# Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesus



## Scheherezade (4 July 2011)

Did anyone see that advert>>> FEI pony



Now I understand the cost of serious sports horses, Olympic prospects etcetc. But £35,000 for a PONY, for a CHILD?! That can only be for the parents competition desires, surely?! When I was a kid it was all about washing peoples cars to build up enough money to contribute to my pony, mucking in at the stables, water fights, bareback races in the fields and makeshift tack from baler twine.

YES (before aqnyone starts) I'm aware of the cost a horse that was a winning prospect for Badminton, Burghley, has been trained and competed by Mary King will cost, but a CHILDS PONY?! - 

I'm considering buying my kid a pony, but as a fun 'hobby' thing to do - much like taking kid to football practice, sunday league etc. Yes we'll do going to shows and pony club and what not, and I'll support him as much as he does, or doesn't, want to do, but still!

I mean, there's no other """""sport""""" like it, is there? Lewis Hamilton wouldn't have had a F1 car bought for him, he grew up on go karts, got the sponsorship. I doubt Andy Murrays tennis racket cost £35,000. Maybe for parents who want to send their child to ballet school - but thats the cost of training, which the 'lucky' child will also get, not for the ballet shoes! 

My jaw just dropped, £35,000! For a child! Who in their right mind would think that's sensible, or healthy?!


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## tinap (4 July 2011)

That is ridiculous!!! My girl competes & I know there are a lot that go for around the £15k mark (not her pony btw!!!) But 35???!!!! Who in their right mind would pay that!!! Our house was bought for less than that!!! (Was 25yrs ago but still!!!)


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## aimsymc (4 July 2011)

for some of the top ja ponies thats nothin! crazy isnt it! x


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## TuscanBunnyGirl (4 July 2011)

I know a 14year old girl who had a 15hh horse that cost 80k...


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## ester (4 July 2011)

I went to search him out and did find one in the 80-90k category

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/clas...http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/&cc=2.2


I think that's a typo though!


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## Charem (4 July 2011)

I was chatting to a friend who lives in germany about (top dressage horse) foal prices and she was saying a well bred dressage pony foal went for 75,000 euros at auction not too long ago :O


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## bexcy-bee (4 July 2011)

My pony cost £850 when I was 12. He was the best childs pony ever! We won every 2' -2'6'' class we entered, we did ok in dressage, but most importantly, we had fun! I remember mum coming down the rode, and me and my sister were testing our ponies, we were swapping between them without touching the floor.

He's so good, that at the show yesterday, the little girl that loans him was left at the show all by herself (with friends keeping an eye) because her mums mare went mad and needed to go home, how many £35k horses could be that trusted?

My parents wouldn't have dreamt about spending that much on me, you would be constantly worried it would break its leg or similar, surely?

My pony would regularly get the trophy for pony going clean ar every competition each year, he was also used to teach beginners on at the same time, and was the best hunter I've ever ridden.

Its ludicrist!!! (sp?)

happy with my cheapo ponios [=

bexcy-bee x


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## tinap (4 July 2011)

Bloomin ek!! Saying that I heard of some parents that remorgaged their house to buy child a very expensive pony. As much as I love my child, there is no way I'd do that!!


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## lexiedhb (4 July 2011)

ester said:



			I went to search him out and did find one in the 80-90k category

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/clas...http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/&cc=2.2


I think that's a typo though!
		
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HAS to be a typo for a 16 year old!!!


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## amage (4 July 2011)

Eh that would be on the small side for alot of the true international medal winning FEI ponies!!


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## rhino (4 July 2011)

ester said:



			I think that's a typo though!
		
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He's on horsedeals for £5750! Still stupidly pricey IMO


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## Maddie2412 (4 July 2011)

my horse is pretty awsome jumps ANYTHING though i admit no star but i could have 24 of him for that price and i would rather that! x


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## ester (4 July 2011)

rhino said:



			He's on horsedeals for £5750! Still stupidly pricey IMO 

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but it does pirelli


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## Scheherezade (4 July 2011)

Glad it's not just me then! I mean, if the parents want to spend that much money on THEMSELVES, but a pony?! For a child!

I want my kid to have a pony so he has something fun to do, a hobby, so he can enjoy himself and make friends. Not because I want to live my life through him...


Even if I had the money to od that, I never ever would, I want my kid to be happy, it's like the whole Russian gymnasts scandal.... And I don't think my OH would agree to it either anyway...!

My friend's parents bought her a pony, which cost roughly £10K - when she was a teenager competing JA. It's a lot of money, but not £35K! And then she sold it for about £40K, proving you can have more money than sense - pony isn't doing nearly aswell now.


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## rhino (4 July 2011)

ester said:



			but it does pirelli 

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TBH you would need to pay me to take him then! (No offence to pony; he looks sweet)


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## Spudlet (4 July 2011)

ester said:



			but it does pirelli 

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I would buy a pony that could do a tyre change any day of the week, especially if it was an F1 super-speedy pitstop type change


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## rhino (4 July 2011)

Why don't we have a competition to see who can find the most expensive advertised horse?
Here's one to start:
http://www.warmbloods-for-sale.com/HorseDetail.asp?HorseID=26027&UserID=10711


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## ester (4 July 2011)

rhino are you bored again?


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## rhino (4 July 2011)

ester said:



			rhino are you bored again?   

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*goes slightly red*
What could lead you to think that! 

Aargh; and it's only the first day of the holidays (and I'm a teacher which makes it worse)


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## MerrySherryRider (4 July 2011)

ester said:



			I went to search him out and did find one in the 80-90k category

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/clas...http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/&cc=2.2


I think that's a typo though!
		
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For a parelli trained, 16 yr old pony, used for teenagers to drape themselves over. Should the price be £8.75 with free carrot stick ?


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## Scheherezade (4 July 2011)

have no issue with horses - all the money in the world couldn't compete against a top talented rider - am sure if I spent 200K I still wouldn't be nudging Pippa out of Team GB. It's for the KIDS. - They'll never get all the fun, messy mucky pony swapping fun of PC etc.

Does ring bells of the child russian gymnasts scandal - adults making kids compete


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## Javabb94 (4 July 2011)

That's loads!! 

My first pony was £900!! 

I still have him at the grand age of 22 haha and I learnt everything on him

Won everything too! And had fun!!

My old pony miss springfield II competed for scotland with the rider after me and is now doing very well in BS up to newcomers and she was just over a 1/7th of that price and when I got her she was 5 so not old or anything!

It makes you wonder about how kids get to compete at high levels without some form of money.

Roxy wasn't exactly expensive yet I competed as a 10 year old at 1.10 plus but now at 17 with a non competition horse if you like I'm doing 85!! 

So if I had got expensive ponies after roxy I would have maybe got somewhere if you like.


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## rhino (4 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			Also could someone link the ad for me, I'd like to have a nosey 

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ETA wouldn't let me link it, but go to classifieds and search for £30 to £40k horses; its the only one


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## Scheherezade (4 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			If you have the money and are willing to pay then why not? everyone is entitled to spend what they want to on a horse. and remember everything is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it 

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Because it's not for a horse - i have no issue with that. it's for a pony, for a child. And presuming the parents will not be spending that much on a pony as a gift/present for the child. it's all the connotations and associations. Spending £10K for a kid to compete SJ is one thing, £35K for the child to compete abroad in GB teams.....

It's a bit twisted :/


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## JDChaser (4 July 2011)

35k for that standard of pony isn't actually a lot compared to some


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## maree t (4 July 2011)

Crikey what do people want from their kids ?. I cant imagine the pressure that a child would be under to be succesful. I guess for some kids and some parents winning is the be all and end. My lad rode his 600 pony in two jumping classes yesterday and won them both. He was given that pony as an unbroken 3 yr old. He had help backing and plenty of lessons but every thing they have acheived together is due to their hard work and partnership. I was so proud of them I nearly cried . I dont know how I would have felt if he had been on a 10k purpose made pony, never likely to find out !!!!!


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## rhino (4 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			Thanks Rhino, I have a funny feeling I have seen him before, anyone else?
		
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He's also on Horsequest, and has been on the H&H website for ages...


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## Hippona (4 July 2011)

Daughters first pony cost £250.

She was fab....wish we'd kept her and chopped daughters legs off at the knee.


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## Scheherezade (4 July 2011)

Wow, can't imagine the look on my OHs face if asked for £35K for childs pony! Plus no doubt 100K for box, missed time off school....and then the therapy all those years down the line for the issues that will no doubt come to surface.....

My kid will be mucky and messy and have a great time, whether he chooses ponies, football, or cricket! (etc).


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## pedilia (4 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			BrambleandMonty -   No its really not, Have you ever been on a competition yard, I worked on one for years, parents where just seen as walking cash points/cheque books, The kids where more competitive and dedicated than 3 1/4 of the adults I know, I see nought wrong with this, If I had them money and a talented, dedicated kid to ride pony I wouldn't hesitate.
		
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This, the type of people that can afford to buy spend that kind of money on a pony are not earning the national average salary!

Why shouldn't people spend that on a pony, people whio would struggle to spend £500 on a pony probably think people that spend 5k are crazy!


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## team barney (4 July 2011)

ester said:



			I went to search him out and did find one in the 80-90k category

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/clas...http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/&cc=2.2


I think that's a typo though!
		
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poor pony, overbent in every ridden picture  and the little soul suffers from parelli.

Looks like the owners have tried to combine rollkur and parelli, they are obviously fans of soul destroying training methods


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## FMM (4 July 2011)

Gosh.  You all do make a lot of assumptions.  Of course you can buy a cheap pony and have fun.  But presumably people who purchase this pony for their child want to make it more than fun and possibly a career.  

As a 12 year old you would you have said "no mum - I want the cheap pony so I can continue to jump 2'6 for ever" or would you jump at the chance to have a competition pony to compete on the world stage.  And therein lies the difference in the children that are happy with the former and the children who are able to afford the latter and WANT to compete at that leve..

Show ponies have changed hands for more than that (no, my child has a ordinary pony as I could not begin to afford something like that!). If I was money no object, then there would be all sorts of things I could spend it on - sadly, I am not in that position!!!

However, remember that within 2 years the pony will STILL be worth about the same amount assuming it is as successful as it is now.  So it is NOT a matter of spend £35k and then watching it go down the drain.  

I think anyone who remortgages their house to pay for a child's pony needs their heads examined, but just becasue I wouldn't do it, does not mean that it is wrong!!!


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## amage (4 July 2011)

BrambleandMonty said:



			My kid will be mucky and messy and have a great time, whether he chooses ponies, football, or cricket! (etc).
		
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And who says that these kids don't do that??? I know quite a few kids competing at this level of competition and they are doing it because they want to. you do not get to compete at that level without serious hard work no matter how much you spend on the pony. TBH your posts seem rather jealous...who cares what a parent spends on their kid's pony(ies). It is none of your business!


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## FMM (4 July 2011)

Or the jumping ony that changed hands for a 3 figure sum and then went overheight ... (although I think there may have been a court case over that one!!!)


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## Scheherezade (4 July 2011)

amage said:



			And who says that these kids don't do that??? I know quite a few kids competing at this level of competition and they are doing it because they want to. you do not get to compete at that level without serious hard work no matter how much you spend on the pony. TBH your posts seem rather jealous...who cares what a parent spends on their kid's pony(ies). It is none of your business!
		
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Honestly  I knew someone would throw the "omg ur just jelus" card. How so exactly? Since I have stated I wouldn't have any issue with people spending that much on themselves - if the parents spent £80K on a horse for themselves I wouldn't bat an eyelid. I've not posted about a HORSE that costs that much. It is difficult for some if you have reading issues maybe - but you could try * reading * what's written. How can I be jealous - I'm 24, so it's not like I'm competing against these children!


I ca't see a child with £35k pony going to pony club camp, or bareback baler twine races - surely when you've spent that much money on a serious competition prospect, it is treated like most competition horses are? Surely a competition pony is treated the same as a competition horse, not the average hundred pound gymkhana pony.


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## team barney (4 July 2011)

I have found the Horsequest add for the £35,000 pony, there are more photos on HQ and a little more useful info, age ect.

I wouldn't like to pay that much for any pony/horse, but I can see that many people would jump at the chance to help their child along the road to team selection.  35k is peanuts to a footballer or successful entrepreneur and if they can buy their kids a little happiness well who is to say they are wrong. 

However if I was in the position to make such an expensive purchase I wouldn't choose Pablo.  I am sure he is a lovely pony but at 15 he isn't going to retain his monetary value, he doesn't work correctly (hind quarters are thoroughly disengaged) and he isn't being ridden very well (rider is spurring him in every photo sits behind the vertical and he is wearing a flash(I don't like seeing a "highly schooled" horse wearing a flash))


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## POLLDARK (4 July 2011)

It's just that some people are loaded & to them it would be nothing. If they want to spend a fortune jump starting their children that's their privilege. I'm on a shoe string & could NEVER afford anywhere near that but if I had a pony I thought I could get that sort of money for then that's what I would ask for it & hope that a fool & his money could be parted.


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## Lanky Loll (4 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			FMM I agree 100%. Ever heard of Colton Maelstrom (sp) the JA pony that sold for 3 quaters of a million in the late nineties. she was incredible and worth every penny.
		
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Haha that was the one I was going to cite  Especially as I remember jumping novice tracks against her with her first jockey who'd paid peanuts for her! 
Fantastic pony and wonderful servant - and she wasn't the only one changing hands for that sort of money at that time.


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## frozzy (4 July 2011)

£35K or £3.50 they can all break a leg ! If the parents can afford it why not? My best ever buy was £400 for a 3 yo filly that qualified and went to Olympia M&M pony of the year, and is now happily retired. She became what we schooled her to be but the basics were all her own! Personally I would get nowt out of buying success but if parents can afford it thats their own business.


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## Megibo (4 July 2011)

my first and only pony who i still have cost £1800 6 years ago and she overpriced for what she was! but she turned out to be AWESOME


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## Megibo (4 July 2011)

TuscanBunnyGirl said:



			I know a 14year old girl who had a 15hh horse that cost 80k...
		
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did it poop gold...?


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## Lanky Loll (4 July 2011)

frozzy said:



			£35K or £3.50 they can all break a leg ! If the parents can afford it why not? My best ever buy was £400 for a 3 yo filly that qualified and went to Olympia M&M pony of the year, and is now happily retired. She became what we schooled her to be but the basics were all her own! Personally I would get nowt out of buying success but if parents can afford it thats their own business.
		
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Very true - we had the ride on one in the "expensive" price bracket - owner's child wasn't interested anymore, qualified for HOYS and it dropped dead the week before in the field, at the end of the day livestock is deadstock no matter how expensive (and now someone will have a go at me for saying that ).
However, if you've got a good enough child and you can afford it why not buy the best - they've usually got about 2 years to excel in whichever age bracket, and if they're aiming at the Europeans or similar then they need a pony that's at that standard or ready to go there when they get it.


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## Pale Rider (4 July 2011)

If some knob head wants to pay 35k for a kids pony let them. Pity there's a recession on somewhere, or the seller could charge a bit more. lol.


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## caterpillar (4 July 2011)

There's a HHO who recently spent 60k on a horse. 

Said horse has only completed 1 out of 5 events with new owner and the result included xc jumping penalties and lots of time penalties.


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## SpottedCat (4 July 2011)

Caterpillar, just because a horse is advertised for £X does not mean it sells for that much. And just because the record shows something, that does not mean the new rider is doing a bad job, now does it?!


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## VioletStripe (4 July 2011)

Tazhazzamoose said:



			did it poop gold...?
		
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Has to be said - that is an expensive horse (well, pony) but to be honest, at that sort of level you're pretty much getting what you pay for. I'd LOVE to have a horse like that - but to be honest it's not at all practical as I'm by no means a world beater, as much as I can dream 

Not saying that horses who were bought for much less are talentless, but when you get to this sort of level where the horse or pony is an investment for the child's future, you are looking to get something more expensive that has the record and can take on the world.. and people are willing to make these sacrifices as it's what the child does, it's what the child is good at and it's simply just another way of life. I've spent my entire childhood riding whatever 4 legged beast I could, and have enjoyed doing the PC shows and volunteering at the stables, but competing at this level just isn't viable for me for many reasons, as much as I dream about it!  xx


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## Pale Rider (4 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			Take your ignrant views and shove them where the sun don't shine, moron.
		
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ignorant

I take it you mean 'ignorant', knob.


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## amage (4 July 2011)

BrambleandMonty said:



			Honestly  I knew someone would throw the "omg ur just jelus" card. How so exactly? Since I have stated I wouldn't have any issue with people spending that much on themselves - if the parents spent £80K on a horse for themselves I wouldn't bat an eyelid. I've not posted about a HORSE that costs that much. It is difficult for some if you have reading issues maybe - but you could try * reading * what's written. How can I be jealous - I'm 24, so it's not like I'm competing against these children!


I ca't see a child with £35k pony going to pony club camp, or bareback baler twine races - surely when you've spent that much money on a serious competition prospect, it is treated like most competition horses are? Surely a competition pony is treated the same as a competition horse, not the average hundred pound gymkhana pony.
		
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You are coming across as jealous because first of all you keep ranting that that value of pony is wasted on a child....not if said child is proud to represent their country it's not. Do you think Jessie Drea's parents wasted their money spending 150K on Touchable when she was only still in Juniors?? What about the fact that some of these kids adore what they do? You keep mentioning pony club camp and getting dirty....pony club camp is not the be all & end all. But hey if you want to get off your high horse and come here i'll bring you to meet past, current and future European pony team members with serious high dollar ponies who have fun when they ride, get dirty, hunt in the winter, play other sports and are balanced well rounded young people. Don't forget you are talking bout 15/16yr olds not 9 year olds! And of course there are the talented youngsters who produce a pony to this level that ultimately make it worth so much. You seem to completely misunderstand high level competition...there are elite athletes in every sport....even ponies. Maybe jealous is the wrong description for the way you come across....more sour!! And their is nothing wrong with my reading skills...they are actually excellent! And everyone is entitled to interpret things in their own way


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## mollichop (5 July 2011)

SpottedCat said:



			Caterpillar, just because a horse is advertised for £X does not mean it sells for that much. And just because the record shows something, that does not mean the new rider is doing a bad job, now does it?!
		
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Where was it implied that they were doing a bad job? 

So, if money were no object, what would be your limit for the right horse? Aiming this at everyone - not just you spottedCat 

I think it's relative to what you have. I wouldn't dream of spending that sort of figure but then i'm as poor as a church mouse


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## bexcy-bee (5 July 2011)

mollichop said:



			Where was it implied that they were doing a bad job? 

So, if money were no object, what would be your limit for the right horse? Aiming this at everyone - not just you spottedCat 

I think it's relative to what you have. I wouldn't dream of spending that sort of figure but then i'm as poor as a church mouse 

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I personally wouldn't spend more than £1k on any horse, unless I was at the top, then slightly more, and produce myself. I think it's crazy to spend that much money, if the child is talented, surely they would develop said pony to that standard themselves?

I agree with OP, pony club is a big thing. Many of my friends with £kkkk's ponies werent allowed to take them to camp, and missed out, imagine how they felt when all their friends were talking about it afterwards?

Obviously, any pony/horse can go out and break its leg, but if you spend loads on it, you are naturally going to wrap it in cotton wool, then what kind of life is that?!?

bexcy-bee x


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## Lanky Loll (5 July 2011)

bexcy-bee said:



			...I think it's crazy to spend that much money, if the child is talented, surely they would develop said pony to that standard themselves?
		
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Lack of time - when I was jumping (nearly 20yrs ago now ) ponies were changing hands for this and more even then, and even leasing for £20k/yr upwards if the owners didn't want to sell.  If you're competing on 128/138/148 you have 2 years, 3 if your lucky to produce a pony to jump the top tracks - next you'll be slating folks for pushing youngsters too fast  so the answer has to be to buy ready mades... or as we did buy the one's that had chucked it and attempt to put them right 

Most of these kids wouldn't dream of doing pony club - they're jumping 1.10m and higher on 128's so why would they want to mess around at 75cm?  They're extremely competitive and driven, and much as I appreciated PC it was pointless once I started jumping the bigger tracks.


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## tinap (5 July 2011)

I think my girl would rather pack in jumping than miss out on pc & camp!! I paid £4000 for the pony she competes now, which for me was extortionate (sp?!) but she had worked on a project pony herself which made a tidy profit when she was sold so the money from her bought the daughter this one. They jump all over & do pretty well but if any shows clash with pc then she always wants to put pc 1st!! We've found a good balance. I really couldn't imagine being in the position to pay 35k for a kids pony!!!!


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## noodle_ (5 July 2011)

wowww 35k for a horse? 


i wouldnt pay it even if i had the money but i guess my priorities are different..... if you want to win then yes 35k + is mabey acceptable!

i paid just over a grand for mine...and shes everthing *I* want...... if i spend 35k o a horse if i had it then no doubt it would be way above me....

each to their own....


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## Luci07 (5 July 2011)

If someone has the money and the drive - why not? its all relative - so maybe at the lower end of the market, someone would think £350 or £3500 is fine for a pony, a non horsey person struggling on benefits would think you were nuts!

If someone can afford it and has that drive then good luck to them. I am sure there will have been many less valuable ponies on the way to that one!


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## SusannaF (5 July 2011)

A couple of years ago someone told me that pony racing ponies were going for five figure sums, and I saw an international standard dressage pony going for even more than this.

Sheesh. Just think of Pat Smythe getting to the top on a horse out of the milkman's mare! And Tosca and Prince Hal for £150 each (even allowing for inflation...)


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## bexcy-bee (5 July 2011)

MagsnPaddy said:



			Lack of time - when I was jumping (nearly 20yrs ago now ) ponies were changing hands for this and more even then, and even leasing for £20k/yr upwards if the owners didn't want to sell.  If you're competing on 128/138/148 you have 2 years, 3 if your lucky to produce a pony to jump the top tracks - next you'll be slating folks for pushing youngsters too fast  so the answer has to be to buy ready mades... or as we did buy the one's that had chucked it and attempt to put them right 

Lack of time? But surely some small child had the time to develop the pony, and get it out and about before competing?
Most of these kids wouldn't dream of doing pony club - they're jumping 1.10m and higher on 128's so why would they want to mess around at 75cm?  They're extremely competitive and driven, and much as I appreciated PC it was pointless once I started jumping the bigger tracks.
		
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I remember as a teenager doing a LOT higher then 75cm at PC. I competed for U21's for England at 12! If your good enough, you get chosen for big things, whether you spend £££ on your pony or not! Friends with FEI ponies did pony club, Its what kids should do. Most of my friends that were pushed to compete, have given up, and Im not saying that no child wants to compete to a high level, but through my experience, when pushed, you get fed up.



tinap555 said:



			I think my girl would rather pack in jumping than miss out on pc & camp!! I paid £4000 for the pony she competes now, which for me was extortionate (sp?!) but she had worked on a project pony herself which made a tidy profit when she was sold so the money from her bought the daughter this one. They jump all over & do pretty well but if any shows clash with pc then she always wants to put pc 1st!! We've found a good balance. I really couldn't imagine being in the position to pay 35k for a kids pony!!!!
		
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I remember being exactly the same! I was heart broken when I got chosen for a team in PC, and had to miss out on 1 day of camp! Glad there are some children out there still enjoying their ponies, rather than expecting them to win all the time =/

bexcy-bee x


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## Lanky Loll (5 July 2011)

bexcy-bee said:



			Lack of time? But surely some small child had the time to develop the pony, and get it out and about before competing?
		
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Yes - and that's why the younger ponies go for even more, you'll usually find the people at the top will have 1 or 2 at that level and then bring on another couple - which then often get sold on to pay for the others...


bexcy-bee said:



			I remember as a teenager doing a LOT higher then 75cm at PC. I competed for U21's for England at 12! If your good enough, you get chosen for big things, whether you spend £££ on your pony or not! .
		
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Lucky you - my pony club weren't interested unless you were on a horse - well at 12 I was jumping 128s pretty successfully and didn't want to event so what would have been the point moving on to horses which I'm guessing you did to do U21s?



bexcy-bee said:



			Friends with FEI ponies did pony club, Its what kids should do. Most of my friends that were pushed to compete, have given up, and Im not saying that no child wants to compete to a high level, but through my experience, when pushed, you get fed up.
		
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Maybe - but quite a few of my brothers and my contempories are still competing at various levels from the very top to the bottom rung.


bexcy-bee said:



			I remember being exactly the same! I was heart broken when I got chosen for a team in PC, and had to miss out on 1 day of camp! Glad there are some children out there still enjoying their ponies, rather than expecting them to win all the time =/
bexcy-bee x
		
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We enjoyed our ponies but to be fair to our local pony club they just couldn't offer what we were interested in.  Plus in the summer we were away 4 days out of most weeks at or travelling to shows plus most weekends through the winter were 3 day shows and 2nd rounds - pony club didn't really fit with that sort of schedule


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## bexcy-bee (5 July 2011)

MagsnPaddy said:



			Yes - and that's why the younger ponies go for even more, you'll usually find the people at the top will have 1 or 2 at that level and then bring on another couple - which then often get sold on to pay for the others...

Oh I see! Makes sence now

Lucky you - my pony club weren't interested unless you were on a horse - well at 12 I was jumping 128s pretty successfully and didn't want to event so what would have been the point moving on to horses which I'm guessing you did to do U21s?

Nope, I was riding a scuffy home broken NF of 138, one of the most ugly ponies you will have ever seen! But he was what I wanted. Very cheap to keep, and I could have fun with him.

Maybe - but quite a few of my brothers and my contempories are still competing at various levels from the very top to the bottom rung.

We enjoyed our ponies but to be fair to our local pony club they just couldn't offer what we were interested in.  Plus in the summer we were away 4 days out of most weeks at or travelling to shows plus most weekends through the winter were 3 day shows and 2nd rounds - pony club didn't really fit with that sort of schedule
		
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If your pony club weren't very lenient, then thats fiar enough. I can understand your argument if thats the case. But nowadays, they should be more lenient, what with little ponies going to such high amounts, obviously earnt through performing well. I remember summer weekends, camping away at comps with the ponies, us in a tent, everyone else in their luxury horse lorries  haha

bexcy-bee x


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## SpottedCat (5 July 2011)

Mollichop, if there was no implication that the rider is doing a bad job, then why is the number of completions / penalties relevant? I see the price being relevant but not what the combination then achieves - unless the implication is that the rider is doing a good/bad job and therefore having the money does/does not bring success so we should all try and either spend a fortune/do it on a 2.50 horse. 

As for me, if money was no object, then I'd do as I do now - spend what I needed to in order to get the best fit for the job I want the horse to do, without causing myself any financial issues. If I were buying now, I wouldn't think twice about saving until I could spend 20k on a horse - which is not to say I would dismiss something cheaper, but I doubt I'd find what I wanted for less than 10k and if I had more, I'd spend it. I had 6k saved to buy a new horse and was planning to sell another 2 to add at least 12k to that to then buy what I wanted.


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## Suziq77 (5 July 2011)

I can well believe it, one of the dressage team ponies was advertised for £110k a year or two ago!


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## Puppy (5 July 2011)

BrambleandMonty said:



			How can I be jealous - I'm 24, so it's not like I'm competing against these children!
		
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I'm 29 and I'm mighty jealous of any child whose parents buy them a £35k pony!


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## Puppy (5 July 2011)

bexcy-bee said:



			I personally wouldn't spend more than £1k on any horse, unless I was at the top, then slightly more, and produce myself.
		
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But that's exactly the point. People have different feelings on the matter. I'd maybe buy a pony in your price range (less than £1K), but never a horse. Cheap horses are cheap for a reason and I've no desire to buy a load of problems. I'm with Spottedcat when she says she'd "spend what I needed to in order to get the best fit for the job I want the horse to do, without causing myself any financial issues."

When I search the for sale ads at the mo I put a minimum price of £4K.


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## Honey08 (5 July 2011)

Interesting thread.

I had a naughty,cheap ex-riding school first pony that taught me half what I know today by trial and error.  I got to where I did well at PC on it, and won trophies and did teams.  I put 50% of my passing my AI down to that pony and what it taught me.  I too adored camp etc, and lived for it.  All great fun, but it never got me to the  Olympics!  It did get me a career with horses as an AI, but not earnng what a top level rider would earn by miles!

I worked in a riding school abroad, where we got to event the owner's two event horses too.  The owner adored eventing, and admitted that he would never be good enough to do it himself, and that he got a lot of pleasure just being involved.  His daughter was 10, and wasn't that keen, but happily joined in with the summer camps that we ran at the school.  As I left that job she was bought a very expensive pony from the UK.  Us two BHSAIs were replaced with a top trainer from Germany.  Within two years this child was on the national pony eventing team.  Ten years later she was at the European adult team champs - the one where Zara became European champion.  There is no way that she would ever have got to that level without the finance and help from her parents. 

Most of our top riders started out on junior and pony teams.  Isn't it WFP's autobiography that show pictures of him doing a pc hunter trail as a kid on his dad's ex Badminton horse?  I bet there aren't many of our top level riders that "played at pony club" until they were 16, then started working to get into eventing and happened to get good horses etc.  Even on here, a lot of the late teens/early 20s competition riders that are doing well have several horses paid for by mum and dad.  Sadly it does seem the only way to the top of our sport really.

I'm not saying its right or wrong. Would I pay that much?  Can't afford to!  Don't think my son is competative enough to justify that type of pony either. 

A young girl at PC seems to be being taken down this route by her parents - not quite at the £35k level yet, but I wouldn't be shocked if they did when she's 14.  She is a brave, determined little rider, even at 10, and has a similar drive that I've seen in the couple of top eventers that I've worked with as a groom.  The child is really enjoying it, so is it that wrong if she enjoys it and is going up the levels?  I have more problem with parents that pay a good medium level price (£5k) for a pony and then do nothing but local shows.  Interstingly, yesterday at our PC show, the posh ponies with this type of riders were all beaten by good little riders on cobby pony types.  

If you have a really keen, talented rider, I don't see why they shouldn't be given the opportunity.  Its a very British thing to dismiss ambition as being crass.


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## BSJAlove (5 July 2011)

well if i had that kind of money sitting in a bank, i sure as hell would


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## SophieLouBee (5 July 2011)

These are kids we are talking about, they are bought up to think in a certain way. If parents think that a competition driven way of life is the way forward, so will the kid, they won't feel like they are missing out on pc or whatever, because everyone else in thier social circle will be in the same boat. Same applies for vice versa, a ten yo girl that does ponyclub on her dear old welsh section b everyweek, isn't exposed to dreams of fei world championships, so she isn't missing out in her world either! 

Personally, I don't think I could justify paying that much for a horse even if I became rich, because I have always had to earn the things I want and work towards them, and that is how my mind works. But if I was born into a wealthy family, who knows what i'd think then! 

I'm not making assumptions about how wealth affect peoples values before anyone jumps on that bandwagon! Just giving an opinion.


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## bexcy-bee (5 July 2011)

Puppy said:



			But that's exactly the point. People have different feelings on the matter. I'd maybe buy a pony in your price range (less than £1K), but never a horse. Cheap horses are cheap for a reason and I've no desire to buy a load of problems. I'm with Spottedcat when she says she'd "spend what I needed to in order to get the best fit for the job I want the horse to do, without causing myself any financial issues."

When I search the for sale ads at the mo I put a minimum price of £4K. 

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No, exactly, it is my personal opinion. Ive just brought my horse for way less that £1k, and at his first comp, admittedly only diddy jumps, he came 2nd, so there not all bad! With a good eye, and a sticky bum, I dont see a problem with it myself. But then, I was out looking for something I could break in myself. My parents brought my sister an eventer when I was younger, been there, done it, placed every outing type, passed down to me when she went to uni, and I was bored of him! He's now out on loan to a lovely little boy, who competes him, and is having a whale of a time doing PC, and getting himself into the eventing scene. But I personally dont want a ready made horse, wheres the sense of achievment in that? lol

bexcy-bee x


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## Puppy (5 July 2011)

bexcy-bee said:



			No, exactly, it is my personal opinion. Ive just brought my horse for way less that £1k, and at his first comp, admittedly only diddy jumps, he came 2nd, so there not all bad! With a good eye, and a sticky bum, I dont see a problem with it myself. But then, I was out looking for something I could break in myself. My parents brought my sister an eventer when I was younger, been there, done it, placed every outing type, passed down to me when she went to uni, and I was bored of him! He's now out on loan to a lovely little boy, who competes him, and is having a whale of a time doing PC, and getting himself into the eventing scene. But I personally dont want a ready made horse, wheres the sense of achievment in that? lol

bexcy-bee x
		
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Personal opinion indeed  Even with 'a good eye and sticky bum', as I said on your previous thread, there's no way I would touch a broken down ex racer with behaviour problems and questionable conformation. 

Never mind 'achievement' I want fun from my time in the saddle.  I did 'problem horses' when I was a teen and had quite a reputation for doing well with them but once you're permanently injured they very definitely lose appeal. I want a horse that is a pleasure to deal with; one that is well mannered at all times, and well schooled. I'm more than happy to spend a large sum of money to get that. I'd feel very much the same if I were buying a pony for my children.


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## bexcy-bee (5 July 2011)

Puppy said:



			Personal opinion indeed  Even with 'a good eye and sticky bum', as I said on your previous thread, there's no way I would touch a broken down ex racer with behaviour problems and questionable conformation. 

Never mind 'achievement' I want fun from my time in the saddle.  I did 'problem horses' when I was a teen and had quite a reputation for doing well with them but once you're permanently injured they very definitely lose appeal. I want a horse that is a pleasure to deal with; one that is well mannered at all times, and well schooled. I'm more than happy to spend a large sum of money to get that. I'd feel very much the same if I were buying a pony for my children. 

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Good job my 'broken down ex-racer' doesnt have behaviour problems, and questionable conformation, maybe pain issues, and personal dislikes...

Maybe when Im out of my teens, I will be looking for something more sedate, something to have fun with, but then I will still have Smokey, so will be having fun [=

I definately agree though, I wouldn't buy my child something dangerous, unless they were capable and wanted a challenge, even then I wouldnt get something stupid!

Each to their own as they say [=

bexcy-bee x


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## FMM (5 July 2011)

bexcy-bee said:



			I competed for U21's for England at 12!
		
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In which case your steed must have been worth a small fortune if it was good enough to compete internationally with a 12 year old child in an under 21 competition!!!!


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## caterpillar (5 July 2011)

FMM said:



			In which case your steed must have been worth a small fortune if it was good enough to compete internationally with a 12 year old child in an under 21 competition!!!!
		
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Touche


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## Puppy (5 July 2011)

FMM said:



			In which case your steed must have been worth a small fortune if it was good enough to compete internationally with a 12 year old child in an under 21 competition!!!!
		
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LOL! Indeed! You could buy a trillion ex racers for the money such a horse would sell for. 

I, for one, would love to see some photos of said horse.


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## SpottedCat (5 July 2011)

SophieLouBee - what makes you think that those with the money to buy an expensive horse have not worked hard to get the money to be able to do that, and what makes you think they have not instilled the same work ethic in their children. It's perfectly possible to have to work hard in order to get something expensive...


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## bexcy-bee (5 July 2011)

FMM said:



			In which case your steed must have been worth a small fortune if it was good enough to compete internationally with a 12 year old child in an under 21 competition!!!!
		
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caterpillar said:



			Touche



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Puppy said:



			LOL! Indeed! You could buy a trillion ex racers for the money such a horse would sell for. 

I, for one, would love to see some photos of said horse.
		
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Actually, for England isn't internationally, its National, He was a loan pony from a very good family friend, who still own said pony, and give me 2 mins and I will upload a photo, with the border around for all you delightful people [=


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## bexcy-bee (5 July 2011)

That was me at 12 years old. I also did the same competiton at 14, on my coloured boy, but if anyone was there, the weather was dreadful, and the ground collapsed, so they replaced it for showjumping.

At 12, I was doing Novice (which at the time was under 21's, not sure if it is now) [=

At 14, there were people from Canada, America and somewhere else (apologies, I cannot remember currently) competing with us [=


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## caterpillar (5 July 2011)

I'm disappointed, I thought you meant national level competition ie BSJA not pony club.
I know several people who at 12 competed at PC Novice Champs.


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## FMM (5 July 2011)

No need to see pictures. I am not disbelieving you.  However, if you represent your country then presumably you are competing against people from other countries which makes it international?


Cross posted!

Lovely pony.  And I bet was worth a small fortune had they decided to sell him rather than loan him to you!


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## bexcy-bee (5 July 2011)

caterpillar said:



			I'm disappointed, I thought you meant national level competition ie BSJA not pony club.
I know several people who at 12 competed at PC Novice Champs.
		
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Please note the argument, I was saying I competed higher than 75cm in PC, I went on to say I competed nationally at 12, the sentence kind of gives away the fact its with PC. And Its funny you know so many people, when I did it, I was told I was one of only 4 ever to do it so young, though may have changed by now of course. (This is tetrathlon, not SJ or eventing, where you cant buy your position on the team, you actually have to be good, though I did also do SJ)

Look, Im not trying to cause an argument, get called a liar etc, Im merely stating you dont need lots of money to get a good horse to a good level. Also, that PC isn't so boring that you only ever jump 75cm...


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## charlie76 (5 July 2011)

My last horse cost me £500, he has just one his first event, the one before that cost me £1, I schooled him to advanced medium, however, if money was no object I would buy the best horse I could afford and if that was Moorland Totilas at £££££'s millions or 	NZB LAND VISION then bloody hell I would, I would go and get them tommorow! (having said that I doubt I could ride one side of them!) I would then keep them in my top of range yard and transport them in my beautiful lorry with double pop outs! And I couldn't give a t*ss who was jealous, would just smile as I floated on by!


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## DragonSlayer (5 July 2011)

If I was loaded, and my son was highly competitive, and I didn't have to work so could devote all my time to it, then I'd buy a pony that cost that much. Why wouldn't I? 

If I was UBER loaded, I'd think nothing of blowing £500,000 on an 'oss, doubtful I would have the skill (until I paid for a top instructor!) to take meself to the top, but I wouldn't bat an eyelid..


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## bexcy-bee (5 July 2011)

FMM said:



			No need to see pictures. I am not disbelieving you.  However, if you represent your country then presumably you are competing against people from other countries which makes it international?


Cross posted!

Lovely pony.  And I bet was worth a small fortune had they decided to sell him rather than loan him to you!
		
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We were competing against Wales, N Ireland and Scotland.

He would be worth a small fortune, though was the horriblist pony on the ground, and kicked if you needed to get off, and get back on for any reason - for example doing a slip rail in a tet, had many a bruise from that little moster!

bexcy-bee x


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## FMM (5 July 2011)

charlie76 said:



			My last horse cost me £500, he has just one his first event, the one before that cost me £1, I schooled him to advanced medium, however, if money was no object I would buy the best horse I could afford and if that was Moorland Totilas at £££££'s millions or 	NZB LAND VISION then bloody hell I would, I would go and get them tommorow! (having said that I doubt I could ride one side of them!) I would then keep them in my top of range yard and transport them in my beautiful lorry with double pop outs! And I couldn't give a t*ss who was jealous, would just smile as I floated on by!
		
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I love what you have just written - encompasses absolutely everything in one paragraph!!!!


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## Turitea (5 July 2011)

Absolutely reasonbably priced for a pony of such class. Such ponies are sold on for an exorbitant amount of money in Germany, you wouldn't believe how much money parents are willing to spend. Crazy!! They should advertise it in Germany.


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## Lanky Loll (5 July 2011)

At the end of the day if you had the money and a good enough jockey - what wouldn't you pay for your kids to excel?
Here's the great Colton Maelstrom in action:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1dlhbrnpdI


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## charlie76 (5 July 2011)

FMM, might even add a little wave as performed my one time changes around my olympic sized indoor school!!! 
anyone who says differently is not being truthful IMO, lets see you have all the money you could want, some one offers you and ex racer for £200 or the next Olympic prospect for £200K, honestly ,which would you choose!!!????


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## FMM (5 July 2011)

charlie76 said:



			FMM, might even add a little wave as performed my one time changes around my olympic sized indoor school!!! 
anyone who says differently is not being truthful IMO, lets see you have all the money you could want, some one offers you and ex racer for £200 or the next Olympic prospect for £200K, honestly ,which would you choose!!!????
		
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absolutely right!!!  It is like houses.  No matter HOW much money you have to spend on one, the one you want is always a bit out of your price bracket.  But we don't have a go at people who buy a large house when they could easily fit into a caravan ...


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## bexcy-bee (5 July 2011)

charlie76 said:



			FMM, might even add a little wave as performed my one time changes around my olympic sized indoor school!!! 
anyone who says differently is not being truthful IMO, lets see you have all the money you could want, some one offers you and ex racer for £200 or the next Olympic prospect for £200K, honestly ,which would you choose!!!????
		
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If money were no issue, and I was a good enough rider to actually help the horse around the course, then yes, of course I would go for the £200k one, who wouldnt?

But as my riding will never get to that level, then the £200 ex racer everytime, after all, whats that bad with ex racers? Some go on to become the next olympic prospect being sold for £200k

bexcy-bee x


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## SpottedCat (5 July 2011)

Amen to that charlie76!!

There's nothing wrong with the cheaper horses - but anyone who thinks Mary King spends a few hundred on a horse is delusional


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## Scheherezade (5 July 2011)

FMM said:



			I love what you have just written - encompasses absolutely everything in one paragraph!!!!
		
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Well.. yes. But as I have reiterated many, many times. It's not about spending £££££'s on a HORSE, it's about spending £££££££'s and putting children thruogh a life of strict competition.


have written this 1000 times already, but if the parents spent £500K on a horse for themselves, I wouldn't bat an eyelid, and would definately do the same for myself or OH, but would never do that for a CHILD, who should be playing and enjoying being a CHILD, not strictly tied down to the international competition lifestyle. You hear of some schools not running any competitive sports (eg races) on sports day - this is like the opposite end of the spectrum!


*wishing people would READ what is written*


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## Scheherezade (5 July 2011)

SpottedCat said:



			Amen to that charlie76!!

There's nothing wrong with the cheaper horses - but anyone who thinks Mary King spends a few hundred on a horse is delusional 

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ARGH.... am giving up on HHO now. Do I really need to go through my old posts re-quoting everything I've put?! right, will do just that.


(To the tune of YES I know international HORSES cost a lot. YES I know Mary King, WFP etc HORSES ridden by ADULTS will cost that. But am pretty sure neithers parents spent £35K on their childrens ponies!)


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## Scheherezade (5 July 2011)

quote 1


BrambleandMonty said:



			Now I understand the cost of serious sports horses, Olympic prospects etcetc. But £35,000 for a PONY, for a CHILD?! 

YES (before aqnyone starts) I'm aware of the cost a horse that was a winning prospect for Badminton, Burghley, has been trained and competed by Mary King will cost, but a CHILDS PONY?! - 


I mean, there's no other """""sport""""" like it, is there? Lewis Hamilton wouldn't have had a F1 car bought for him, he grew up on go karts, got the sponsorship. I doubt Andy Murrays tennis racket cost £35,000. My jaw just dropped, £35,000! For a child!
		
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## Scheherezade (5 July 2011)

Quote 2


BrambleandMonty said:



			Glad it's not just me then! I mean, if the parents want to spend that much money on THEMSELVES is ok, but a pony?! For a child!
		
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## charlie76 (5 July 2011)

umm, wheres the difference?? Again, I have no children but when I do, if they show the inclination to ride and be sucessful at their sport and I had plenty of money, would I buy them the top ponies, yep, I would. 
I imagine that an even better feeling than you suceeding would be seeing your child do the best that they can.


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## charlie76 (5 July 2011)

I bet if Lewis Hamiltons dad could have afforded to buy him an F1 car at a young age he would have done! The reality is that most normal families are not mega rich but some are and the ones that are, if they can afford it, why the hell not???


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## Scheherezade (5 July 2011)

Quote 3



BrambleandMonty said:



			have no issue with horses - all the money in the world couldn't compete against a top talented rider - am sure if I spent 200K I still wouldn't be nudging Pippa out of Team GB. It's for the KIDS. - They'll never get all the fun, messy mucky pony swapping fun of PC etc.

Does ring bells of the child russian gymnasts scandal - adults making kids compete
		
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....am hoping will not have to keep saying the same thing over and over, before anyone mentions MK/WFP/Totilas again.

it just sounds like something a dispatches documentary will be made of in the near future - Britains answer the to Russian child gymnasts. Can only imagine parents who spend 35K on a pony will not be too happy if the child decides they want to go to a sleepover, or lose interest in ponies, or just doesn't do very well?!

Where's the childhood in it? Where's the fun of messing around and being a kid?


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## Puppy (5 July 2011)

bexcy-bee said:



			Actually, for England isn't internationally, its National, He was a loan pony from a very good family friend, who still own said pony, and give me 2 mins and I will upload a photo, with the border around for all you delightful people [=
		
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Well no actually, not if you are using correct English. Competing nationally would be competing IN England. Competing FOR England implies that you are representing your country at an international competition. There's quite a difference between PC national champs and international junior competitions. Lol!


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## Scheherezade (5 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			Again I'm going to say this as you simple seem incapable of getting it, These children CHOOSE to compete and be bloody good at it!! it is their CHOICE to do this they are not pushed into it by anyone, like I said on the yards I have worked at mummy and daddy where rarely seen or heard from and used as walking cheque books and cash points.
are you going to deny your children the right to choose and will you hold them back if good at something? seeing as you seem to beleive children should not compete to a high standard!!
		
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Just can't picture a 5/6/7 year old saying "mummy, will Santa bring me intensive training sessions this christmas"... Can only imagine parents who spend 35K on a pony will not be too happy if the child decides they want to go to a sleepover whilst they're supposed to be 'training', or lose interest in ponies, or just doesn't do very well?!

Wasn't getting frustrated with you - was with people going on abou thow much competition horses cost, and talking of MK?WFP/Totilas, which is outside the point.

I do see where you're coming from, it's just very difficult to imagine. Unless £35k pony is for a teenage ride, which I suppose would be less heinous - am hoping that maybe these parents do allow the actual children (i.e. under 12s) to have a few years of being a child, but I can imagine there are some pretty pushy parents of 7 year olds...


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## Lanky Loll (5 July 2011)

BrambleandMonty said:



			it just sounds like something a dispatches documentary will be made of in the near future - Britains answer the to Russian child gymnasts. Can only imagine parents who spend 35K on a pony will not be too happy if the child decides they want to go to a sleepover, or lose interest in ponies, or just doesn't do very well?!

Where's the childhood in it? Where's the fun of messing around and being a kid?
		
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There's plenty of childhood in it - at a show they'll have to concentrate for their class - so approx 15 minutes per round incl warm up multiplied by the appropriate number of classes / ponies - it doesn't actually take that much time.  The rest of the time.. .I remember playing in the river, talking to my friends, playing LOTS of pool, going to the discos that certain venues always held on the Saturday night, and generally behaving like I was out with a group of mates - which oops I was.  We had sleepovers in one another's lorries and were KIDS.  Yes there were a very few that were treated more strictly by their parents - tighter bed times, etc but you see that at school and in other circumstances as well.
(Although I will put a slight disclaimer - we never bought a £35k pony... but we sold a few )


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## SpottedCat (5 July 2011)

Mary King spent in excess of 40k on two horses for Emily and lobbied for a change in the rules of BE to allow her to compete as a 12 year old. I really can't see a problem with that, if you've got the money, why not?


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## SpottedCat (5 July 2011)

Oh, and whilst I read your points op, you'll note I was responding to other people, who'd taken the conversation in a different direction...it happens


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## charlie76 (5 July 2011)

The pony is 14.1hh, how many children aged 5,6,7 are going to be riding a 14.1hh FEI schoolmaster?? 
Maybe a county standard leadrein/first ridden?


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## Scheherezade (5 July 2011)

charlie76 said:



			umm, wheres the difference?? .
		
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Childhood? Fun? A few years of childhood NOT spent being told the only thing you are worth is a red rosette, that your entire value in life is to win, that winning and competing and beating people and training, training seriously hard, endlessly, just to win.

People can do what they want with themselves, but I just think a child should be allowed to remain a child, without the pressure of FEI international competition.

It's the same kind of thing as the children who are forced to study 18 hours a day on their own solidaly, so they can have a degree by age 12 - there's just no childhood life in it.

I suppose if the child has had a great time as a kid, and then turns into a competitive teenager, then that's something different.


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## bexcy-bee (5 July 2011)

Puppy said:



			Well no actually, not if you are using correct English. Competing nationally would be competing IN England. Competing FOR England implies that you are representing your country at an international competition. There's quite a difference between PC national champs and international junior competitions. Lol!
		
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Actually, no. Competing for GBR is competing internationally, and competing for ENGLAND is competing nationally.

At no time did I say there was not a difference between PC Nationals, and International junior comps, I was merely stating thats PC doesnt just mean 75cm! If you could read, you may have found that out prior to posting this comment. At no time did I state I was doing more than PC Nationals, People may have read it as that, for which I apologise, but please note, I competed for U21's for PONY CLUB, and I am NOT saying its the same as INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR COMPETITIONS. Has everyone got that now?


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## tinap (5 July 2011)

Brambleandmonty - sorry can't quote off phone!! I know what you are trying to say!! I've seen a lot of kids & parents this year at SJ events around the country where the kids are crying because mum & dad have really shouted & screamed at them for having a pole down or being a second too slow - "I haven't paid all that money on this pony for u to ******* it up" was one I heard!! this isn't enjoyment for the child!! Yes its the minority that I hear things like this from, but its frustrating because its usually the ones who have tons of v.expensive ponies to compete on. I got a lot of strange looks when at POYS the last thing I say to my girl before she goes in the ring is "just go & enjoy"! She is very determined & has high expectations but she knows that realistically we will never be able to afford for her to have a top pony, or even a 2nd pony, so she just enjoys what she does & tries her best. PC is her time to relax & play about with her pony


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## berry (5 July 2011)

When Louise pavitt used to ride newyork spritzer he was up for sale for £125,000!!!!!


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## charlie76 (5 July 2011)

So what you are saying is, even though this pony is an obvious saint, has all the talent in the world, has won numerous titles and is a total superstar, they should advertise it for £3500 instead of its true value of , I have no doubt £35,000 on the off chance that some one might buy the pony who is a terrible parent that will force their child to ride and compete the pony against their will and have no childhood and no life- this it itself is a very strange assumption!
Or
Maybe they should just give it away?
Or 
Put it down so no other child can have the benefit of learning from the pony?


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## tinap (5 July 2011)

its going round in circles now!!  I think she was saying , "wow - expensive pony, no way I'd spend that on a kid, wouldn't be able to have fun at pc on it" its all personal opinion, freedom of speech & all that!! That's what op thinks, others don't (I do BTW!!) Done. It's getting boring now...


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## FMM (5 July 2011)

BrambleandMonty said:



			Well.. yes. But as I have reiterated many, many times. It's not about spending £££££'s on a HORSE, it's about spending £££££££'s and putting children thruogh a life of strict competition.


have written this 1000 times already, but if the parents spent £500K on a horse for themselves, I wouldn't bat an eyelid, and would definately do the same for myself or OH, but would never do that for a CHILD, who should be playing and enjoying being a CHILD, not strictly tied down to the international competition lifestyle. You hear of some schools not running any competitive sports (eg races) on sports day - this is like the opposite end of the spectrum!


*wishing people would READ what is written*
		
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You don't know what it feels like to be in that situation in the same way that someone who spends £35k on a pony doesn't know what it is like to be you.  Just give it a rest and appreciate your life for what it is and let everyone else get on with theirs!!!  And I have read what you have written.  You HAVEN'T written this 1000 times.  

To be fair, how do you KNOW how a child with a £35k pony lives their lives.  I could tell you, (having had contact with children who HAVE had that money spent on them - not me I hasten to add - I wish!!!!)  but no matter WHAT I told you, you just would not listen.  You have a fixed idea in your head and nothing anyone says will change your mind.

So - no point writing what you think the remaining 995 times (to make it up to your 1000 times) - as most people appear not to agree with you.


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## Lolo (5 July 2011)

Bloody hell... This is all a bit dramatic, though I love the idea that doing PC stuff makes you a national rider if you get to the champs! FWIW, several ponies contesting the PC champs in the last few years would have cost that money. There is no price on a safe pony to pop round 1.15m and do a decent dressage test.

Al is deadly competitive of entirely her own accord. She voluntarily took her ponies round 1.10m BE Novice courses (unaff, but same course) at the age of 12. She was doing 1m ODEs age 11 without batting an eyelid. This pony did PC camp, PC rallies, the lot. He was, however, a nightmare. He was worth about £8k as he was totally off his head but would go round that height. If we could have afforded to support her ambition with ponies who were safe and weren't prone to random bolting/ napping/ rearing episodes and who'd jump that height at FEI pony trials then yes we'd have bought one for her. It wouldn't have ruined her childhood. It would have probably made it one heck of a lot safer! 

Having fun is different for different children. For some, it's all in pushing themselves to their best over testing courses and winning. For others, that would finish them off. If your child was desperate to win at that level and you could afford to help them realise their dream then why wouldn't you?


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## team barney (5 July 2011)

If a parent can afford to pay 35k for a pony for their child chances are they can afford to lose it!  If the parents had mortgaged themselves upto the hilt for said child's pony I can understand the pressure argument.

The 'deadstock' comment is very naive, these ponies/horses are insured for many many thousands and are unfortunately often worth more dead than alive, hence the reason many don't survive minor injuries 

Pony Club isn't the be all and end all of enjoyment, I honestly think it is extremely overrated and full of half cop instructors who only seem to advise 'shorten you reins'.  Not a good environment for a genuinely talented rider to learn in my opinion.  Pony Club are far to keen on rough riding for my liking.

Regarding the 'pony swap'  I wouldn't let some kick happy child get on my inexpensive pony and I wouldn't have done as a child.


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## FMM (5 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			FMM Although I doubt we have met, seeing you look to to be a showing person, and  me up until recently a showjumper through and through, we could not have a closer oppinion on this subject, even if we had  been cloned!! I whole heartedly 100% agree with what you have said above
		
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I gave up the jumping lark many years ago and concentrated on showing - but when I had the guts as a teenager, I would have given everything to have had a proper jumping pony and be able to compete at the same level then as I do now in showing!


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## FMM (5 July 2011)

Excellent - a convert.  Where are you going to do your workers?
All the best workers do a lot of show jumping!


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## Mithras (5 July 2011)

I can't say I find it very admirable, parents paying 35k for top ponies.  Who buys the ponies for the children who have talent but not rich parents?  And who do you think will be more successful as adults, having gone through the route of riding a mixture of ponies, worked for a top rider or two and learned how to get the best out of not so good ponies and horses?

Of course its the parents that are competitive.  Once you get one set of parents buying a 35k pony and their child doing well on it, other parents see it and buy a comparable one.


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## FMM (5 July 2011)

Mithras said:



			I can't say I find it very admirable, parents paying 35k for top ponies.  Who buys the ponies for the children who have talent but not rich parents?  And who do you think will be more successful as adults, having gone through the route of riding a mixture of ponies, worked for a top rider or two and learned how to get the best out of not so good ponies and horses?

Of course its the parents that are competitive.  Once you get one set of parents buying a 35k pony and their child doing well on it, other parents see it and buy a comparable one.
		
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Are you actually naive enough to think that all the top ponies are easy to ride?  The kids that ride most of these ponies are fantastic jockies - most of them have a top pony or two and some younger ones that they are working on behind the scenes.  Strangely, just like "grown up" show jumpers.  Who do you think produces these top ponies if it is not the children?

The odd parent or two that has a non talented child doesn't keep wasting their money as the child is generally unable to ride said pony(ies).

My parents did not have a horsey bone in their body but I can assure you my competitive spirit was alive and well at the age of 11 even if they didn't come to watch me compete. And I suspect I am not alone!!!

And it is not just horse riding that the poorer children find it hard to excel at.  Sailing, tennis, gymnastics, swimming - just about EVERY sport that you may like to compete at top level is enormously expensive without sponsorship.


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## Lanky Loll (5 July 2011)

team barney said:



			If a parent can afford to pay 35k for a pony for their child chances are they can afford to lose it!  If the parents had mortgaged themselves upto the hilt for said child's pony I can understand the pressure argument.
		
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 Definitely and I have seen it happen and parents bankrupted - but as I pointed out in an earlier post and as you seem to know it doesn't always have to be that way.



team barney said:



			The 'deadstock' comment is very naive, these ponies/horses are insured for many many thousands and are unfortunately often worth more dead than alive, hence the reason many don't survive minor injuries 

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Not that naive - it was actually the owner's reaction when we rang to tell him  to me it represents that he was a realistic chap and realised that sometimes these thing happen.


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## Orangehorse (5 July 2011)

The trouble with these super expensive ponies is that the parents fork out all that money, plonk the child on and expect them to go out and win, and they often don't give the new partnership time to get to know each other.

I have known of two really good ponies, both advertised in H & H for around £12,000 but selling them became a nightmare.  The previous owners had brought them on over years and been really successful, but the new owners just assumed the pony was just going to go out and win, with no input from the rider.  (We paid all that money, why isn't it happening), and both ponies just kept coming back, confused and loosing form.
Reunited with the previous riders they were fine, but of course they were growing out of the classes.

Both found good homes in the end, but it was quite tricky, and one minute you have a pony worth £lots and if something goes wrong for the new owner, the gossip goes round and suddenly no one wants to know.


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## lhotse (5 July 2011)

Don't laugh, but 20 years ago we sold a pony for £700. He was purchased from a lady who let him graze the verges for grand sum of £600. We sold him because I didn't have a need for him, and he scared my sister by trying to jump the fence dividing the paddocks, and she already had a pony anyway.

We made a grand sum of £100!!!

Eight years later, he was sold for £145,000, and became the number one 14.2hh jumping pony in europe!!!!!


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## lhotse (5 July 2011)

Here is picture of him competing in 2009 at the age of 25!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fm-photography/3268755013/


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## Lanky Loll (5 July 2011)

lhotse said:



			Here is picture of him competing in 2009 at the age of 25!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fm-photography/3268755013/

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I recognise that lovely boy  Competed against him when he was a novice, and my brother rode against him in plenty of classes.  Fantastic pony.


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## Lanky Loll (5 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			@LHotse That's Gold Harvest, I knew him when Lance Whitehouse rode him 

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You must nearly be a contemporary of my brother then


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## lhotse (5 July 2011)

He was a lovely pony, always trying to please. The lady who we purchased him from got scared of him as she really couldn't ride, bless her. He used to be called 'Gormy Stormy' as he was always grazing along the verge with an artic up his backside!!

He really could move, and I did want to keep him for endurance, but we decided to sell him as I already had my mare, and my sister was scared of him.

I think his later nickname was 'the helicopter'!!!

I wonder if he is still around?


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## Puppy (5 July 2011)

lhotse said:



			Here is picture of him competing in 2009 at the age of 25!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fm-photography/3268755013/

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WOW! Awesome pony! I'll hold my hands up and say I am mighty jealous of any child (or adult!) who gets to ride one like that


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## You Wont Forget Me (5 July 2011)

A horse i shared/rode with my cousin cost 100K believe it or not!!!


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## lhotse (5 July 2011)

Well, he was just a pony to us, we never knew how good he would become!! I used to enjoy riding him, he was good fun. But I was only 17/18 at the time, at 6th form with a part time job and had a fantastic little mare who was never going to be sold (lost her in Feb), so there wasn't room for him.


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## lhotse (5 July 2011)

MagsnPaddy said:



			You must nearly be a contemporary of my brother then 

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Haha, no, the nearest I ever got to a showjumping ring was the clear round at the local show!!!


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## tinap (5 July 2011)

Watched him compete at POYS this year!


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## Lanky Loll (5 July 2011)

lhotse said:



			Haha, no, the nearest I ever got to a showjumping ring was the clear round at the local show!!!
		
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Sorry - meant The Hooligan 
I came second often enough to your pony when he was a novice  My brother competed against him around the time that Lance had him.


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## lhotse (5 July 2011)

MagsnPaddy said:



			Sorry - meant The Hooligan 
I came second often enough to your pony when he was a novice  My brother competed against him around the time that Lance had him.
		
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Yep, sorry, just realised that!!!
Can't believe he is still competing, I often see his old owner (who we purchased him from) so I'll have to tell her!
He actually 27 now, he somehow lost a year somewhere, but he was a year older than my mare, so he's quite incredible!!!


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## Lanky Loll (5 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			Lance is alot younger than me, but i worked on a comp yard with a junior team , I competed against, Ernie's Keep, Strawberry Fair, Blonde Ambition, White Lace, and others
		
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Maybe not then  
We were more the start of Mr Polo & Colton Maelstrom era


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## Lanky Loll (5 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			Mr Polo was the ugliest pony I have ever seen, but what a jump! and I rememeber CM when the Beaumonts had her.
		
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Polo was incredible - and really quirky, a great example of not easy to ride!  He's still with the Macdonalds out in the field.

CM - well lets just say I had her and Gold Harvest to compete against in novice classes  At least it meant the competition was good.  She went to the Beaumonts afterwards and I think my brother competed against the younger seister.


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## Lanky Loll (5 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			Do you remember a really pretty Dun mare called HopscotchToffeepop? Her and the older sister with CM where always up against each other, My friend Amy had the Dun pony.
		
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Vaguely - I must admit once I was off ponies I wasn't at the shows so much - there are 5 years between my brother and I so we tended to have to try and be in different places.  We had Master Roscoe about that time but he was being ridden by a friend of ours as I was too old and my brother was still on 128s.


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## Lanky Loll (5 July 2011)

Best hunting pony I ever had (so yah boo to those that say these ponies only do one job) 
He went to the Europeans while we owned him and did all the usual HPI teams, HOYS etc.


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## RunToEarth (5 July 2011)

FMM said:



			Are you actually naive enough to think that all the top ponies are easy to ride?  The kids that ride most of these ponies are fantastic jockies - most of them have a top pony or two and some younger ones that they are working on behind the scenes.  Strangely, just like "grown up" show jumpers.  Who do you think produces these top ponies if it is not the children?

The odd parent or two that has a non talented child doesn't keep wasting their money as the child is generally unable to ride said pony(ies).

My parents did not have a horsey bone in their body but I can assure you my competitive spirit was alive and well at the age of 11 even if they didn't come to watch me compete. And I suspect I am not alone!!!

And it is not just horse riding that the poorer children find it hard to excel at.  Sailing, tennis, gymnastics, swimming - just about EVERY sport that you may like to compete at top level is enormously expensive without sponsorship.
		
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I completely agree with this, and it always riles me when people harp on about how elite equestrian sports are, because you need a fair bit of dollar to compete seriously in any sport. 
I would also like to point out (and I haven't read the whole thread in detail so forgive me if it has been covered) that The Pony Club is not just about getting dirty at camp and monging about with mounted egg and spoon races, it produces decent riders, the Pony Club Champs are not your average 2ft6 and if you look at the decent pony club ponies for sale they are not cheap either. 
There is a lot to be said for attempting to buy into a sport (remember Katie Price's Olympic Dressage dream?) but having financial help launching you into a sport you genuinely want to get to the top in isn't a bad thing. 

FMM- on a different note, are you doing Great Yorkshire this year? looked for you at Lincs but was a busy one. 
R


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## Mithras (5 July 2011)

FMM said:



			Are you actually naive enough to think that all the top ponies are easy to ride?  The kids that ride most of these ponies are fantastic jockies - most of them have a top pony or two and some younger ones that they are working on behind the scenes.  Strangely, just like "grown up" show jumpers.  Who do you think produces these top ponies if it is not the children?
		
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I'm not naive in the slightest, my dear.  I can only say that the three JA ponies I've ever ridden (not belonging to me) were probably the easiest and best schooled equines I've ever ridden.  

I do wonder who produces them?  Small adults in a lot of cases I suspect. 



FMM said:



			And it is not just horse riding that the poorer children find it hard to excel at.  Sailing, tennis, gymnastics, swimming - just about EVERY sport that you may like to compete at top level is enormously expensive without sponsorship.
		
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There are certainly plenty of "poorer" (or as many would say, ordinary) children excelling in other sports.  I've yet to hear of an athlete's parents paying for the installation of their own personal athletics track and buying them a pair of £25,000 spikes.  But in most other sports, successful juniors are selected on the basis of talent, not how fortunate they have been in being born to wealthy parents.


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## amage (5 July 2011)

BrambleandMonty said:



			Just can't picture a 5/6/7 year old saying "mummy, will Santa bring me intensive training sessions this christmas"... Can only imagine parents who spend 35K on a pony will not be too happy if the child decides they want to go to a sleepover whilst they're supposed to be 'training', or lose interest in ponies, or just doesn't do very well?!

Wasn't getting frustrated with you - was with people going on abou thow much competition horses cost, and talking of MK?WFP/Totilas, which is outside the point.

I do see where you're coming from, it's just very difficult to imagine. Unless £35k pony is for a teenage ride, which I suppose would be less heinous - am hoping that maybe these parents do allow the actual children (i.e. under 12s) to have a few years of being a child, but I can imagine there are some pretty pushy parents of 7 year olds...
		
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For someone who harped on at me about not reading your posts then you could do with reading mine....where I clearly tells you that on these ponies you are talking 14/15/16 year olds. A 16 year old is legally old enough to leave school and begin work...yes they are not an adult but certainly not a child!!


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## Mithras (6 July 2011)

amage said:



			For someone who harped on at me about not reading your posts then you could do with reading mine....where I clearly tells you that on these ponies you are talking 14/15/16 year olds. A 16 year old is legally old enough to leave school and begin work...yes they are not an adult but certainly not a child!!
		
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I know of several children under 10 with a string of top ponies costing megabucks.  But yes, I see your point.  Older children could have bought said top ponies with their paper round money...


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## amage (6 July 2011)

Mithras said:



			I know of several children under 10 with a string of top ponies costing megabucks.  But yes, I see your point.  Older children could have bought said top ponies with their paper round money...
		
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No you don't see my point...OP states less heinous if said pony bought for teenager! I pointed out on about the third page of this thread that IT IS teenagers competing at FEI level.


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## Mithras (6 July 2011)

amage said:



			No you don't see my point...OP states less heinous if said pony bought for teenager! I pointed out on about the third page of this thread that IT IS teenagers competing at FEI level.
		
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I do see your point - you're trying to make it seem something its not.  How many children get bought their top 14.2 ponies while they're still in 13.2s, or even still eligible for 12.2s?

You see it all the time.  Small kids on fab 12.2s - you're not telling me they've done their own schooling, when the parents have to hold their hands and lead them round the course walk!  Same kids on multiple ponies of differing heights.

ps teenagers start at age 13.


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## Dubsie (6 July 2011)

team barney said:



			Pony Club isn't the be all and end all of enjoyment, I honestly think it is extremely overrated and full of half cop instructors who only seem to advise 'shorten you reins'.  Not a good environment for a genuinely talented rider to learn in my opinion.  Pony Club are far to keen on rough riding for my liking.
		
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Depends entirely on the pony club IMO.  Ours has some very good instructors.


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## jeeve (6 July 2011)

I was talking to the kids riding instructor (when I can afford lessons for them) the other day. She has trained people to Olympic Standard and teaches OS in France/Europe part of the year. 

She teaches 6 & 7 year olds with "million dollar cheque books" so no it is not only teenagers that get serious money spent on them. If you have $50 million plus in the bank, maybe spending $250 000 - 500 000 on a pony is neither here nor there. 

I would not do it, but depends what the parents values/priorities are.We have a client that spends $500 000 on a car every 12 to 18 months, (plus about the same again racing it, )it depends what your poison is I guess.


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## PaddyMonty (6 July 2011)

BrambleandMonty said:



			I mean, there's no other """""sport""""" like it, is there? Lewis Hamilton wouldn't have had a F1 car bought for him, he grew up on go karts,
		
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You obviously have no idea of the cost of kart racing   £35k would run one kart at the front end of the grid at national level for one season but not european level. 
My son has recently taken up kart racing so I'm well aware of the pain


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## FMM (6 July 2011)

Mithras said:



			I'm not naive in the slightest, my dear.  I can only say that the three JA ponies I've ever ridden (not belonging to me) were probably the easiest and best schooled equines I've ever ridden.  

I do wonder who produces them?  Small adults in a lot of cases I suspect. 



There are certainly plenty of "poorer" (or as many would say, ordinary) children excelling in other sports.  I've yet to hear of an athlete's parents paying for the installation of their own personal athletics track and buying them a pair of £25,000 spikes.  But in most other sports, successful juniors are selected on the basis of talent, not how fortunate they have been in being born to wealthy parents.
		
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Naive AND patronising.

Anyway - back to the thread - I find it astonishing that so many people on here have been given rides on affiliated ponies, without having to have had to put their hands in their pockets to pay for them - then say that parents who DO pay for these ponies are wrong.

And no - small adults DON'T produce these ponies.

And I deliberately did not include athletics because this is one area where it is far easier for children from less well off families to do well.   The pony jumping brigade are still selected on the basis of their talent as a child that has no talent will STILL not be able to compete at top level, no matter what pony they have.  It is also easier for athletics to get sponsorship than it is for children riding.  Most of the child sponsorship is from family owned companies.  And RtE made a good point about Katie Price ...

What you are saying is almost the same as saying that any short person could ride the winner of the Derby and beat all the professional jockeys ... just because they were on the "best" horse ...


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## FMM (6 July 2011)

RunToEarth said:



			FMM- on a different note, are you doing Great Yorkshire this year? looked for you at Lincs but was a busy one. 
R
		
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My horse went, but I was at work when Lincoln was on!!!

Doing the coloureds on Tuesday and cobs on Wednesday at Great Yorkshire - shout if you see me (well, if you see Dinger who is easier to spot!!!!)   Are you competing?


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## ILuvCowparsely (6 July 2011)

ridiculous  dont think any animal is worth that no matter what once they reach aged  time they worth what u pay.
 i would NEVER spe3nd that amount on an animal  after all its humans  that say there worth that amount that certainly not worth that looking at the pony  no matter what its won  you only have around 6 years then the value drops out of it


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## amage (6 July 2011)

diamond_light said:



			ridiculous  dont think any animal is worth that 

 no matter what its won  you only have around 6 years then the value drops out of it
		
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Well anything is worth what anyone is willing to pay for it so just because you wouldn't pay it does not mean it's not worth that!

And as for only having six years...thats tosh! There are plenty of ponies jumping at top level well into their 20's. Colton Maelstrom, Shalom Outlaw, Scarlet H, Woodlouse, are just a handful of those that had a hell of a lot longer than 6 years at the top!


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## ILuvCowparsely (6 July 2011)

yes but nobody is going to see you walk down street and say wow she wearing a NEXT top and a Next shirt.  or say with that is a vidal sasoon haircut  or wow that pony is worth x mount money  

  or wow that ladies make up is from leichner or clarins  
it looks like any other on the face

 hence why i wont buy expensive stuff.


 people get conned into buying brand name stuff  

like buying weetabix  when they could by supermarket  branded  version


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## FMM (6 July 2011)

diamond_light said:



			yes but nobody is going to see you walk down street and say wow she wearing a NEXT top and a Next shirt.  or say with that is a vidal sasoon haircut  or wow that pony is worth x mount money  

  or wow that ladies make up is from leichner or clarins  
it looks like any other on the face

 hence why i wont buy expensive stuff.


 people get conned into buying brand name stuff  

like buying weetabix  when they could by supermarket  branded  version
		
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Hmmmm.  Not convinced you totally know what you are talking about here :/  Quality is quality and whether it is a make up, a dress, a pony or own brand coca cola, I can assure you that there is a difference


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## mulledwhine (6 July 2011)

I don't like super Market cereal 

If I had won the euro millions last night then price would not matter very much, and I guess there are plenty of people where money is no object


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## SpottedCat (6 July 2011)

Next is hardly an expensive designer brand! It's cheap work wear for the most part, and not easily distinguishable from any other chain store stuff. As for people not noticing - they do - I saw a lady in London the other day in a beautiful pair of Louboutins, and the friend I was with also commented on them. Now I choose to spend my disposable income on horses, and had someone at a show the other day admiring my lorry, but if I didn't, then I'd sure as hell buy those £500 shoes! My horses got from A to B just as well in my 1975 bedford which cost me under 2k, but now I can afford a shiny new custom built lorry, I do enjoy having it, driving it and generally using it. It's a weirdly British thing to think that actually spending decent money on something means you are either being ripped off or you haven't earnt your success.


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## Elf On A Shelf (6 July 2011)

When I was 16 I was given a horse that cost £4.5million to ride  

The reason he cost so much - he was bought as a yearling by Coolmore to race and become the next best thing to sliced bread. He was to be the Galileo of his day. He was by Sadler's Wells out of an Oaks winning mare. So off he went to race as a 2yo and his first race was a Group 2 at Royal Ascot in which he finished a close 2nd. And then things went downhill. During his stint as a 2yo and 3yo at Ballydoyle he never managed to win a race, even down to a seller so he was sent over to Jonjo's to be a National Hunt horse. He still never won a race and was sold in-yard to another owner. THey then sent him to Semples, again failing to win a race of any description and then on to us and thats when I got to ride him. Hurdling or chasing he still never won a race and he was sold for £500 out of racing to the local huntmaster as his hunt horse and Point To Pointer. He never even managed to win a PTP! 

It just goes to show - bloodlines can mean the world when you are buying youngsters but you can't be sure they will turn into anything a few years down the line - even with the very best trainers!


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## ILuvCowparsely (6 July 2011)

W/E


at the end of the day horses are horses  no matter what the price a human puts on its head. 

  All I am saying is  I will not pay mega bucks on a horse.


 A horse can be bought for allot of money they injure itself or be put down then its not worth much,
nuff said


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## FMM (6 July 2011)

diamond_light said:



			W/E


at the end of the day horses are horses  no matter what the price a human puts on its head. 

  All I am saying is  I will not pay mega bucks on a horse.


 A horse can be bought for allot of money they injure itself or be put down then its not worth much,
nuff said
		
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No idea what W/E means ...  

Horses are horses?  What point are you trying to make?
For that matter ...
And cars are cars
Jewellery is jewellery
etc etc etc

Anyway. No one is asking YOU to spend mega bucks on a horse.  The point being made is that it is up to each individual and you are not being criticised by anyone for spending peanuts on a horse - therefore someone who spends 3 or4 figure sums on a horse should equally not be criticised by YOU.


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## Lark (6 July 2011)

Have not read every post but most.
As others have said a 35k FEI pony is genuinely on the cheap side.
Most of the top ponies are passed from one kid to another and bought for £££ based on their proven ability at the top level, take both Quantum Light (sj) and Ice Cool Bailey (Eventing)for example they have brought four or five different children to the top and the price of the ponies is definitely reflected in that. The other factor is that if you spent that type of money on a 'proven' top pony you would hope to recoup the cost when selling on to the next generation; if they sound and sane of course.  With those 2 ponies in particular most of the outgrown jockeys have progressed to horses at a very competitive level so you could argue that the pony was a wise investment. 
Are they priviledged...no doubt.  However in my experience these 14, 15 and 16 year olds are equally as ambitious as the parents that are bank rolling them.


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## Mithras (6 July 2011)

FMM said:



			Naive AND patronising.

And I deliberately did not include athletics because this is one area where it is far easier for children from less well off families to do well.   The pony jumping brigade are still selected on the basis of their talent as a child that has no talent will STILL not be able to compete at top level, no matter what pony they have.  It is also easier for athletics to get sponsorship than it is for children riding.  Most of the child sponsorship is from family owned companies.  And RtE made a good point about Katie Price ...
		
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But children of limited talent can compete alongside more talented children, at least as long as the megabucks pony keeps going for them.

I think this sort of attitude is probably why public interest is so low in equine sports at the moment.  My talented runner friends all think that the horse does it all - that is their perecption of equine based sports, as members of the public.  Its not just athletics where you need far more money than talent to succeed - its many of our most popular sports - football (pushy parents will only get you so far along the selection process), cycling, triathlon, swimming, etc..



FMM said:



			What you are saying is almost the same as saying that any short person could ride the winner of the Derby and beat all the professional jockeys ... just because they were on the "best" horse ...
		
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Not at all.  The difference is that jockeys don't become successful due to parents buying them megabucks horses.  They work their apprenticeships, learn their trade, and get progressively better rides based on talent and results.


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## Mithras (6 July 2011)

FMM said:



			Anyway. No one is asking YOU to spend mega bucks on a horse.  The point being made is that it is up to each individual and you are not being criticised by anyone for spending peanuts on a horse - therefore someone who spends 3 or4 figure sums on a horse should equally not be criticised by YOU.
		
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I don't think its criticism.  Its scepticism.  All we're saying is that we are not particularly taken in by the supposed "talent" of all of the pony riders who depend on parents to buy them successful proven ponies.  I found the name dropping of famous ponies in this thread alongside fairly tenuous connections quite cringe-making.  

So did Zara Phillips get bought megabucks ponies as a child so she could make it to the top?  Or is it just a typical new money trait of spoiling their children?

Edited to add that with the Katie Price example (perhaps not the best one), I have no problem with people using money they have earned themselves to spend how they wish.


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## FMM (6 July 2011)

Mithras said:



			I don't think its criticism.  Its scepticism.  All we're saying is that we are not particularly taken in by the supposed "talent" of all of the pony riders who depend on parents to buy them successful proven ponies.  I found the name dropping of famous ponies in this thread alongside fairly tenuous connections quite cringe-making.  

So did Zara Phillips get bought megabucks ponies as a child so she could make it to the top?  Or is it just a typical new money trait of spoiling their children?

Edited to add that with the Katie Price example (perhaps not the best one), I have no problem with people using money they have earned themselves to spend how they wish.
		
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Do you think that Zara Phillips had £250 ponies and then suddenly became a world beating eventer when she hit her 20s?


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## lhotse (6 July 2011)

Mithras said:



			I.  I found the name dropping of famous ponies in this thread alongside fairly tenuous connections quite cringe-making.  


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I'm not sure if you are aiming that comment at me?
Tenuous connection being that the pony was set on the right course in life, we owned him for 18 months, and took him from being a pony who did exactly what he wanted to a pony who could work in a proper outline, hack out without taking the mick and actually be useful rather than just a pet as he was in his previous home. I really couldn't have cared if he had just gone on to be a regular pony club pony. The fact that he has become what he is now is not down to me, but to say that I am namedropping just for the sake of it is rather off.


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## RunToEarth (6 July 2011)

FMM said:



			My horse went, but I was at work when Lincoln was on!!!

Doing the coloureds on Tuesday and cobs on Wednesday at Great Yorkshire - shout if you see me (well, if you see Dinger who is easier to spot!!!!)   Are you competing?
		
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I will look out for you, no I'm not now, going with the golden gon palace and co because oshk is moving to lincs and grey boy hasn't done any showing this season! 
Diamond-light- expensive make up is better quality, expensive shoes are made better and last longer than a cheap pair, people pay for quality.
Attitudes like yours "a horse is a horse" are the reason there are so many badly bred,mismatched horses with bad conformation, which doesn't do the horsey world any favours.


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## Lanky Loll (6 July 2011)

lhotse said:



			I'm not sure if you are aiming that comment at me?
Tenuous connection being that the pony was set on the right course in life, we owned him for 18 months, and took him from being a pony who did exactly what he wanted to a pony who could work in a proper outline, hack out without taking the mick and actually be useful rather than just a pet as he was in his previous home. I really couldn't have cared if he had just gone on to be a regular pony club pony. The fact that he has become what he is now is not down to me, but to say that I am namedropping just for the sake of it is rather off.
		
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I thought it was aimed at a few of us including me! Nothing like trying to establish common ground  Anyway - they were examples of expensive ponies I thought, showing that this one certainly isn't unusual - or that expensive for what it's asked to do.


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## lhotse (6 July 2011)

Exactly!!


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## MrsMozart (6 July 2011)

*flaps lazily in to the maelstrom*

It's all relative:

If I had the income and a spare £35k and my daughter liked and wanted a £35k pony, I would buy it for her;

or

If I had the income and a spare £500 and my daughter likes and wanted a £500 pony, I would buy if for her.

Who is to say what is and what is not an okay price to spend? I have a watch that cost more than a lot of people paid for their horse, but who's business is that but my own? I have the money, I wanted the watch, I bought it. 

If the argument is because it is for a child, does that mean that as a parent one should only buy from Primark because it is only for a child, when the household income is sufficient to allow one to buy from, say Gap?

As to pressures, many children are born with a drive to be the absolute best that they can be, and as parents, we do what we can to support them in their ambitions.

D1 is ambitious and wants to do well in BSJA. D and I could buy her a stonkingly good (and by 'good' I mean expensive) horse, but she would rather have the money spent on a vet school education. We can afford to do one or the other, not both, and she has chosen. If she had chosen the horse, then we'd have another one added to our hairy gang.

Our money, our choice


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## Lolo (6 July 2011)

Can I also add that with FEI pony trials, you're sending a pony round a course that is about 30cm smaller than itself- the child on top has to want to do it/ be able to ride well enough to cover the lack of want to even get over the simple fences let alone the technical big stuff. Soon, 6 of the best children will be jetting off to Poland to compete at the international pony thingy. Those kids SERIOUSLY want it! I know several Pony Programme children and they work so hard to get there and stay at the top, but to have a pony who'll help you out costs money. Even the not-so-good ones will cost over £10k of they'll go clear XC happily... 

Children who stick with it in any sport are the ones whose parents can afford the best coaching, the best equipment, the best help. The ones left to fight it alone are much much rarer although more loved by the general public.

FWIW- people liek Will Fox Pitt and Pippa Funnell had lovely ponies or really good first horses. Oli T did Pony Trials on good ponies. It gives you a bsaic grounding and foothold that slogging along with the naughty and untalented ponies won't. Speaking as someone who's watched her sister slogging with the naughty ponies, I don't envy the pony people one jot other than for the money. They work bloody hard to be that good.


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## xspiralx (6 July 2011)

Originally Posted by BrambleandMonty  


I mean, there's no other """""sport""""" like it, is there? Lewis Hamilton wouldn't have had a F1 car bought for him, he grew up on go karts, got the sponsorship. I doubt Andy Murrays tennis racket cost £35,000. My jaw just dropped, £35,000! For a child!
		
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I'm sorry OP but I had to laugh at this. Formula 1 [and the lower levels of racing] are well known for being absolutely phenomenally expensive.

Please see below from the Silverstone website for clarification:

_As a guideline, a rookie year in club racing can cost from £5000 up to £30,000+. Career minded drivers with their eyes set on higher championships must expect to pay considerably more.

For example, an inaugural season in Formula Ford can cost upwards of £50,000, a place on the Seat Cupra Championship grid costs close to £80,000 while a year in the junior Formula BMW Championship could set you back as much as £180,000.

Further up the motor sport ladder, higher profile championships such as Formula 3 and British Touring Cars require budgets in the region of £250,000 and upwards per annum._

Those are the costs just *per year*. Makes a 35k pony look like small fry eh? Lewis Hamilton's dad had to change his career and work a few jobs in order to support his son's sport. So your argument here is faintly ridiculous.

To reply to your original post. Undoubtedly there are pushy parents who drive their kids to succeed; on the other end of the scale there are bratty kids who don't appreciate the opportunities their parents provide them with. 

However neither of those things really has anything to do with a pony costing 35k - there will be plenty of children who desperately want to succeed, who want to get to the absolute top, who love riding, and competing and winning - and if their parents can afford to provide them with a pony who can take them there, why shouldn't they?


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## Suziq77 (6 July 2011)

FMM said:



			You don't know what it feels like to be in that situation in the same way that someone who spends £35k on a pony doesn't know what it is like to be you.  Just give it a rest and appreciate your life for what it is and let everyone else get on with theirs!!!  And I have read what you have written.  You HAVEN'T written this 1000 times.  

To be fair, how do you KNOW how a child with a £35k pony lives their lives.  I could tell you, (having had contact with children who HAVE had that money spent on them - not me I hasten to add - I wish!!!!)  but no matter WHAT I told you, you just would not listen.  You have a fixed idea in your head and nothing anyone says will change your mind.

So - no point writing what you think the remaining 995 times (to make it up to your 1000 times) - as most people appear not to agree with you.
		
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Totally agree, I was lucky enough to get rides on some fabulous ponies when I was younger, admittedly most of those were ones that were tricky to ride, which gave me many happy memories and great experience.  I just loved riding and actively often chose not to go to parties/discos and declined to go abroad on annual summer holidays choosing instead to stay at the houses of people I was riding for.  My summer holidays were spent at the BSPS champs and Ponies (UK) with my favourite ponies.  I had no idea how lucky I was and no comprehension of what these ponies had cost their owners.  My parents never pushed me and I think were slightly concerned how obsessed I was with it all...

My favourite pony of all time was my 15hh WHP who came to me as a just backed 5 year old having been sent back by the first person who bought him as he was apparently a tyrant, he failed the vet and I insisted that we buy him anyway - he cost £1,300 which was quite a lot for a very green and allegedly difficult pony in the late 1980s.

I still had no idea how much more the ponies which came from producers yards cost / were worth and none of it really sunk in until I'd left ponies to concentrate on university.  Having spent ten years working flat out in the City I can now afford show horses again.  If I had kids would I buy them a County level lead rein pony - you bet!  But if they didn't take to it then so be it, I would consider whether I wanted to keep the pony and offer another child the chance to compete as I had.

I bet a lot of these kids will realise how lucky they are at a much later stage.  I'm sure those referred to above such as WFP and Pippa fully appreciate the advantages they had and remember their ponies very fondly indeed.  Surely if you have the money to be able to give your child those memories then you would do so?


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## Mithras (6 July 2011)

lhotse said:



			I'm not sure if you are aiming that comment at me?
Tenuous connection being that the pony was set on the right course in life, we owned him for 18 months, and took him from being a pony who did exactly what he wanted to a pony who could work in a proper outline, hack out without taking the mick and actually be useful rather than just a pet as he was in his previous home. I really couldn't have cared if he had just gone on to be a regular pony club pony. The fact that he has become what he is now is not down to me, but to say that I am namedropping just for the sake of it is rather off.
		
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I must apologise.  Its just that I find the name dropping segment of the horsy world a bit distasteful, as I do boasting or even its sister, boasting by stealth.  Fortunately there are plenty of top riders who do neither.  I would hazard a guess that many of us have had our moments under the spotlight and our connections with the aristocracy (of the horsy world) but I don't particularly enjoy reading a thread that morphs into a series of boasts trying to outdo each other.  Although when the name dropping extends to expensive ponies, it is quite funny!

What is this thread about anyway?  My viewpoint is simply that I don't particularly admire or get excited about the so-called talents of children with pushy rich parents (actually in any sport).  I have to say its hard to get as excited as the parents about the achievements of their offspring at junior level!  I also think the world is littered with such children who succeeded as juniors but who fell apart as seniors, and doubt the efficacy of it as a method of producing success.  At least long term as opposed to a few flash in the pan promising years as a senior.  

Theres also a difference between good, safe but relatively ordinary ponies and learning how to get the best out of them and those freakishly good ponies that remarkably go for any rider (or is it just coincidence that such ponies are always bought by parents of terribly talented riders?)

Multiply these thoughts when you are talking about a string of megabucks ponies or indeed "children" in their twenties still being bankrolled by mum and dad.


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## lhotse (6 July 2011)

I am not boasting to outdo anyone. I merely posted, in jest, that a pony I sold for 700 quid fetched what I do consider to be a ridiculous amount of money. I didn't mention his name, but posted a link to a photo, as I thought people might like to see what a £700 pony looks like!!!  

I have nothing to do with the competitive side of equestrianism, it doesn't interest me, and to be honest, neither do 'famous' names. They are only people afterall, it's the rest who put them on a pedlestal. 

Actually, I do regret letting him go, he would have made a lovely hack about for me and the family.


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## Mithras (6 July 2011)

Fair enough.  It wasn't only you that my "pony name-dropping comment" was intended for.

People can do what they like.  All I'm saying is that personally, I don't especially rate people who have success bought for them by their parents.  

I have however seen what untalented riders can do to top ponies.  My friend had a top 14.2 JA, which her parents had paid a lot of money for from another top pony rider who had produced it.  When she was out of the age group, she sold it onto a family I knew.  Unfortunately their daughter couldn't ride for toffee.  This was one of the JA ponies I mentioned I had ridden.  It really was the most lovely, responsive, yet easy, push button ride, so supple and easy to turn, lovely mouth, etc..  Smooth as silk.  Yet the new owners couldn't do anything with it, it was passed down the food chain and never heard of (in jumping terms) again.  

And of all its former riders, only the first (the producer) is still competing.  (not including myself).


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## Hackie (6 July 2011)

Well I personally wouldn't ever pay tens of thousands for a horse, simply as I've never had the money to do so!  In search of a quality animal that would be competitive, I've always had to buy a nice, green horse for less money and turn it into what I've wanted.  

However, as a breeders, our family have sold plenty for serious money, and quite often for children.  And I have no issues with that, as these horses have been/gone on to be the best in their state (in Aus) and their prices reflect that.

At the end of the day, in order to compete at the top in any equestrian sport, you need to have a quality animal under you.  If you are lucky, you might get a bargain somewhere, however supply and demand for truly well educated, well tempered quality animals is such that they are more often than not, expensive.  But what parent wouldn't want to put their child on such a horse, given the opportunity?  In our experience, it actually hasn't been pushy rich parents spending heaps of cash to get their averagely talented children into the ribbons, but rather genuinely talented, hard working kids, whose parents have sacrificed to buy them the best horse they could to support them as they pursue their ambitions.  

I don't think that its a case of buying success as such, as after the sale, the work still needs to be done to get into the ring.  Of course, there are instances where the purchase doesn't go well, and for whatever reason the combination falls apart, but having sold for a lot and a little, that can happen whether the horse in question was sold for a few hundred or for tens of thousands.  Its incredibly disappointing as a seller, but all you can do when you sell any horse is do all the homework you can to ensure they go to the right home and hope that you've done the right thing, and you never have a crystal ball.


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## sprytzer (6 July 2011)

The_Hooligan said:



			FMM I agree 100%. Ever heard of Colton Maelstrom (sp) the JA pony that sold for 3 quaters of a million in the late nineties. she was incredible and worth every penny.
		
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My daughter used to compete on her JA against this pony on the Scottish circuit about 17yrs ago, on a pony that at the time we paid a lot of money for...yet she had more results on a £600 pony bought from Thainstone mart, working her way up from nothing to a 2nd in the Barrs JC/JD champs at the Royal Highland, she also had more fun (her words) on said pony than the mega bucks pony.


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## Lanky Loll (6 July 2011)

Mithras said:



			Fair enough.  It wasn't only you that my "pony name-dropping comment" was intended for.

People can do what they like.  All I'm saying is that personally, I don't especially rate people who have success bought for them by their parents.  

I have however seen what untalented riders can do to top ponies.  My friend had a top 14.2 JA, which her parents had paid a lot of money for from another top pony rider who had produced it.  When she was out of the age group, she sold it onto a family I knew.  Unfortunately their daughter couldn't ride for toffee.  This was one of the JA ponies I mentioned I had ridden.  It really was the most lovely, responsive, yet easy, push button ride, so supple and easy to turn, lovely mouth, etc..  Smooth as silk.  Yet the new owners couldn't do anything with it, it was passed down the food chain and never heard of (in jumping terms) again.  

And of all its former riders, only the first (the producer) is still competing.  (not including myself).
		
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I'm pretty certain I'm the other person it was aimed at 
Maybe The Hooligan and I could have looked for common ground via PM but it was done on the forum, which is where most of the "name dropping" was done. 
Anywhooo they were examples of good ponies that people paid a lot of money for much like Lhotse's lovely pony, and which other people might have heard of, once again to establish that it's not unusual for these ponies to be sold for that sort of money.  
Not all of these expensive ponies are push button rides either, but they are by their very ability freaks of nature, which the right rider manages to get a tune out of, as you know it doesn't always work and you see them being passed down and sometimes out of the competition world, but it's not always the case.


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## Oaksflight (9 July 2011)

BrambleandMonty said:



			Did anyone see that advert>>> FEI pony



Now I understand the cost of serious sports horses, Olympic prospects etcetc. But £35,000 for a PONY, for a CHILD?! That can only be for the parents competition desires, surely?! When I was a kid it was all about washing peoples cars to build up enough money to contribute to my pony, mucking in at the stables, water fights, bareback races in the fields and makeshift tack from baler twine.

YES (before aqnyone starts) I'm aware of the cost a horse that was a winning prospect for Badminton, Burghley, has been trained and competed by Mary King will cost, but a CHILDS PONY?! - 

I'm considering buying my kid a pony, but as a fun 'hobby' thing to do - much like taking kid to football practice, sunday league etc. Yes we'll do going to shows and pony club and what not, and I'll support him as much as he does, or doesn't, want to do, but still!

I mean, there's no other """""sport""""" like it, is there? Lewis Hamilton wouldn't have had a F1 car bought for him, he grew up on go karts, got the sponsorship. I doubt Andy Murrays tennis racket cost £35,000. Maybe for parents who want to send their child to ballet school - but thats the cost of training, which the 'lucky' child will also get, not for the ballet shoes! 

My jaw just dropped, £35,000! For a child! Who in their right mind would think that's sensible, or healthy?!
		
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My cousin once removed events for Sweden and came 7th in the europeans, her pony sold for FAR more than that when she moved onto horses. It's not her parents dream to event for her country but hers, yes she's had the upbringing that's stood her in good stead, and that's what she wants to do for the rest of her life so why wouldn't her parents do everything they could to help her achieve that dream?? They brought her pony on quite a lot but I don't doubt that they will have spent the majority of the money they got for her previous pony on new horses. Obviously we'd all like to go buy a dirt cheap pony that turns into an FEI superstar, but if you've got the money then I don't see why you wouldn't spend it. It's all relevant, 25k to you may be a lot, but to others it may not.


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