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Ponies in dressage?

I just sold one. Very fancy.

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Wish I had connected with you about 2 months ago!! :wink:

He is too cute, I brought home an untouched 6 yo Welsh stallion about 20 years ago. He turned into a super pasture ornament as a gelding. :wink: We rode him a bit but he was way too reactive for us, I had planned to turn him into a kids pony. It was a dumb idea from go. Good luck with your guy, and do something awesome with him!

Wow! Would you consider a 15h horse, or is there a specific reason you’d like to find a pony only?

And thanks so much! I’m excited to get him home. I know it’ll take some patience to get him solid, but I enjoy the journey! Hopefully he’ll be keen and willing :slight_smile:

Are there truly none, or are you finding some but none that suit your needs? Just curious because I’ve seen a few advertised in my corner of the world who had decent competition records at the equivalent of US 3rd level or higher. Not many, and they take a while to sell because it’s a niche market obviously.

I would love to see your sources because no we haven’t found anything at 2nd/3rd that’s in the 14.2hh range to look at.

I’m not in the US. I was surprised because I would have actually expected more dressage ponies in the US, because as I understand adults can compete in “pony dressage” classes. Here “pony” classes are for under 17s, but adults can compete ponies in the “horse” classes, so it’s a niche market.

IME Ponies seem to have a shorter backs (except my Morgans, most of them were fairly long), so that’s a good body type.

i have an untouched mustang horse i bought from BLM to gentle and train. He is 14h Just picked him up in Sept. and he’s coming along. Maybe by summer i’ll start him under saddle (?) He is older, 13, and was a stud til 11 or 12…has some permanent secondary sex charastics (thick bones primarily) The musculature will decline over time (jowls/neck) and that will refine his appearance i think. My hope is to be competitive in pony dressage with him. I’m 5’0 (or 5.1 on a good day) and i look good / feel good on smaller horses. 14.2-15h is my favorite height horse to ride, though i have several that are quite a bit taller.

I can’t say anything about the market to sell ponies for pony dressage, but i do know that at that particular BLM sale he got the most bids and was second highest price (though we’re talking ONLY 2-3k, not tens of thousands…not for wild horses LOL) and there were some 16h-ers. With color (buckskin/pintos/palominos…they usually go for more than the plain-janes…my little tidy guy is only black)

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The latest USDF Bulletin has an article about the booming horse market. Ponies were discussed and the market is hot for ponies with training who can be ridden by adult amateurs. A pony going third level with a good temperament fetches mid-five figures or more, with upper level ponies going for six figures. I’ve had dressage ponies for about 15 years and have watched the market change. If you can find a nice young, good-moving pony regardless of breed, and train it well, it will be worth a pretty penny.

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I’m not sure you’ll get too much refinement! I also have a mustang–a mare–and she has very thick bone, natural muscling on her neck, and big jowls! It’s just in her genes. It’s common among mustangs, who in addition to the original spanish blood also have a good bit of draft influence from cavalry stock. Good luck with your boy and so glad you took on an older one–they sometimes have a harder time finding homes!

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I agree with Blob on the typical traits of mustangs especially not being all that refined. I too have a mustang who appears to have quite a bit of cavalry remount (Morgan likely) and draft blood. He is over pony height at 15 hands and has a ton of bone, the typical ‘head’ of a mustang and a very cresty top line due to having been a stallion with his own band of mares. I gelded him late into his 5th year. He’s coming 10 and hasn’t lost any of his stallion-like build. I also do not find the mustangs whether pony height or not (despite many have very nice gaits) bringing any where near as much as Ponies of a particular breed or registry that are trained in the discipline.

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I’m sure you’re right about selling prices for mustangs. They are pretty much a dime-a-dozen. *but i would never sell, ever! My tidy little black guy has such a thick throatlatch it’ll be a wonder if he can collect! I actually love a thick neck, but i come from Morgans.

i have an off-topic question exvet. How do you know that your boy had a band of his own? Were you able to see pics of him/them in the wild? If so, how… (i’d LOVE to see pics of mine out-there)

My guy wandered off the reservation with his band of mares and about 6 of his offspring due to starvation. I know his age because he’d been microchipped, branded and part of the relief veterinary program provided to the Navajo. He was supposed to have been gelded but the Indian who owned the permit/brand never gelded him. When they were confiscated on the Federal Preserve the state contacted the Navajo Nation to see if they wanted to pay the penalties/fines to get the herd/band back. Their inquiry met with no answer. As per state regs, the horses were put up for auction/sale and a local horse trader took the whole herd off the state’s hands and then sold them. I was alerted to the incident because I was still receiving mail from the state vet’s dept (my ex use to be the state vet) and then I saw a post on Facebook from the trader who was selling them. I watched as a young kid purchased the stallion then 30 days later she had him up for sale still intact. That is when I stepped in and bought him - in order to geld him and finally feed him. He had barely put any weight on from the time of confiscation. He’s ‘fat’ and not at all sassy now. He has been the PERFECT trail horse who I can put anyone on and not worry. I did see one of his daughters last year as a four year old. I was very tempted to buy her (she definitely had his head and face - actually pretty but still clearly mustang); but, chose not to in the end.

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Quite a story! So glad he finally landed softly :kissing_closed_eyes: What is his name?

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His name is Ace which is the name the kid who bought him from the horse trader gave him. My daughter hated the name but we couldn’t come up with anything better. He also knows his name and his ‘other’ name which is simply “the mustang” LOL. My mother probably described him the best - “he reminds me of a basset hound just so happy go lucky, friendly and in your pocket.” Her assessment is true though like most Mustangs he doesn’t just sidle up to anybody. He loves ‘his people’ and will tolerate others if ‘his people’ ask him to or tells him it’s okay. He is very clearly happy with his situation and even seems very grateful for it.

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awwww… :kosovo: :hearts: