Posted on 07/28/2005 7:00:27 PM PDT by The Other Harry
I am very close to buying a pony – imminent, as in possibly within the next few days – and this message is very much off topic.
The price of the pony is about $750, and she appears to be very nice. Stabling would be around $75. She is not a shetland, but more like a small horse. (Not sure of terms here.) Her temperament seems very good. Gentle, which is what I want.
If any of you can give me any advice on what to look for or look out for, I’ll take it. I have no experience with anything equine.
It might be best to do this by FReepmail, as I don’t think many others would be interested.
Why?
I have never been on welfare, collected gov assistance or food stamps in my life. All I ever wanted from the gov. is a free pony.
Your post has touched a sore spot with me.
I pay and pay and pay the gov. and still no free pony.
But Harry: Is your property zoned for horses?
Why not?
If you have no experience with anything equine, please do not buy a pony. Start by signing up for some riding lessons at a stable, volunteer to help clean the stable, something that will not put you in a long term situation. Find out if you like "equines" (round here, we call em horses) before committing to the care and feeding of the pony.
PS I want a full sized palomino.
JERRY: I know, I hated those kids. In fact, I hate anyone that ever had a pony when they were growing up. (The room is dead quiet)
JERRY: ..Well, I didn't really mean a pony, per se.
MANYA: (Angry) When I was a little girl in Poland, we all had ponies. My sister had pony, my cousin had pony, ..So, what's wrong with that?
JERRY: Nothing. Nothing at all. I was just merely expressting..
HELEN: Should we have coffee? Who's having coffee?
MANYA: He was a beautiful pony! And I loved him.
JERRY: Well, I'm sure you did. Who wouldn't love a pony? Who wouldn't love a person that had a pony?
MANYA: You! You said so!
JERRY: No, see, we didn't have ponies. I'm sure at the time in Poland, they were very common. They were probably like compact cars..
MANYA: That's it! I've had enough! (She leaves the room)
ISAAC: Have your coffee, everyone. She's a little upset. It's been an emotional day.
(Isaac leaves, everyone looks at Jerry)
JERRY: I didn't know she had a pony. How was I to know she had a pony? Who figures an immigrant's going to have a pony? Do you know what the odds are on that? I mean, in all the pictures I saw of immigrants on boats coming into New York harbor, I never saw one of them sitting on a pony. Why would anybody come here if they had a pony? Who leaves a country packed with ponies to come to a non-pony country? It doesn't make sense.. am I wrong?
(Scene ends)
Is a child going to ride this pony? Have somebody who is an experienced rider ride the pony and asses it's training and temperment with someone on it's back.
Have the pony vet checked. Costs some money but never never buy a horse without a vet check.
Ask the vet about the feet. You've heard the saying "no foot .. no horse." It's very true. Good feet on a horse should be neither too flat and splayed nor too tight which is called mule footed.
> Why?
I want to give the local kids rides. And I need something to do. I like animals.
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SEVEN ^
You'll get all the information you need
Buy one young enough so that, when you discover the true temperment of these animals, it will still be edible.
Have a vet check for founder and age. Most ponys often will founder. That is a problem of rich grass affecting blood flow to feet and making them lame. Alos ponies can age up to 70 years old so have the age checked. Also is the pony gentle and broken to ride.
Ponies are known to have bad manners and bit and kick. They are pretty smart.
Get a vet you trust, or a well respected one, to check the pony out before you buy.
I thought you were going to buy the OTHER kind of pony.
You know, the ones that run around in circles and somehow earns the owner LOTS of money....
When my g/daughter was 5 years old I told her I would buy her a pony if her mother would let her keep it in her bed room.
Mom had to explain why she couldn't keep it in her bed room.
Call an equine vet and get a prepurchase exam. Even though the pony is only $750, a slight lamenss that you can't detect now but worsens quickly, is a heartbreaker. A vet can tell if anything is wrong. I would also have him pull blood to make sure the pony hasn't been drugged. Don't trust ANYBODY that's selling a horse.
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