Pony price at auction?

[stanb999]

I was at the local livestock auction on tues. They sold an 18 yr old pony, with saddle and bridle for 175.00. It was from a petting zoo, had all shots, and hooves trimmed. Is this not a really low price?

[goatlady]

Sort of, but 18 years is REAL close to the end time for the pony. You'd be really lucky to get another 18 months of life. Basically the price covered the saddle and bridle.

[LisaInN.Idaho]

Originally Posted by goatlady

Sort of, but 18 years is REAL close to the end time for the pony. You'd be really lucky to get another 18 months of life. Basically the price covered the saddle and bridle.

This is not true. Ponies usually live longer than horses and lots of horses are still going strong at 18. Heck, most Grand Prix dressage horses are in their late teens.
My 28 year old gelding didn't retire till his mid-twenties.

I'd say it was a good deal, if the pony can be ridden by a child. Some of those ponies can be real hellions off the lead line.

[Pouncer]

18 with only 18 months of life left? Don't mean to poke fun at you, but where in the world did you get THAT idea?

I bet I could find at least two dozen ponies in their late 20s, early 30s that are still great companions and riding/driving ponies. And that's up here in Alaska.

Really, that's just a hoot, lol

[Pouncer]

Whoops, sorry I didn't answer the OP question

I personally think that was really cheap, most ponies who are very good with small children fetch a premium price. Kinda puzzled why a petting zoo couldn't find a good home, instead of auction?

[Denise K.]

Yes very good price if he is safe and sound. As Lisa pointed out he may be one not to be trusted of a lead line. We have had several ponies/horses well into there 30's. Beauty our last pony was well into her 30's we she died. We got her when she was about 25 and she taught 3 kids to ride. Robbie our 1/2 arab was showing in youth classes when he was 31. It was gentle work but he was well cared for and able to do it. If everything else is good with the pony.....18 would not put me off purchasing it at all. With proper care he has lots of years left.

[tinknal]

Just be aware that it is hard to mouth age a horse with any degree of accuracy after 10 years old. That horse could be old enough to run for president.

[LisaInN.Idaho]

Originally Posted by tinknal

Just be aware that it is hard to mouth age a horse with any degree of accuracy after 10 years old. That horse could be old enough to run for president.

That isn't true either. You can gauge a horse's age by their teeth with a fair degree of accuracy into old age. Not to mention other physical changes in teh horse's body. It's not that difficult to judge whether a horse is ancient or not.

[stanb999]

Also, The pony looked real good, well muscled, and was ridden into the ring by a small girl. I figure it must have been real tame to do that in the ring.

I really wanted to buy but the wife "the big squisher". Said I needed a place to put it, feed it and the like. I guess I need to avoid taking the wife to the auction ring.
She talks sense. But it was a heck of a deal.

[LisaInN.Idaho]

Originally Posted by stanb999

Also, The pony looked real good, well muscled, and was ridden into the ring by a small girl. I figure it must have been real tame to do that in the ring.

I really wanted to buy but the wife "the big squisher". Said I needed a place to put it, feed it and the like. I guess I need to avoid taking the wife to the auction ring.
She talks sense. But it was a heck of a deal.

Usually it's the husband who is the "big squisher" in horse purchases.
Yep, sounds like a good deal.

[Wendy]

Sort of, but 18 years is REAL close to the end time for the pony. You'd be really lucky to get another 18 months of life. Basically the price covered the saddle and bridle.

We had a shetland pony here that lived past 40 years of age. He was a hoot! That was a great deal. Wish I could find one like that for my kids.

[SFM in KY]

I've gone to several auctions here in Kentucky the last couple of months and prices are very low here ... lowest I've seen them in the 7 years I've been here in fact.

They sell tack spearately from the horses here, but I've seen pony saddles sell for as low as $40 to $60 depending on the condition and at the last sale about a month ago ponies sold for $75 up to about $200 or $225 ... here the gaited ponies bring more than the average Shetland-type pony and fancy colors bring more as well.

Many ponies, if they don't have a specific chronic health issue, are fine for a beginner pony up into their late 20s. My oldest Connemara stallion was 18 this year and if you want to see what an 18 year old pony looks like, I have photos of him taken this past summer up on my Webshots album here:

http://pets.webshots.com/album/549859890jNCdkE

He's the one I ride for pleasure when I have a chance and we produce several foals by him every year as well.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Auctions are dependant on who is in the audience. Wrong buyers today, low prices.