Why Buy a Small Pony?

Most parents buy a kid size bicycle for their little one, but too often a large size pony for the same small child.

Why?
Many think their child will not outgrow it so fast, or that he, or she, can do better with a bigger horse. We do not believe that. With a smaller pony your child gets to take care of him or her, almost completely by him or herself. He or she can go catch, halter, lead, groom, tack, and mount him or her by him or herself, although we do recommend adult supervision at all times. And when riding, the child is more confident as he is in control, not his horse.

What can a small pony do?
Small ponies can do almost anything a bigger horse can do, in a much safer way. They can take your child through a fun jumping course, a serious dressage pattern, or an exciting cross country adventure, leaping over logs and bushes. It would be impossible for a 6, or even an 8 year old child to participate in those events with a larger mount, too powerful for him.

Our small ponies maybe small, but they are willing, fun, and not intimidating. Children learn confidence, respect, how to overcome their fear, and gain a wonderful sense of accomplishment: They can truly say: "I did it by myself!"

What can we do with our pony when our child outgrows it?
If you want to keep your child's friend, we would be happy to train him or her to pull a cart. It is a very fun activity, with a lot of opportunities to show, both for children and adults. Of course, we can also help you find a good new home for your pony.

Mare or Gelding?
This is more of a personal choice than anything else. Most trainers would agree that geldings are a little more predictable in their performances, but they can also be a little more playful than most mares. Mares seem to respond very well to young children, especially on the ground, and are a little quieter. But they are more expensive, and, you may have to deal with their "moody" attitude due to hormonal changes .... It can become a little difficult during some spring shows! The best thing would be for you and your child to meet your future pony before deciding. If it is not possible, we provide videos and pictures.

Where do our ponies come from?
Most of our ponies come from excellent breeders who know we are looking for prospect ponies with an outstanding personality. Sometimes we also find some very gentle and pretty ponies who are just missing a pedigree, but can become wonderful children's friends. We spend a lot of time with each pony, so we will only be selling 4 to 6 a year.

How to Choose a Child's Pony?

We do not pretend to be experts on the subject. We are just speaking from experience. We have children of varying ages and personalities coming to our ranch, and our ponies vary in age and personality just like the children! We do our best to match them, and see what works the best. So here are our thoughts:

If you are looking for a pony for your very young child (2 to 4 years old) to grow with, to learn to take care of, and to start riding, we think you should consider a toddler's pony. These ponies are smaller, cuddly, like small children, and are generally very tolerant and patient. Many times, they can also be driven, in case your child is really young and unable to sit in the saddle yet.

Now if your child is a little older (5 and up) and just a beginner, very timid around horses, or has had bad experiences with horses, a child's first pony would be perfect. These ponies are extremely quiet and gentle, can be a little bigger (we match them with the child), behave nicely on trails, and take life a little slower than our Sport Ponies. They still are full of personality and fun, just in a quieter way.

And for those little riders who are ready to jump, run barrels, or hit the show circuit, a sport pony might be the right choice. Versatility, athleticism, trainability and gentleness are some of the characteristics of a good child's first sport pony. On our ranch, we are fortunate to have several ponies who can do it all, because of their outstanding personalities--they can take a child from leadline to show jumping.

How to Reserve one of our Ponies?

Because we have an ongoing "learn to ride" and horsemanship program for children at the ranch, we continually raise or buy, and then train ponies for our classes. However, we try to select and train 3-6 ponies per year for those discriminating families who agree with our training philosophy, and want to buy a trained pony for their child. Please review the pictures on the various web pages to see examples of our club ponies "on the job" or in training, and see if these types of ponies could be for you. Please note hat these ponies are not for sale, unless listed on this page.

Also, please review the following ponies "For Sale" currently in training in our facilities. These ponies may not be immediately available, because they are scheduled to attend shows, or might require additional training to make them "ready for your child", however they may be reserved now, and final training, if needed, can be tailored to your child's needs. We believe in finding the right pony for each child, so please do not hesitate to contact us, and tell us what kind of pony you are looking for.

Children's Ponies for Sale (and prospects)

All of our ponies for sale are current on shots, de-worming, farrier work, and have a valid current Coggins. They are sold with a health certificate. We would be happy to assist you in making arrangements for transportation. Prices depend on registration status, abilities, potential, as well as training level of each pony. Most of our first ponies start at $1,500.