Getting ready to sell your child's pony: a practical guide for parents

Written with input from Pony Search.

Selling a pony your child has loved is rarely just a sale. It often comes when a rider has outgrown a pony, moved on to a new stage, or has less time to ride. However it comes about, a little preparation makes the whole thing calmer, safer and quicker, and gives the pony the best chance of finding the right next home.

Here's what to gather before you advertise, and how to make the process easier for everyone, including your child.

1. Write a clear, truthful picture of the pony

Start with a page of notes, before you think about the advert itself. Buyers of children's ponies are often nervous parents, and they read every word. The more clearly you describe the pony, the more likely you are to hear from the right families.

• The basics: height (measured properly, not guessed), age, breed or type, sex and colour.
• Its story: how long you've had the pony, and the real reason it's for sale.
• Who it suits: describe what the rider needs to be able to do, not just their age. For example: "Suits a child who can walk, trot and canter on their own, steer confidently and ride a small course of jumps. Currently ridden by a 10-year-old." Be clear whether it's right for a child on the lead rein, one starting to ride on their own, or a more experienced child moving on with jumping or competitions.
• What it has done: Pony Club, hunting, shows, hacking, lead rein. Note what it enjoys, and what it finds hard.
• Its life now: how much work it's doing, whether it lives in, out or both, and any particular care it needs, such as a special feed or limited grazing.
• Everyday handling: is it good to catch, lead, tie up, shoe, clip, load and travel? Good in traffic? Happy to hack out alone as well as in company?
• Behaviour: describe anything known clearly, and when it happens. "Can nap when leaving the yard alone" is far more helpful than "has the odd quirk". Being open now saves wasted viewings, and builds trust with the buyer who's right for the pony.

Ask your child, your instructor or someone at the yard to read your notes. They'll often remember things you've stopped noticing. When you write the advert itself, include the asking price and a broad location, such as the county.

2. Gather the paperwork

Having everything in one folder shows you're organised, and answers many of a buyer's questions before they ask.

• The passport, with the microchip number. It must go with the pony when it's sold. It identifies the pony but isn't proof of ownership, which is one reason a written sale agreement matters (see below).
• Vaccination records (flu and tetanus), and recent dates for the farrier, dentist and worming, or worm egg count results.
• Vet history, including past injuries, treatments or insurance claims. A buyer's insurer may ask, and it's far better they hear it from you first.
• Show, Pony Club or competition records, if you have them.
• A list of what's included, such as the saddle, bridle, rugs and boots. Decide early what goes with the pony and what doesn't.

3. Get the pony ready

A pony that's fit, comfortable and well turned out shows itself at its best. In the weeks before you advertise, keep it in regular work if you can, so it isn't fresh or out of practice at viewings. Book the farrier and dentist if they're due, check the saddle still fits, and keep up the grooming. None of this needs to be expensive. It's simply about showing buyers the pony your child knows.

4. Take good photos and a short video

Photos are usually the first thing a buyer looks at, and a phone is fine. Use recent pictures and footage so buyers see the pony as it is now. Pick a bright, overcast day or soft morning or evening light, a tidy, plain background and level ground. Aim for:

• a clear side-on photo, with the pony standing square and ears forward
• a friendly headshot
• photos of the pony being ridden, ideally by the child who rides it now, in a correctly fitted hat
• a short video of walk, trot and canter, and of the pony being caught or tacked up.

Keep the photos true to life: no filters, and nothing edited to hide a lump or change a colour.

Think about your child's privacy, too. You can show the pony clearly without showing your child's face. Keep children's full names and school details out of the advert, check photos for anything that shows where you live or keep the pony (a house name, a yard sign or a car number plate), and give the exact viewing address privately, once you've spoken to a buyer.

5. Price it fairly

Look at what similar ponies are advertised for: similar height, age, type, ability and area. Remember these are asking prices, not necessarily what the ponies sold for. Your instructor, or someone who knows the pony and the local market, can help you settle on a sensible figure. Price for what the pony is today, not for what it once was or what it cost you. A fair price with a clear advert tends to sell faster than a high price with a vague one.

6. Decide what you'll ask buyers

It's natural to worry about where your pony will go. Before you advertise, think about what you'd like to know:

• Who will ride the pony, and how experienced are they?
• Will they have lessons, or an instructor to help?
• Where will the pony live, and who will look after it day to day?
• Have they had a pony before?

Asking kindly and openly is perfectly normal, and good buyers will expect it.

7. Plan viewings with safety in mind

• Let the buyer see the pony caught, handled, tacked up and ridden by its usual rider first.
• If the pony looks right for their child, they can ride it, in a correctly fitted hat, with an adult in charge. Start quietly and build up only as far as the rider feels safe. Anyone can call a stop at any point, and that includes you. Many families bring their instructor, and that's a good sign.
• Answer questions in person as openly as you did in your advert.
• Welcome a vetting. It's usually arranged and paid for by the buyer, with a vet they choose who is independent of you.
• If you take a deposit, write down what it holds the pony for, for how long, and when it would be refunded.
• If you agree to a trial, put the terms in writing first: how long it lasts, where the pony will stay, who insures it, and who pays if the vet is needed.

8. When it sells

• Write a simple sale agreement or receipt. Include both sets of names and contact details, the pony's name, passport and microchip number, the price, the date, what's included, and anything you've told the buyer about its health or behaviour. You each keep a signed copy.
• Wait until the money has cleared before the pony leaves. Be wary of anyone who wants to overpay and asks for the difference back.
• Hand over the passport with the pony. In both Ireland and the UK, the new owner must register the change of ownership with the organisation that issued the passport within 30 days. In Ireland, buyer and seller both sign the transfer form. Simply writing a new name in the passport isn't enough.
• Keep your records. In Ireland, the buyer and seller must each keep a record of the sale for five years, so file your copy somewhere safe.
• Pass on the routine: feed, turnout, farrier and any little habits. It helps the pony settle, and new owners really appreciate it.

9. Look after your child, too

For many children, selling a first pony is a big moment. Involving them can help: they might help write the description, choose the photos, or meet the new family. Some families make a photo book, or ask the new owners to send an update now and then.

And if, when it comes to it, you're not ready to let go, loaning the pony to another family can be a gentler option. It still needs care: a suitable home, a written loan agreement signed before the pony leaves, and clear arrangements for its care, costs, insurance and return. Plan to stay in touch about the pony's welfare, too.

Before you advertise: a quick checklist

• Clear notes on the pony, read by someone who knows it
• How long you've had it, why it's for sale, and its current work and routine
• Passport, microchip number and vaccination records
• Farrier, dentist, worming and vet history
• A list of the tack and rugs that are included
• Recent photos and a short video, checked for privacy
• A fair asking price, based on similar ponies, and a broad location
• Your questions for buyers
• A simple sale agreement, ready to fill in

Written with input from Pony Search, a UK marketplace for family ponies.