THIS!
I love my VSE & tell people Driving him is Barbie Dolls with horses.
That said, if I could have a do-over, I’d go with a medium pony.
Admit to eyeballing my soon-to-be 24yo Hackney Pony who was driven before I got him.
But, having hackneybrain, I won’t put him through a reintro to the sport.
Did you get the pony yet?
The sooner you do, the faster you can buy her new pony things.
Let us know if you need any help with that. 
You have come to the wrong place.
Buy the pony. Fall in love with ponies. Join the party!
I have bought and sold many project horses over the years and I would say that a 6-month timeline to turn this pony around might not be realistic. It would depend on what her actual riding past is like. If she was started well and had a good riding history, sure. If she was ridden by kids/people who didn’t know what they were doing or developed behavioral issues, it will probably take longer. If that’s not a big deal for your situation, great, otherwise, you might be better off to pass.
I have a 14.1 hand, 14 year old project pony. I bought her last summer for myself, not resale. She had been ridden sporadically for the last 10-11 years and basically got away with doing whatever she wanted. She is by no means a bad or dangerous pony, but she is a long way from being a kids’ show pony. While I enjoy riding her, she is not a kid’s pony now, and may not be ever.
I would see if you could work with/ride the pony in question first before you buy her to at least get a gauge on what her mind is like so that you can have some idea if she could be a fairly quick project.
That is the question I understood OP to be asking. Specific short term resale to make enough money to buy long term partner she cannot afford now… If that is the plan, I remain in the pass camp.
I should have known I’d get mostly enablers here, lol! I do appreciate the realist answers too, they help me stop an evaluate if I’m being too much of a dreamer.
Despite my general insistence on behemoth horses, I’m 5’5” 150lbs (140 when I’m riding regularly), my ranch horse pony was a little small at a stout 13 hands but I never felt too big on her. I like the aesthetics of how I look on a bigger horse, but I don’t need one.
She is a little more like Bo (auction find, unknown history), I am definitely aware of the risks that poses. I can see her, but not ride or work her, before buying so I’m confident I can see if her age range reasonably checks out based on her teeth, see if any unsoundness is noticeable, and get a read on her personality.
I’m not expecting any horse I find to really be an investment, mid-fours would cover my purchase price and all expenses for 6 months (board, farrier, routine vet). More realistically I think of my board and routine horse expenses the same way I do a gym membership; I pay a monthly amount to stay in better shape, have a place for me time/social time, and it’s my stress relief. Having a horse is my reward for working hard and being successful at my job. I would, however, at least like to sell whatever horse I end up with for more than I purchase it for, but if I get something not currently under saddle and I can sell it as reasonably amateur friendly I think that’s doable.
Why can’t you ride or work with her before purchase? Is she consigned to an auction and you’re planning on buying her there or did someone else already buy her at an auction and you’re purchasing from them? She could be really rank under saddle which you’re not going to be able to know if you can’t ride her or at least work with her. If this was a horse you were intending to keep long-term for yourself regardless of what she ends up being like, that would be one thing. As a resale, there is the possibility that you could end up with something not really sale-able.
I totally get this. I think ON PAPER that there might be better options with a likelier 6-12 month turn around.
Let me ask this - how comfortable and experienced are you with putting miles on a greenie? Do you have access to shows of any kind, or trails, or even lessons at a “show” type program? Do you have sales connections that might be able to market her for you down the road, or are you pretty savvy at selling on FB?
All of these factors will determine how easy it is to actually sell a project - if you’re not the best at FB or don’t have a hefty schooling show circuit around or don’t have the schedule to get good videos and show the pony to buyers, you may be better off getting something younger and more of a known history. People will come look at a 6YO that they won’t come look at when it’s the same horse but 13YO unless it’s got a record or is at a known barn or is fancy.
(Edited because I forgot to finish my thought lol)
That is the question I’m asking.
I should clarify that what I’m looking for in a long term partner is also not a high budget horse (young, off track, not restarted), but the ones finding that catch my eye are outside of my current budget. I could give up my stall and have the budget to buy what I’m looking for fairly quickly, but I’m in an area with very few good boarding options and if I give up my stall it could be a year or more before I come back up on the waiting list.
The goal with potential project pony (or horse) is to be something I can enjoy working with, that keeps my spot at my barn, and that I can sell for more than I paid (and ideally break even on board), but that I’m not emotionally invested in as a long term partner.
Hmm. What about doing a month-to-month free/care lease until you find your next partner instead? You would be out board and expenses, but also have no chance of being stuck with something unmarketable. What happens if you find your next partner sooner than the pony is ready to sell? Or what if she never is?
Far be it from me to not enable… I started a thread on here a few years back called “Please tell me I don’t need a pony” and that worked out about as you’d imagine. But I don’t board and my project pony cost me very very little in monthly upkeep. Even so I only broke even when I sold her for more than three times her initial purchase price after a year. I got very lucky to find her a wonderful home with a petite adult because she was spicy and not for beginners.
I can’t help but feel you’re more likely to have less money at the end of this than more. Which is fine, but not if coming out ahead is important to your next horse purchase.
Any horse, even one you spend $3000 on doing a thorough PPE, can take a bad step getting off the trailer and you have an expensive rehab project on your hands.
Save your money. Don’t risk it on a crap shoot.
This is a great idea! A half lease would be even better, but I imagine OP you have already looked into that since you’re looking to buy.
Look, I’m an enabler too BUT only when there isn’t any timeline or real desire to make money or break even. I just bought one, he’s been here two weeks and has already eaten up $1500 in random expenses. And he hasn’t seen the vet or dentist yet or even been sat on! If I sold him in six months, mid fours might break even, maybe, (ETA just did the math, looks like high fours MIGHT break even) and my board is minimal for the area. My other gelding was supposed to be a resale but immediately tried to cut a leg off the night he got home, and every time I think about selling him he tries to die. So here I am almost a decade later with my six month resale project retired and eating money 
A trainer friend flips OTTBs and after some success bought one that also immediately tried to die by running through a Hotwire fence. $5k in vet expenses later, they still have him. He’s nice, but not Purchase Price + vet bills + rehab board + current board and expenses nice. Despite being a pretty athletic horse, he’s higher mileage with some jewelry and small enough to make him harder to sell. Luckily, the trainer has cheap labor to ride him and doesn’t have crazy high expenses.
Projects are great, but not if your riding future is hinging on being able to resell a 13yo broodie of questionable history and training for more money than you have in her. If you can afford to retire her and buy another? Sure, go get her!
If you can get a vet’s opinion - even from pictures would be better than nothing, just be sure to get the bite surface too and not just the tooth profile - on her age, DO IT. When it comes to auction or kill pen horses, and those sold by traders/flippers, any horse that is claimed to be 12-13 gets immediate side-eye from me. It’s the ‘magic number’ they put on horses who are really mid to late teens, sometimes even 20s if they have good teeth, to make them more appealing to buyers.
I just want to point out, since it’s been mentioned - Bo was just listed as an “adult” in his ad and on his coggins, no guesses as to age were made by anyone involved in his sale or marketing. I knew exactly what I was doing and was aware of the risks. I never had any plans for him to be a money maker or resale project, and I have my own farm, so the possibility of him being “useless” wasn’t a dealbreaker.
I love me some ponies. I have two. Is there any possibility that this pony might be able to do whatever discipline you do reasonably well, and wouldn’t be a burden if you ended up having to keep her as your main mount for a year or two?
OK, lets look at facts and run some hypothetical numbers.
First off, once a horse has a “full” (mature) mouth, it is difficult to give even a guess let alone accurate confirmation of birth date. My horses known to be mid teens all had teeth that said they were between 10-12. My known to be 20-25 year olds all aged 14-16 by their teeth. Vets all said, in their opinions, teeth do not wear down as quickly with todays feeding practices and horses live much longer. Not much historical data on average 15+ year old horses teeth from father back then our modern era.
You say mid 4 figures is your budget, no need to get specific and I will use easy to work with numbers, you can add or subtract to match your specifics.
Lets say you buy this unknown Pony from unknown seller for 4k. You do a basic PPE, assuming seller will allow it before you buy, including hoof imaging. Ponies are known for foundering and with no history, no test ride and needing to resell? Thats a must. As are updating shots, recent hard copy of coggins and current original vet signed health certificate as required by most BOs when taking in unknown horses with unknown history. Then you have to arrange shipping.
Sooo. Lets say all that runs you 1500 so you are at 5500 when she steps on to BOs property.
Your farrier is going to need to see her and your vet can get a fecal, start her on a worming program and start a record for her. Remember, she has to be ready to show to buyers in 6 months…and unknown mares from unknown backgrounds can be pg.
Lets say these necessary steps in preparing a quick turn sales horse hits $400. So you are at 5900.
Board…oh…no idea…pick $700. Times 6 months
Lets say your monthly board and other charges is $700. 6 months at 700 is 4200. So you are at 10,100.00.
Over that 6 months she will need some farrier visits…lets allow 300. Now 10,400.00.
Ohhhh…is any of your tack going to fit her? No ideas, no numbers on that but something to keep in mind. As are any show expenses trying to improve her resume and/or pro help charges.
Say you go the entire 6 months catastrophe free, you don’t miss any of the considerable amount of schooling time due to weather, minor injury, you get sick or hurt Do you or your trainer know any buyers looking for 14h grade, teen aged Pony mares around 12-15k? Is that the kind of profit you anticipate?
Not wanting to step on any toes here but…even if there is a small adult or able child buyer, are they wanting to spend over 10k for it. And 10k is your break even point, no profit there.
Just do the math. Every month it does not sell is another months board, vet, farrier added to the pile.
Oh, almost forgot. Where is your gelding going to be? Can’t he keep the stall while you save up? Family property where he can go? Will you continue pay his expenses on top of the project pony acquisition and ongoing monthly cost of that?
Also, GREEN.
I dunno OP. Even if you count the board as a wash as you say you want to keep the stall regardless, this seems like risky business.
To me it seems like it would be cheaper to just pay board for an empty stall until you can afford the horse you’d like to buy for yourself than try and do a flip. No vet, farrier or equipment expenses.
Thank you everyone for the enabling and the reality checks! I am going to pass on this pony and keep looking for another project.
Since it was brought up a couple of times, I am very aware of the risks of a project horse, my gelding was my project horse, but we’ve ended up spending all 4 years I’ve had him rehabbing for major chronic (and expensive) illnesses and I’m left with a horse that is in constant pain and developing neurological issues again. I have several reliable retirement options for him, but we are most likely looking at a PTS retirement.
My next horse will be a project horse regardless of budget; my current goal is to take a green horse (preferably unstarted or track broke only) and see how far up the levels we can go together.
Good choice. While you are waiting and saving, start building a network of connections. Just put yourself in a situation where you can use the word of mouth method to locate suitable prospects with known history from known sellers and attract known buyers for successful projects.
The best horses are never advertised.
Since you are going to continue to pay board to hold your spot, you might as well get the most for your boarding dollars 
I would say go ahead and buy her --only if you will be happy to have her for yourself if you can’t get her sold.
With no way to even judge her “trainability” beforehand in both mind and body you are taking a big risk.
There is no way you should buy this pony! From what you have said she could be someone’s dream barbie pony, dressed up in braids or maybe just oversized pj’s at the count fair. She will keep you busy, get you outside, have you looking at ways to kid proof her, maybe give some neighbourhood kids a free ride here and there. You might decide to get a local youth to take her to a show, now you’re going to be all nervous watching them in the ring… 
She is a proven broodmare, big enough for a vertically challenged adult but still suitable for a junior, maybe even a lead line pony. So many potential options. Hubby’s on board. Nope don’t do it!
ps when you bring her home you must post pictures 
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