# Buying a pony?



## Mia123

Hi, ok this may be a risky question so PLEASE no negative comments and also it may be quite long :/

So i have lots of experience in horse riding, i've done pony camps ridden on the beach, jumping 2'9", i work at the local barn, i know basic first aid, shared a VERY hyper pony who would buck and bite and kick, etc... And i have a few questions about owning a horse as i think i am ready!!

I am also trying to persuade my parents. When we move house they say we can talk about it more (in a month or two). I've calculated how much it would cost, what we need to buy, i've made presentations and powerpoints. What type of livery, how often i could ride, etc... And they just don't seem pursuaded. They are not horsey people so i now it could be more difficult than being in an 'equine' family, but i have tried so much and helped so hard at the stables... Many instructors have asked why i don't have my own pony or where is your pony stabled?

Also i'd like to start mounted games... I've been trying since the beginning of this year, but i don't have a pony a pony sooo.... Well i can't. I am 13 and i know i'd only be able to do games for 2 more years, but i'd really like to try! I am 5'2" and i weigh 7 stone. I am looking for ponies around 13.2hh because i really like smaller ponies and i am quite light for my age. Would it be a good height? It needs to be small enough to do mounted games though. I have found a pony that is 13.2hh and jumps 3ft so is really great.

I would be able to go riding after school and on weekends and holidays and i would help at the new yard i wouod be at aswell. Whenever i try to organise prices, etc... My parents tell me to get off the computer and do something else so it seems as if they don't want me to research either  i love my riding lessons and the horses at my yard and i make the most out of my lessons, trying my hardest. Please help me! 

Also can you tell me how much YOUR horses cost a month, how tall they are, what breed they are and how old they are. Thanks you and again, i'm just a horse mad girl who loves horses and really wants to improve more and compete more by having her own pony


----------



## Lel

Here are a few things for you to think about, I appreciate you are horse mad and want one now, so don't take this as a "negative comment", but personally I don't think what you need are tips for how to make your parents buy you a pony!

You are incredibly lucky to have had the opportunities you have had so far  I hope you express your gratitude to your parents for what they have allowed you to do as I bet the costs to them so far have not been cheap!

Something you might not appreciate is whether your parents actually have the money to buy you a horse. Clearly they know you are desperate for one but if they don't have a particular interest in horses themselves and are in the process of moving house then I very much doubt that buying you a horse is either feasible or a priority for them at present. Most parents would not be discussing their finances with their children so it may simply be the case that they cannot afford it.

Based on what you have said I imagine your parents want you to pursue other interests too. You will be starting work for your GCSEs next year I imagine and I expect part of the reason could be that they want you do do well. If you're down the stables at every opportunity then when will you have time for anything else?

Also bear in mind that they want a life too! You are talking about riding after school and weekends and holidays... 

Another thing they will have to consider is what will happen if you outgrow the pony, lose interest as you get a bit older etc, it will be down to your parents to find a buyer. And if you don't sell the pony in a few years then how long will your parents have to fund this for?

You say you have shared a pony before; is there a reason why you can't continue to do this? This is far less commitment for your parents and may be more feasible for them.

Not owning your own horse doesn't seem to have stopped you from achieving a fair bit already 

So my advice to you is be incredibly grateful for what you have, if your parents aren't keen then stop trying to rail road them and carry on with your riding and pony sharing arrangements.

When you have a job you will be at liberty to buy as many horses as you like!


----------



## Wiz201

Try looking for a share arrangement where the pony might be available for you to do mounted games on?


----------



## Mia123

Thanks you for taking interest but that is really not a comment i was looking for. I do NOT take my riding lessons for granted and i AM very gratefull for my parents, and my instructor for taking me so far. I know about the costs, and we've had a talk about it with my parents, and they are saying by next year we can think about it. The only reason we can't buy now is that we are moving so we don't want to move the pony lots of times too. In case you don't know i've done loads of research and i'm going to buy a pony i can keep till i go to university and only buy i pony i know will resell in 5 years. My parents said i would definately get a horse before uni?!  i think i know about school and i have made a daily time table for my day and i have plenty of time to do my homework, riding (about 3/4 times a week) AND freetime!! I'm not going to be down at the stables all the time...... I was saying i'd go after school, on holidays and weekends because otherwise someone would say- do you have time to go and see the horse with school?? And i do have time. I'm not sharing a pony. That was last year. I'm now at a riding school.


----------



## toffee44

Livery £85/ month no ménage new livery with ménage is about to be £118/ month

Hay £25/ month 

Bedding 7/bag 1-2 bags a week

Shoes £70/ 7weeks

Worming £12 3/4 times a year

Insurance 24/ month 

Teeth 30/ year

Vaccines £60/ year

Tack second hand :I got a bargain but a cheap Decent saddle is around 150
Bridle £30 (add another £40 for fitting saddle)
Numnah £10 girth £20
Then as basics you need:
Grooming kit
First aid kit 
Trug for water
Hay nets for hay/ Trug
Wheel barrow
Poo pick
Fork
Head collat

Rugs cost £50+ for heavy weights ( you will need a lightweight waterproof at least they are about £30min)

I spend about £25/ month on lickets/ hoof oil/ clipper oil / fly spray 

How are you getting to yard?

Horses don't need a stable but if they live out they need company water prib hay this time of year. 

I don't hard feed my horse. There are extra costs there always with, with the hobby but this is what I can think of right now.


----------



## toffee44

Forgot to say I have a 14.1hh welsh x hackney

There are loads of loans available at the mo, how about a full loan that you are allowed to move to yard of your choice? That way you can just hand horse back when you go to Uni.


----------



## Mia123

Thanks so much  yeah we've been looking to loan for a year and a half now and no luck  so we're looking to buy! Yeah the pony would come with all the tack and rugs. I've done a long list of things to buy, where i'll buy them and how much they cost. I would be having a part livery at about £80 a week  but its quite expensive round here! They'll feed, turn out and skip out. I'll be mucking out, cleaning tack and obviously riding like 3/4 days a week. The pony will be out in day and in in night in winter and in in day to avoid flys and really hot weather and out at night in summer  the livery supplies wheelbarrows, buckets, poo pickers, etc... Is 8 hours grazing in winter + extra haylage when he comes in enough? And 15 hours grazing but no haylage in summer good? Sorry so many questions


----------



## Wiz201

Ponies can live on fresh air practically, depends on the workload. The carriage ponies I drive and help look after just get happy hoof mix and carrots, and have a soaked haynet during the day between exercise after 4 hours on grass in the morning and have one during the night. I imagine you'll be doing a heavier workload with your pony but he shouldn't need haylage as its got a lot of sugar in it.


----------



## toffee44

If you can hay is cheaper and haylage sends mine nuts


----------



## Cappuccino

I was once in your position, desperate for a pony, did all the sums etc, but my parents wouldn't have anything to do with it. I did eventually get a pony when I was 18 - by then I'd left school and was able to A pay for the pony's initial cost and B contribute to her upkeep.

Are you going to pay anything towards the cost of buying the pony? Are you going to help with the monthly upkeep costs? While it is possible to keep a pony for "next to nothing" that's not necessarily a good way to keep a pony.

Your parents have a lot of expenses to deal with, before they can afford to keep a pony, so do bare that in mind (I know I never considered it all the years I was begging them for a pony for Christmas!)

I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth, wanting a pony and being able to buy one are two very very different things! 

I was lucky with the pony I had, I was able to help out at the yard and had money taken off my livery bill and she was a very robust healthy animal which meant I didn't incur expensive vet bills when I had her.


----------



## AlexArt

I'd agree with the others - they are a bottomless money pit! The advantage I would also say to loaning a horse is you get to try a good few animals before you buy - it gives you the much needed experience of looking after different horses with different needs and learning to spot any signs of illness/right weight/muscle structure/fitness levels/lameness etc etc. And also learning to ride different animals will give you a far greater sense of confidence and ability than just riding one animal. 
It will also give you the right knowledge to buy the right horse when the time comes, especially since your parents are not horsey it is hard to know who to take with you when looking - you maybe on a yard at the mo which you think is great and the folk knowledgable but until you learn from lots of different places you have no idea who is giving you sound advice - horses are big dangerous animals and get it wrong and over horse yourself or even under horse yourself and you could end up really not liking horses and loosing your confidence and at worse getting seriously hurt or ending up with a pasture pet - I learnt over a long time and seeing lots of gg's as to what is a good horse and what is one to avoid. 
As an example a guy I worked with his wife was not very knowledgable about gg's although she thought she was as she had been riding for 10yrs and she went and bought what she thought would be a great dressage horse as this is what it was advertised as, as soon as I saw a pic of it I could tell straight away it was an ex-jumper which had been jumped into the ground, it's legs were knackered and it wasn't even 10 and had such poor conformation it would have never been a good dressage horse or a jumper really, she paid alot of money for it, only to have to give it away 6 months later as it was nuts and went lame at the drop of a hat, with some digging we found sure enough it was a jumping horse and had been ruined by it's previous owners - this only comes with years of experience so it's better to wait a bit than stamp your feet and want everything now and get it very wrong!!

I would also advise putting a fair amount of money aside for vet bills - my last one was £700 and that was just for routie vaccinations, not to mention dentist, farrier, wormers, hay, straw which because of the wet summer is £32 a bale which they can get through half a one a day after the initial bed is down, hay is even more expensive!! Most ponies don't really need rugs or a stable but they still need shelter etc and even in the worst of weather and when it's dark you still have to look after them and feed them.

If you buy you have to think can you afford to keep an animal that can't be ridden or sold on if it has a permanent injury or a long term one or illness - can your parents pay for a pasture pet for life which could be 30 odd years and then have to get you extra lessons on another animal in the meantime? - I'm looking after a friends mare who is 32yrs old, she bought it as a 4yr old only for it to have an accident in the field - she never got to ride her so she has been a pet ever since otherwise she would have gone for meat! 

Saying you will get one that can be sold on in 5yrs time is all well and good but there are no certainties at all and you should hopefully get attached to your pony and not treat it like a used car and just get rid of it when not convenient ie. when you go to uni!! 
If I were you I would get as much experience as you can with as many horses as you can - and in all aspects of them - feeding is an area it sounds like you need to look into for starters, and then you'll know exactly what owning one entails - they are not like a car and you just plan 4 or 5 rides a week, have your fun then stick it back in it's box/field etc and carry on with your activities - they are a full time 24/7 responsibility!! 

You have to also think of your hard working parents too - the last ting I'd feel like doing after a long day is trudge round a field trying to catch your childs pony in the dark in the rain while they are at a party or some other activity - they will be the ones who will have to look after it when you can't which for non horsey folk can be dangerous for them and the horse! 
Livery yards are great to a certain extent but what happens if your pony got colic - can you, and that I mean your parents too taking time off work, spend several days sitting next to it in a stable with a vet - it does happen sadly as I know all too well after sitting up for 3 days and nights with a colicing yearling filly who we ended up having to put to sleep in the end!! Also who's going to pay for insurance etc.

So patience is the key, I know it's not what you want to hear as you are at the age where you want everything now and think that the time when you can buy one yourself is an age away - well it goes so fast - if i were you I'd be learning as much as you can while you have the opportunity - I would have given an arm and a leg for the opprotunities you have so use them well and don't rush into things!!


----------



## Wiz201

Good post :thumbup: as long as you found the right owner who didn't mind you moving the horse, loaning is a good option.


----------



## RachJeremy

*I would appreciate if you read all of this - As i know this goes on a bit, but it's a good thing to hear!*

Hmm... I could point out soo much with this.. You're 13, so i highly doubt you have the money saved up for a pony... And to be honest, you should be saving for life, not blowing ll your savings on a pony. Unless of course you start up a separate savings like a young friend of mine is doing, but she's being realistic, she understands her mum cannot afford it, so she's saving up for at least 4 years, getting a small job when she's old enough and accepting the fact it could take her years to get a pony.

I know how you're feeling though, at least 4 years ago i was the same. I pestered my parents for a pony, and whenever an opportunity arose, i was there, desperate for that pony... It doesn't help that before my parents divorced, me and my mum were looking for a mother/daughter pony for us. Since we could afford it. In the past i had a Shetland on share for about 6-8 months before i outgrew him, then i had a 12.2hh Welsh pony, with a 14hh New Forest, both on loan. Giving them up due to being taken to hospital and my dad blaming the ponies for my illness. 
I started up riding again at 8/9 years of age and haven't stopped since. When i was 10 me and mum started looking at ponies and had arranged a stable at the local yard, and we were getting help looking for the right pony for us, as we both needed lessons really... 
Me parents divorced and everything went out the window. My dad after about 6 months of them being apart, treated me to lessons when i went to his, then my mum took me aswell, as i only went to my dad's every other week. I rode at two different riding schools and learnt quite a lot because i had different instructors and horses each time.

Then, i finished school, at 16 and went to Shuttleworth College to study Equine. I was there for three years. All the time searching for nearby yards with potential loan horses or shares. As at the end of the day, i knew my parents couldn't afford it. And i hadn't passed my driving test, so it was even harder. 
After my three years at college i started work at a local riding school, which i got the train to everyday. 
I became close friends with a lady who helped out three evenings a week and a Sunday morning, who loaned a horse from my ex-boss. About 7-8 months ago i found out she was leaving... Well, she was forced out. Boycie, the horse she was loaning, was on 'death row' at this yard, she was told she had a month to take him away as her own horse for free, or else he would be shot. I had fallen in love with Boycie by this time, and the lady who loaned and now owns him. I said to her i wanted to stay in touch, when she suggested i share him. She knew i wasn't being paid much, so she said as long as i'm there for Boycie, she doesn't mind paying for it all. At the time, i hadn't passed my driving test, and these discussions were kept in secret standing by her car. I was thrilled when i passed my driving test in May of this year, and it meant something could happen... I still remember driving home one evening, and walking through my door and saying to my mum, "I'm getting a horse!"... She was worried at first, as i wasn't paid much and she knew i couldn't even afford to keep a car on the road and pay for a horse, so when i explained it all, she was quite happy for me and it's been amazing ever since. 
I hope to contribute towards his livery cost eventually, but now i don't work full time, it's hard. But the lady doesn't mind, she wants someone who loves Boycie as much as she does to be there as he is on DIY livery.

As asked info on my horse, Boycie is a 15.3hh Clydesdale X (potentially with a Friesian), he's 12 years old. Just a happy hacker at the moment, as we've only had him about 8 months now. He's currently undergoing treatment for bad thrush (obtained at my old work because they fail to care for their horse's feet), and recently suffered a foot abscess. He's damaged two tendons (one of which caused by my ex-boss). And he can be laminitic. 
He's now at grass during the day and is stables at night, he's kept on private land with one other pony. He's given 14lb haynet at night, being upped when the grass goes down. He's fed on Dodsen and Horrell Safe and Sound feed, with Devil's Claw supplement. Along with carrots, parsnips, apples, pears, swede (all given at random to make his feed more interesting). He's been shod on all four feet, but currently only on the front. With one bar shoe because he had his feet trimmed for thrush, he did have all four bar shod. But now only one. 
All in all....

Livery - £20 (roughly) a week

Shoeing - £35 for fronts, £70 for all four, £260 for all four bar shoes. He gets shod every 4/5 weeks because he's laminitic he has a fast hoof growth.

Feed - he gets through a bag every two weeks roughly? A bag is £11.something, so round it to £12... Devil's Claw, for a small tub which we buy is about £22, which lasts him about 2 months.
Adding sweets about £5 a week.

His tack - cost pretty much around £800. 
Rugs - Narrowing £200... But we got a few donated to us.

Vet bills - we're with Cambridge vet school, so it's cheaper. Not sure about prices though.

Note - *it's a lot of money if you don't have a job!*

Now... Morale of the story... 
1. Your parents aren't horsey... They couldn't help you, that's probably not helping them, as if you have a problem with your horse, they cannot help.

2. Do you have any idea how much it really costs? And like i said, if you have no plans of paying for it yourself, you're asking far too much of your parents. They don't grow money on trees you know. They have to pay to keep a roof over your head, feed you, keep you clean. There are so many things, that to be completely honest, are far more important than getting a pony.

3. 13.2hh?? Don't take this the wrong way, i'm 5ft, i wouldn't get a 13.2hh pony, that's far too small!!! Might i suggest something over 15.2hh... My horse is 15.3hh, and he's not too big.

4. You help at your riding school, not many kids are able to even do that. So be thankful you can. And also, why don't you just ask an instructor or yard manager if you can take a riding school pony to games? Sometimes they allow it. When i was riding at another yard i almost took a horse on a pony camp to another yard, which would have happened but it was too late to ask, and we couldn't organise everything in time. But the horse in question was a working livery, the school was fine with it and said it'd be nice for her to do something else for a change, but they had to ask the owners, who were fine with it and thought the same, but by the time they got back to us about it, it was days away from the camp! But most schools won't mind you taking or using a pony for games. As long as they trust you. Obviously it helped for me because they knew me and my mum were trustworthy and we were going to pay to 'hire' the pony. It was win win for them.

5. Why can't you be happy you're getting lessons? Many young girls or boys, can't even afford to get lessons.

6. Taking it from my little story of my life... Why can't you wait until you're more independent, and don't need to rely on mummy and daddy to buy YOU a pony. Do it off your own back like i have. Rather than expecting your parents to pay out probably a good few months worth of wages to buy you a pony. That FYI, 13.2hh, you'll outgrow (you're to big for a 13.2hh already!), you'll need to get a bigger horse eventually, therefore costing them more. And livery isn't cheap!!! Nor are vet bills, farrier, dentist, there's all that to take on board.

7. You're 13. There's no harm in waiting, you have the rest of your life to get a horse.

*Please note, none of this was meant in a nasty way. I'm just an overly honest person *


----------



## RachJeremy

Mia123 said:


> Thanks you for taking interest but that is really not a comment i was looking for. I do NOT take my riding lessons for granted and i AM very gratefull for my parents, and my instructor for taking me so far. I know about the costs, and we've had a talk about it with my parents, and they are saying by next year we can think about it. The only reason we can't buy now is that we are moving so we don't want to move the pony lots of times too. In case you don't know i've done loads of research and i'm going to buy a pony i can keep till i go to university and only buy i pony i know will resell in 5 years. My parents said i would definately get a horse before uni?!  i think i know about school and i have made a daily time table for my day and i have plenty of time to do my homework, riding (about 3/4 times a week) AND freetime!! I'm not going to be down at the stables all the time...... I was saying i'd go after school, on holidays and weekends because otherwise someone would say- do you have time to go and see the horse with school?? And i do have time. I'm not sharing a pony. That was last year. I'm now at a riding school.


*face meets desk*... So you post a topic about how to persuade your parents, and you turn round and say you're getting a pony before Uni? 
Are you parents made of money? Do they realise how much Uni costs?
And surely... You SHOULD be looking for a HORSE not a pony. You're too big for a pony. I'm 5ft and too big for a pony. And also, if you get horse before Uni that you WON'T outgrow, there's no need to sell it...

No offence, but by the sounds of this comment, you want a pony for your purposes and not for the love of the horse/pony in question. I understand some people need to resell. But i believe horses are for live. Not for 5 years.


----------



## Wiz201

I disagree with the above comment. A chunky 14.2hh pony can carry adults up to 12 stone or so depending on how fit the pony is and if the rider is balanced and therefore rides lightly in the saddle.


----------



## RachJeremy

Wiz201 said:


> I disagree with the above comment. A chunky 14.2hh pony can carry adults up to 12 stone or so depending on how fit the pony is and if the rider is balanced and therefore rides lightly in the saddle.


I'm aware of that. As i was riding a 14hh chunky highland X at my old work. But in the long run, she'll probably want something a bit bigger than 13.2hh. Especially as she'll most likely be taller than the pony, given she's only 13 and already 5ft 2". I would suggest at least 15hh if she wants to keep it and do various things with it. That way she won't have already outgrown it when she buys it.


----------



## Mia123

*face meets floor* how am i meant to do mounted games with a 15hh horse??


----------



## Elles

When I was in my early 30s I was 5'4" and 7.5 stone and competed a 13.2 connemara x tb x arab mare, but I wouldn't have wanted to be much bigger. Trouble is you're only 13 so you aren't going to be 5'2" and 7 stone for much longer. For PC you'd probably need a sharp, fast pony, not a weight carrier so 14.2 might be better. 

14.2 safe, fast ponies suitable for PC are usually very expensive though. Friends of mine couldn't find one for less than 8k.

Who will be looking after the pony? At 13 you're not ultimately responsible, so it would have to be your parents, or the pony kept at livery. How will you get the pony to the competitions you want to do? 

Maybe you need to think carefully about why you want the pony and whether your ambitions are reasonable, or possible, given your parents' situation at the moment (moving house). Of course it could be that your parents are wealthy and buying ponies for you would be a drop in the ocean for them. In that case you just need to wait until they've moved house and chat to them again. 

The cost of keeping a pony would depend on where you kept him or her, whether s/he was shod, or insured and how much it would cost for you to compete. Too many variables for anyone to guess.

I have 3 horses at the moment, 2 are hardy, live on fresh air, out 24/7 and cost peanuts to keep, one is a hothouse flower who costs a fortune. He's sensitive to grass, loses condition easily, feels the cold, needs work and coddling and I would say probably costs getting on for £100 a week including diy livery costs, bedding, feed, foot trimming, supplements etc. and that's before he gets in a lorry to compete or has lessons to pay for.  So it depends.


----------



## Wiz201

I remember growing during high school years because I used to get growing pains in my knees, however I'm only 5 ft 4 now so I wouldn't ride anything bigger than 15hh, I just grew outwards instead.
Nothing wrong with getting a chunky 13 or 14hh pony, as long as you don't suddenly start overeating for the next few years, I don't see you putting on too much weight, perhaps a stone more as your height increases.


----------



## RachJeremy

I know someone who has a 13hh pony, a New Forest type thing, lovely looking, just a bit backwards and speedy :S The girl is a great deal taller than me probably around 5ft 4" (I'm only 5ft - midget much!!! But that doesn't stop me riding 17hh+ horses, but it also means i can ride small ponies, but i wouldn't chose one for my personal horse.)she basically had the pony for show jumping and just general riding fun, but she's got to the point where she makes the pony look small and overall it's just not working... And lets face it, people look more in proportion on a horse that's the right size for them, rather than looking like they're sitting on a pony that's too small... 

But Elles is right... A proper "Games Pony" are normally really expensive... And you moan about saying you can't do games on a 15hh horse... Eh, i know a horse who is 15.2hh who done pony games and he was a pro at it!!! It's possible


----------



## Elles

> A proper "Games Pony" are normally really expensive


People I know spent £120,000 on a 12.2 for their daughter. :yikes:

And I know it's dressage, but Noel Edmonds spent £250,000 on a dressage pony for one of his daughters.


----------



## Elles

PS: I believe, though I could be wrong, that 15hh is the height limit for mounted games with the Pony Club.


----------



## Wiz201

Not exceeding 147cm so she'd be better with a 14.2


----------



## RachJeremy

Elles said:


> PS: I believe, though I could be wrong, that 15hh is the height limit for mounted games with the Pony Club.


I don't think Its (name) done it through the Pony Club though, he just done Games and eveything as a young child's 'pony', i believe the child in question was 'heavy' and needed something bigger. Not sure, as this was literally years ago for him now.


----------



## RachJeremy

Elles said:


> People I know spent £120,000 on a 12.2 for their daughter. :yikes:
> 
> And I know it's dressage, but Noel Edmonds spent £250,000 on a dressage pony for one of his daughters.


Gah... And to think most likely the child will outgrow it... >.< I'd never make that much money!!! Unless by some miracle i win the lottery. :\ 
I can see why they cost so much though, most of them are little push buttons who basically play the game on their own and the child can just be a passenger.


----------



## reallyshouldnotwearjods

I loaned/shared till buying my git of Highlands aged 28!! that was 8 years ago, I now have 4 and looking for a potential 5th. Tbh its up to you and your family situation I had un horsey parents, with no money, I flogged my guts out for years, and now that hard work has paid off. The thing I picked up over the years which has been more valuable than riding lessons is ground knowledge, I know how to cope with colic, a cast horse, how to fit a saddle/bridle, how to dress wounds, hold for carrier/dentist/vet, how to catch an uncatcable horse, calm a horse, load an unloadable horse and geese the horselist goes on, this knowledge is priceless, and at 13 do you have that skill, and even more important as you are under 16, do your parents who ultimately will be responsible. I have 3 girls 18, 15, and 11, they are lucky they have me, I am however passing my knowledge on to them, in the saddle and out. 

as for the financial costs 

Farrier for all £80 
Hay £50
Feed £24
rent is free as I am the landlady, but that's a double edged sword as its hard work. As for all of the other costs well I am on my phone and its difficult to be efficient when typing, but much the same as the others that have posted.


----------



## toffee44

RachJeremy said:


> Are you parents made of money? Do they realise how much Uni costs?
> And surely... You SHOULD be looking for a HORSE not a pony. You're too big for a pony. I'm 5ft and too big for a pony. And also, if you get horse before Uni that you WON'T outgrow, there's no need to sell it...


Excuse me, im 5ft 6" easily a size 14 and ride a 14.1hh PONY!!!
We are just about to start going out hunting after christmas, we hack for hours and enjoy rallys etc, I don't think I will be out growing her anytime soon as I am 24 

Also a highland pony seems plenty good enough for her majesty the queen 

If OP does get horse/pony I suggest getting what ever suits your needs.


----------



## RachJeremy

toffee44 said:


> Excuse me, im 5ft 6" easily a size 14 and ride a 14.1hh PONY!!!
> We are just about to start going out hunting after christmas, we hack for hours and enjoy rallys etc, I don't think I will be out growing her anytime soon as I am 24
> 
> Also a highland pony seems plenty good enough for her majesty the queen
> 
> If OP does get horse/pony I suggest getting what ever suits your needs.


Yes but remember it does depend on the pony.. A thick chunky cob may not be what she wants since she wants to do games, she'll need something that's agile and light on it's feet. Which i know cobs or heavier natives can be, but it's hard finding them. 
I'm just saying, i'm only 5ft (easily the smallest person in this topic from what i've read!!!), i'm 8 stone give or take a bit, and i wouldn't consider a pony for my main horse, i don't think i'd go any lower than 14.2hh. If i had to ride a small pony for exercise i would and have done as i work with horses for a living (and i recently won a dressage league on a fat 13hh(something) pony, he was the only horse available for me to ride). I don't just have them as a hobby, i've made a career of it... And genuine fact, my new boss is searching for a new horse, she wants to hunt it. Saw a horse today that was 15.2hh, she's probably about 5ft 3" or 4" and she came back today and said it was lovely, but it was too small for her, she could easily ride a 15.2hh, but she knows she'd be better off with something bigger. She might still buy it as a project though...

But when you want to do games, and you're taller than the pony, and your swerving it in and out of poles, i can see that being slightly hard for the pony, because it will most likely unbalance it. 
If she wants a small pony, she can go for it... But it drives me mad when i see people riding ponies that are far too small even if they're aren't a heavy person.

We can't tell this OP what to do, at the end of the day, you dig your own holes so to speak. If she buys something too small and ends up ruining the pony, on her shoulders be it. But it could all go well, and the pony and her get along. But personally i don't see a point in her getting a pony, just for the pure and simple reason she wants to do games for a bit longer. When she could buy a horse that she won't have to sell on and can have years of enjoyment and friendship with that horse, not worrying about outgrowing it, and in the meantime, either take a part share or loan out on a small pony, or use a riding school pony for games! I done an Intro A dressage test on a riding school pony because i didn't have my own, granted i worked for them at the time, so got to do it all for free, but i didn't have my current horse at the time.

And another point, which is probably pretty easy to understand with me and from what i've said. This girl, no offence on anyone, seems more interested in competing in Pony Club, when she hasn't got long left to compete it anyway, it's going to take ages to search for the pony to start off with, unless you're very lucky... But to have a horse for the pure and simple reason to play games, then to get rid of it, to me that's not right... I am a firm believer in a horse is for life. And not to just be used as an object. I know and have seen sooo many young, spoiled girls, get proper ponies, and they just don't care about them. All they care about it the trophies and the rosettes.

Anyway... Good luck to the OP in finding a horse/pony whatever your choice is. But please be careful in your search, get an instructor to help you, as you and you parents who aren't horsey people are less likely to chose the wrong horse/pony then. You don't want to end up buying something that's a lot of trouble for you. Seen a lot of that aswell >.<


----------



## Elles

15hh is about my ideal and I'm 5'4". The 13.2 pony I mentioned earlier managed to carry me on full day hunting, gymkhana games and we won showjumping. She wasn't a hefty pony by any means, fast and lightweight, but with good bone. I currently ride a 14hh connie x, a 14.2 4 year old pure bred connie, a 15.2 PRE (andalucian), a just over 16hh anglo-arab and a 16.2 TB. I'd choose 14.2 - 15hh for myself.

All of the above are light on their feet and sharp, not cobby or hefty.

I also was lucky enough to go for a long hack to the beach on a 12.3 only a very few years ago. She was fine carrying me for a couple of hours and we weren't slow. Her owner is larger than me and doesn't have a problem. Okay, so it's cheating, she's an Icelandic horse. 

15.2 certainly wouldn't be too short a horse to carry a 5'4" rider out hunting. There may be other reasons the horse wouldn't suit your boss, but height wouldn't be one of them. Charisma was 15.3hh, Mark Todd is over 6'2" and they managed Badminton. Stroller was 14.1 and he won Hickstead showjumping. Size isn't everything.


----------



## sligy

Horses and pony's cost alot of money. 
When you do your calculations make sure you have the following. I bought my first horse when i was 17. It cost alot more than i ever imagined.

Firstly you need the initial outlay. I personally love Morgans, they are incerdiable little horses. Dont trust anything that sounds too good to be true. If it is cheap there may be a reason. 
Secondly take someone who really knows what their doing, like your instructor. 
Make sure you get it vetted, i didnt get one vetted and it cost allot of money in vets bills. 
Make sure the breed you pick is right for you, ride it a couple of times, in a school, on a hack. Ask to groom it and see it out with other horses. Dont take anyones word that they are good to box, shoe clip ect. 

Find out how much you livery expences are, 
Find out what type of livery you need. Can you do DIY or are you going to need part DIY or even Full livery. 
Ask what you get, some yards provide hay and bedding others do not. 
Price out your hay, bedding, shoeing (and remember some need to be shod more regularly than others) wormer, feed, insurance, dentist, then other little things like grooming products.Also will you want to continue getting riding lessons on your own horse? Also add in a any show costs. How many shows will you want to do and how much will they cost, include any travel costs in that aswell. 
Then you will need, rugs, saddle, bridal, bit, stirups, grooming kit, and loads of other little bits

I will warn that horses with sweet itch tend to go cheaply, unless it is the perfect horse for you give it lots of consideration as it makes them harder and sometimes more costly to look after. 
If after all of that you still feel committed then you will probably make a very good horse owner. 

Good luck on your quest to get a horse.


----------



## RachJeremy

Elles said:


> I also was lucky enough to go for a long hack to the beach on a 12.3 only a very few years ago. She was fine carrying me for a couple of hours and we weren't slow. Her owner is larger than me and doesn't have a problem. Okay, so it's cheating, she's an Icelandic horse.
> 
> 15.2 certainly wouldn't be too short a horse to carry a 5'4" rider out hunting. There may be other reasons the horse wouldn't suit your boss, but height wouldn't be one of them. Charisma was 15.3hh, Mark Todd is over 6'2" and they managed Badminton. Stroller was 14.1 and he won Hickstead showjumping. Size isn't everything.


Icelandics are amazing! I've only sat on one once, and they're brilliant! My e-boss refused to have one on his yard!!! :O

And no, she said, the reason she didn't want him is he was too small. I think she prefers a bigger horse. Because she liked the horse itself, but just knew it wasn't for her. She wants something bigger, as she feels too big on it. Basically her words.

It all depends what you want the horse for. It's like again my boss, has some polo ponies, but they're out of work. She has three three year olds, one is having time off to grow and two are in training, one of which she told me she's selling on as she doesn't think she'll get big enough for her, she's already about 15.2-3hh. Her old hunting pony who is about 15.2hh who she's owned for years is being retired, hence her reason for looking for a new horse. Everyone has different preferences. But my boss is thinking years ahead of things. Not just something she wants to do for a year or so.


----------



## Leam1307

I got my first pony of my own when i was 13 and looking back i dont know how my parents managed it to be honest. I had a dog walking job and gave them the money every week but that would have been a drop in the ocean for what they cost. He was a 4year old 14.1hh skewbald cob. Terrible at dressage as he turned like a bus, a complete machine when SJ or XC, would jump anything put infront of him. He was too excitable for PC games though as he would rear and leap about at handovers. He was also extremely strong. 

Luckily my mum is horsey, but every night after school she would take me to the stables to muck out and ride, this would take approx 2.5hrs. And thats only if i didnt have a lesson to go to, sometimes it would be midnight and we would still be at a show or something. Same at weekend with PC lessons, shows rallies, nearly every wkend we had a sj show or xc to go to. And this was on top of both my parents working full time. i dont know how they managed to do all this and still have a life for themselves.

One thing that i know though is alot of the games ponies in our PC stayed with the same team even though the riders grew out of them. I would get your parents to contact your local PC, there may be a few that are sitting in a field doing nothing or that the riders are busy with exams etc. It may be that you could get one on full loan. This way there is no initial outgoing costs, it should come with tack and rugs too but you (your parents) would have full responsibility same as you would if you owned a pony. I was 5'6" at 13 years old, im now 5'7" and 28years old. and due to muscle from riding, i actually weigh less now than i did then. A 13.2h will have no problems carrying you or doing the activities you wish. 

My current costs are the following for a 15.2hh ID x 11 years old

Buy: £3200
Saddle: £595
Bridle and other tack: £300
Rugs(outdoor LW, MW, HW under rug, travel rug) £300
Shoeing: £64 every 6-8 weeks
Teeth: £120 (he needs sedated)
Vaccs: £53 
Wormer: do worm count which yard owner pays for last wormer was about £17 i think
DIY Livery with full use of floodlit school and jumps, fantastic off road hacking and all year turnout:£20 per week
Hay: £45 (every 3 months in summer, every 1.5months in winter)
Feed: £12.95 safe & sound lasts 2 weeks, £49 Bluechip last 2 months
Trailer: £4300
4x4 to tow trailer: £21,000 plus £100 in fuel which granted does a few trips and you could get a 2nd hand one.
Jumping lesson once a month through RC £20
Shows: £22 for 2 classes
Insurance: £487


----------



## Blitz

RachJeremy said:


> *face meets desk*... So you post a topic about how to persuade your parents, and you turn round and say you're getting a pony before Uni?
> Are you parents made of money? Do they realise how much Uni costs?
> And surely... You SHOULD be looking for a HORSE not a pony. You're too big for a pony. I'm 5ft and too big for a pony. And also, if you get horse before Uni that you WON'T outgrow, there's no need to sell it...
> 
> No offence, but by the sounds of this comment, you want a pony for your purposes and not for the love of the horse/pony in question. I understand some people need to resell. But i believe horses are for live. Not for 5 years.


I have to disagree with most of what you are saying. Loads of children have ponies, in fact most adult riders have owned a pony as a child and that pony will have been sold on. The majority are sold when said child leaves school. If they were not sold then there would not be any decent ponies for sale so no one would have there own pony.

Why on earth would a 13 year old want a horse rather than a pony. At 13 you want a pony you can play with and love and fool around with. And if she wants to do games anything over 13.2 is impractical. I have 4 young adults riding my 13.2 driving ponies. They show jump them, they could easily do games on them, they hack them and they are most certainly not too big for them. Plenty of adults stick with ponies as they are cheaper to buy, cheaper to keep and more fun for a lot of people. I think you are either a pony person or a horse person and it has little to do with height of person.


----------



## Mia123

lean1307 , i posted a thread on dog services wanting to get some info on dog walking that i would do if i were to get a pony, and they all said i am too young...


----------



## AutumnAngel

There is a page at Cost Of Keeping A Horse that gives a rough guide to the cost of keeping a horse.

I think sharing a horse or loaning one is a good place to start. It will show your parents you are committed and can cope with looking after a horse, and they then may be more easily persuaded to buying one eventually.


----------



## genevralaurene

It really depends on the horse. We had a 14.3hh Cob who literally lived on hay in the winter and grass in summer with a handful of mllychop every day just to stop him getting upset when the others fed. and was absolutely fine and healthy. He was ridden 3-4 times a week and was fine with it. The only real costs with him were his rugs, water bowls and hay. On the other hand we had a 15.2hh thoroughbred X who was impossible to keep weight on, it cost around £20 a week to keep her feed up. She needed feeding morning and night on top of hay. She also needed to be kept inside on winter nights so hay and bedding went on top of that. 

I have kept my horses both in livery and on my own land. With liveries you don't always have the luxury of keeping horses out all the time so you have to consider this too when buying. Some yards will only allow horses out once a day (sometimes less) so bedding and hay would always be required. One major bonus with keeping horses on a livery yard though is that you will always have knowledgable people around you to help.

With horses you always have to make sure you are in a place where you can afford vets bills, inoculations and insurance. If anything were to happen to you or the horse and you couldn't afford vets bills and didn't have insurance to cover it you could be put in a really difficult situation. 

Also consider for yourself if you are going to compete there are often dress requirements so you will need show jumping jackets, a competition standard helmet, certain coloured johdpurs etc. Also certain tack is sometimes required for example if you wanted to try dressage at certain levels you would be retired to have a dressing saddle (though this usually quite a high level requirement). Also consider the cost of transportation to events and the entry price for some competitions.

Depending on what tack you decide on bridles can cost anything from £15 to hundreds and the lowest i have seen a decent saddle was a £60 synthetic. When first getting a horse it is often worth visiting fairs and sales as there are usually discount stores and you can sometimes barter for a lower price and get a good discount if you buy a few items.


Overall the cost for the horses were for the Cob

£15-£20 every couple of weeks for hay
£50-60 each rug
£40-50 bowls, brushes etc
£25 per week insurance (thereabouts)
£20 per week if in livery
£30- Bridle
£150- Saddle

Thoroughbred

£20- Feed
£15-20 every couple of weeks for hay
£50-60 each rug
£40-50 bowls, brushes, hay nets
£25 per week insurance (thereabouts)
£20 per week in in livery
£45- Bridle
£200- Saddle

Hope this has helped


----------

