be ok for a couple of years then we can think again. I'm sort of imagining she will have given up horses for boys by then!

I wouldn't worry about "leg-room" - but then I'm into Natives and know loads of average height adults who ride ponies under 14hh. I also know of a very tall teenager who's ridden a small New Forest pony in the Boxing Day P-to-P. As long as your dd isn't too heavy (and that certainly doesn't look like it's going to be an issue) then I wouldn't worry about it. I would rather have a child happy on a slightly smaller pony than over-horse them and put them off for life.

I like natives as well - we were actually looking for a Welsh when we found Spirit!

Can you imagine how dd's feeling with only one hurdle (even if it is a big one) to clear. She is trying to be so grwon up and sensible, but it's at times like this that you realize that 13 really isn't very old at all, for all the sophistication, independence and hair straighteners.

i watched the video and thought she looked fab though agree that a tad on small side, i had an rab welsh cross pony as a teenager and had heaps of fun.in a yr or 2 it will go one of 2 ways either your daughter will need new pony as ability has outgrown pony or she has moved onto boys !