Last Updated on October 7, 2022
Do you desire to own a pony to care for and ride? Or maybe your child has been taking riding lessons and now has the desire to own a pony? Let’s take a look at some of the practicalities of buying a pony, including whether horse ownership is the right option for you!
How To Buy A Pony
As any horse fanatic will tell you, the desire to own a pony or horse soon occurs once you fall in love with horses! However, owning a horse or pony is a huge commitment, and should not be taken lightly.
If you desire to own a pony, it is a good idea to have a long think about whether it is the right thing for you. A horse or pony is not a pet, and they have complex care needs. The daily care of a horse or pony can be time-consuming and expensive, and you need to have a contingency plan in place for if things go wrong.
To be certain that buying a horse or pony is the right thing for you, it is a good idea to make a financial plan and timetable to ensure you can meet the needs of the horse. And when you’re 100% sure that this is the right path to take, it is time to go horse shopping!
Horses and ponies are complex individuals with very different personalities and abilities. If this is the first time you have tried to buy a pony, it is a good idea to seek the support of an experienced horseperson to help you. They will be able to help you seek out suitable ponies to buy, and go along with you to assess whether they are the right ones for you.
When buying a pony, it is a good idea to draw up a wish list of characteristics you are looking for. For your first pony, keep it simple – you don’t want a prize-winning showjumper if you’re learning to ride and only have basic facilities available!
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How Much Does A Pony Cost Per Month?
The cost of a pony per month will depend on the type of pony and the facilities you have available. Some expenses are constant no matter what, such as farriery care and annual vaccinations, whilst others can be variable.
For example, if you have your own grazing land and stabling, then the living costs of your pony will be quite cheap. You may need to buy in some extra feed and hay for the winter months, but most of his needs will be met by eating grass.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, you may need to hire facilities in which to keep your horse. This is normally called a livery yard, where you rent a stable and grazing for your horse. This can give you access to other facilities, such as an all-weather riding surface, as well as the support and companionship of other horse owners and riders.
However, this type of horse care does not come cheap, and you may find it costs two to three times as much as keeping a pony in your own facilities. However, if you think that you may not have the time to care for a pony, some livery yards will help you with the day-to-day maintenance of your horse.
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Is Raising A Pony A Cheaper Option?
Many people think that raising a pony from a foal is an affordable way to get a horse, but in reality, this is often not the case. Horses cannot be ridden for the first four years of their life, so you need to factor in the financial cost of their care needs during this time.
And once the foal is fully grown, it will then need breaking to ride. This is not a task for a novice rider, so you will need to hire the services of an experienced rider or trainer to do this.
The other problem with raising a pony from a foal is that you have no guarantee as to what the characteristics of the pony will be like. So, if you want a laid-back, calm pony for your children, you might end up with a little firecracker that likes to make mischief!
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How To Cut The Cost Of Pony Ownership
Buying a pony is just the start of the cost of pony ownership. The day-to-day living expenses of a horse often means that many people never get to fulfill their desire to own a pony. However, there are some other ways in which you can enjoy the experience of owning a pony, without the high costs involved.
The solution most people opt for is to have a horse-share – this is where two or more people take on the responsibility for caring for a horse. This is a great way to split the costs, as well as reduce the overall time commitment for each person involved.
If you decided this option might work for you, it is important to have clear objectives and agreements in place first. This can help to minimize potential disagreements over the way the horse is cared for, handled, or ridden.
For people who don’t have the initial finances in place to buy a pony, but do have the means to care for one, then loaning a pony is a good option. Again, ensure that there is a clear agreement in place regarding the roles and responsibilities of both the horse owner and the person taking the pony on loan.
Summary – Do You Desire To Own A Pony?
So, as we have learned, if you have the desire to own a pony it is important to carefully assess if this is the right choice for you. Horses and ponies have complex care needs, and their daily care can be time-consuming and expensive. If you decide to buy a pony, take an experienced horse professional along with you to help you find the most suitable pony for your ability level and facilities.
We’d love to hear about your desire to own a pony! Have you been longing for a pony of your own for years? Or perhaps you’ve found the ideal pony-share solution to enable you to take care of a horse on a part-time basis? Leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you!
Kate Chalmers is a qualified veterinary nurse who has specialized in horse care for the vast majority of her career. She has been around horses since she was a child, starting out riding ponies and helping out at the local stables before going on to college to study Horse Care & Management. She has backed and trained many horses during her lifetime and competed in various equestrian sports at different levels.
After Kate qualified as a veterinary nurse, she provided nursing care to the patients of a large equine veterinary hospital for many years. She then went on to teach horse care and veterinary nursing at one of the top colleges in the country. This has led to an in-depth knowledge of the care needs of horses and their various medical ailments, as well as a life-long passion for educating horse owners on how to provide the best possible care for their four-legged friends.
Kate Chalmers BSc (Hons) CVN, Dip AVN (Equine) Dip HE CVN EVN VN A1 PGCE
