“Mom, can I have a pony?” I may have asked that question over a hundred times a hundred different ways when I was growing up. We lived in a big city but that didn’t phase me. I drew ponies, played pony games, and inspired by visits to suburban stables, created elaborate equestrian centers out of blocks with plastic horses and Barbie doll riders. When I was 10 years old we moved to the suburbs – right next to a real horseback riding academy! Fast forward a few years later, and my family adopted a retired one-eyed pony named Danny, making my pony dreams come true. (That’s him in my photo above, lowering his head so my young helper could more easily put his halter on.) By age 12 I knew the tremendous responsibility and costs involved with properly caring for a pony, as they’d been explained to me all the years I’d been asking for a pony. If you have a child or you yourself are exploring the idea of adopting a pony or adopting a horse, here are some of the factors to consider.
- Are you ready for a lifetime commitment? Ponies can live 30 years or more. My one-eyed pony Danny lived to be 44 years old!
- A pony is expensive! Even if you keep the pony on your own property so you don’t have boarding costs, you still have to pay for vet care and shoeing, and most likely hay, feed, bedding. Plus there’s the occasional expenses of replacing items as they wear out like blankets, buckets, brushes, halter, lead rope, bridle, saddle, saddle pad, and then your own safety and riding gear like a helmet and riding boots too. Oh, and there’s upkeep of the pony’s housing (barn or run-in shed) and disposal of their manure too.
- Ponies need daily care. Like other animals, a pony can’t just be left in a field to fend for himself. Someone – if not you, someone you pay – needs to check on them daily or multiple times day, muck their stall or pick up manure from the pasture, fill their water, give them hay or feed.
My pony Danny was my best friend when I was growing up. He was my confident, my racing buddy, and a source of great love and fun! He taught me so much about responsibility and kindness through caring for an animal. If your child asks you, “Can I have a pony?” I hope you’ll consider making their pony dreams come true!
Did you like this article? See our other pony-centric articles about adopting a horse and how much does it cost to care for a horse too!
“This is Jecht (formerly known as Nemo). He’s been a part of our family for a week and a half, and already none of us could imagine life without him. We are all in better health from the walks and runs we take him on. He already tracks with us with great proficiency (although he gets annoyed with how slow and loud we are). He has made friends with all the dog friendly pups in the neighborhood, and even a couple that have never been dog friendly before. He has the perfect personality, friendly-gentle-playful-lo
“This is my beautiful Marley she is the love of my life. Sooooo sweet and she loves to cuddle. I got her at pets by Judy in Sanford on Thanksgiving day. Her picture and story showed up on my cell phone from your website. I fell in love in that instant. Thank you for your help without you I would not have found my new baby to love. My beloved Julie passed Oct 28. I have been lost since. I will make a donation when I get my disability check in Dec. You have made an old lady in a wheelchair very happy. Sincerely Lise & Marley” — Lise you’ve made us here at Adopt-a-Pet.com very happy too! We love hearing stories about how Adopt-a-Pet.com helped a homeless pet find a new loving home. We’d love to hear your Happy Beginnings story too! Send your pet adoption story to 
Some rescues are more challenging than others. Meet Toto, a scared and neglected pup who, at first, fears his rescuer. But a little love works wonders. Watch how Toto makes a heartwarming turnaround in this new video from Eldad Hagar.
Like most pet owners, you’re probably serious about the safety of your dog or cat. After all, there’s hardly any worse feeling than realizing your furry friend may have escaped. Fortunately, there are a variety of fencing options to put pet owners at ease — and a myriad of materials, styles and price points to choose from. Here are six of the most popular.
Look at those mesmerizing emerald and golden eyes… can you believe this little beauty was at risk of loosing her life along with all her kittens? Thank goodness for the wonderful rescuers at Seattle Area Feline Rescue (SAFe) who saved Stella once from an overpopulated kill shelter, and now again by giving her the veterinary care she needs to get healthy and go up for adoption! Adopt-a-Pet.com is proud to be helping SAFe with Stella’s vet care costs with a grant from our Veterinary Care Fund. That’s thanks in part to our generous sponsors, and donors like you too!