Looking for a new pony HELP !!!!!!!

[heath]

Sorry mods this isnt an ad its just a comment!

I have recently advertised both on here and several other places looking for a new pony to do WHP either a 14h or 15h. I stipulated it must be jumping open tracks with ease now so looking for something experienced so why oh why am I getting replies for unbroken, just backed or have never jumped before???

Are people really that desperate to try to sell something? Even though its going to be so unsuitable? I must thank all those who have taken the time to reply though. I am just sorry they arent what we want!!!! Good Luck in finding the right homes and meanwhile we keep on looking!!!!

[helle]

I know how you feel having posted a wanted ad myself. It becomes a bit of a bore having to reply 'thanks, but not quite what we are looking for' when really you want to scream 'read the ad!!. BUT.......... when I went looking for a mrea, I ended up with a gelding, I wanted a 12.2hh pony and the one we got was 13.2hh, and when my daughter wanted a SP we bought a SHP........... so I guess sometimes it is worth that shot in the dark for the sellers

[workingcob]

I'm afraid some people really are that desperate

To add my two penn'orth, it does make me cross when you respond to wanted ads and don't get any response (which you obviously have, so not directed at you!)

The last time I took a full set of pics and three video clips as requested and never heard anything back. I don't mind the horse not being suitable (altho he did tick the boxes as far as the ad went) but its jolly rude not to say "thanks but no thanks"

[merlindex]

totally fed up with sellers so am joining in on this thread - ave looked at 9 ponies so far - asked all the questions before travelling only to find - in a gag to control it and teeth skywards, in a snaffle ( when prob needed a gag) and jumped at breakneck speed, couldn't canter ( unless it went over a jump)completely lame behind when trotting ( they didn't notice), asked for sensible price and not too far away to get Ireland and Scotland ( we are in lincolnshire) - bring on the next set this weekend!!!

[suzysmartypants]

I am in Lincs. What were you looking for. Pm me I may know of some.

[catkin]

Having sold ponies for many years and being the granddaughter of a horsedealer, I have concluded that things most definitely have changed. People are just so peculiar to deal with now!

[pipandflo]

It is interesting isn't it, I wanted a reg m&m and had 2 part breds, 2 coloured and 3 at least a hand over the requested height but I did reply to everyone.

[hula]

I am looking, and I've also got two friends who are looking. We are all struggling with very odd time wasting sellers. We are all looking for nice, but not super special, type horses in various sizes/shapes. Just leisure horses with the basics in tact. The amount of people who want £4000 for a 'well schooled' horse/pony which is actually badly schooled and in reality worth £1200-1800. We've had lame, rearers ("he never usually does that" - yeah right!), banana shaped, impossible to mount, "oh you can't ride him because we don't have a saddle which fits, just pass us £3000 and take him untried", and even one which jumped out of the area with owner on top and got half away across a big field before she managed to regain any sort of control.

We have also had a huge amount of non-responders. We have enquired (via telephone) for 7 horses between three of us who's owners have not returned our calls, weeks later the adverts are still up and have even been updated. How on earth are you meant to sell a horse if you won't pick up your phone and won't return any calls? It's very frustrating as a lot of these horses look perfect on paper but what more can you do but call?

[sarahp]

To the last two posts - it was to some extent ever thus! Over 20 years ago I was looking for a PC event horse for my teenage daughter, and answers to a wanted ad were just as many and irrelevant as pipandflo got, an we looked at a similar quorum of totally impossibles as hula, from the one who napped, dropped its shoulder and dumped daughter onto a small fence, to the one supposed to have come from Iris Kellett's yard in Ireland with curbs, the oddest canter I've ever seen and which napped and reared in its own home school.

[ruftytuftyrider]

It wasn't until I came on this site that I found out how lucky I was when I was looking for a pony. Made enquiries about 3 ponies, went and tried 3 ponies and bought the last one which I had deliberately left till last as knew I would fall in love with him.

Saying that I had no preference on size, breed just knew that with the amount of money we had to spend we could only afford an older pony or a younger pony not a schoolmaster - so only looked at the younger end (4-5 years).

First horse was a little too big for daughter, second horse had schooling issues (when owner lunged him he told him to walk and he trotted, told him to trot and he cantered plus was on his toes when rode him out) and third pony was green but knew basics and definitely had potential so rang on way home, made offer and pony was delivered to our field 2 days later - he is everything I would want in a pony - full of character, cheeky at times but a real mummy's boy and does as I ask him.

I personally can understand why a seller would think it was worth sending an email as sometimes the perfect pony does not tick all the boxes. At the end of the day emails cost nothing and how long does it take to say thanks no thanks.

I am sure it must be frustrating to go and see a horse/pony who seems perfect on paper but turns out to be unsuitable and I think it is a shame that some seller's are not 100% honest but I think the vast majority of sellers are honest and it is a small minority that ruins it for others.

Good luck to everyone trying to find a pony, I hope you find the pony of your dreams.

[sarahp]

I should say we saw some perfectly good horses too that daughter just didn't gell with - mostly skinny TB types - having always ridden chunky natives she felt unhappy and sitting on a knife edge on those! She would get off and say "not big enough", while being perfectly happy on my 14.1hh Welsh D of the time. She ended up with a WB who appeared to be a Dutch Gelderlander carriage horse, I've often seen 6 of him with a coach behind. As for the wanted ad - I did find that a good telephone chat did help sort out the vendors I was happy to deal with, those who in horse terms thought along the same lines as we did. I took to saying "it's for my teenage daughter to do Open PC events, but must be suitable for a wimpy mother with a bad back to exercise in the term time", and blessed those honest enough to say "this one isn't for you then", without needing to go any further!

[sometime]

I live in Lincolnshire too and have the opposite problem I am totally honest and will probably tell you too much for my own good but cant even get a viewing for my bombproof Highland mare safe to hack forward going and able to carry a child or adult.
Why I would guess because she is a four year recently backed pony who is now being hacked along the busy A46 by a novice rider. Nothing bothers her she is a county show prize winner so will do well there too. Recently started jumping and is happy at about 60cm but has only done one course and had two lessons. Went to a local show and was second in her ridden M&M class after only a week of schooling. Now gallops out on hacks with her novice rider and is a super star allrounder
So I would say she is a mothers dream or would be with a bit more experience under her belt and I want the very best of homes for her money is not the biggest reason for parting with her but she is not a gift to be sold on for profit either

[shawnthesheep]

sometime

I have exactly the same problem...I am too honest, but at least that stops those time wasters coming out to pick holes in my horse and those who think they will be able to sell him on for a quick profit coming!! I want him to have a long term home, like his younger sister I sold to a wonderful home earlier this year. Good luck with your sale.... your pony sounds lovely!