Impartial by design. A mum, first and foremost.
Meet the woman behind Pony Pairing - and the network of 30 years that stands behind her.
I cannot magic up the perfect pony. But through knowledge, expertise, pertinent questioning and thorough due diligence — I can help prevent you from making an expensive mistake.— Fiona
30 years, one philosophy: happy ponies, produced through love and care with children in mind.
With two young daughters, pre-Covid I was that mum trailing miles to view mis-advertised, unsound, sometimes downright dangerous ponies. I’ve been fortunate enough to be small and brave enough to climb on myself, but I know most parents can’t and shouldn’t have to.
I set up Pony Pairing to be the service I wish I’d had. Unconnected to any particular vendor. Impartial. Transparent about every part of the process. My currency is repeat business and referrals from families who’ve never regretted trusting me – and I intend to keep it that way.
Everything I know about ponies came from doing it the hard way – producing, competing, buying, selling, rehoming, retraining. I’ve made every mistake so you don’t have to. And I’ve built a network across the UK that, quite honestly, can’t be replicated by anyone doing this part-time or on the side.
Now I put all of that at the disposal of a small number of families – deliberately kept small, so no one gets lost in the crowd. Because rushing this decision, or spreading myself too thin, is exactly the compromise I set out to avoid.
What sets me apart
30 years, one quiet philosophy
The first pony
I bought my first pony to produce - a nervous, sharp mare no one else wanted. Six months later she was Pony Club C+ safe and going to her first family.
2015
A proper yard
Bought the land, built the yard, took on staff. Producing 8-10 ponies a year, competing on the Working Hunter and Show Hunter circuit. The reputation grew by word of mouth alone.
My own daughter
The moment my eldest was ready for her first pony changed how I saw the whole industry. Suddenly I was on the other side - and horrified by what I found.
The pandemic pivot
Post-Covid, the pony market went mad. Prices doubled. Standards halved. I watched too many good families get burnt. Something had to change.
Pony Pairing is born
I stepped back from producing my own stock and formalised what I'd been quietly doing on the side for years - helping families find the right pony, impartially, for a fixed fee.
The membership model
Forty-seven pairings in twelve months. I streamlined the membership model so every family gets proper attention. Quality over quantity, always. Launched the tiered membership so more families could access the guidance, even without full 1:1 support.
Pony first. Child second. Parent third.
Every decision I make on your behalf runs through those three filters, in that order. The pony's welfare comes before your child's dreams. Your child's safety and confidence comes before your budget. And your family's happiness comes before the sale.
It's why I turn away as many families as I take on. It's why I sometimes tell parents the pony they think they want isn't right for their child. And it's why, 30 years in, my network is still growing by referral alone.
If we can't do it well, we don't do it at all.
The girls who keep me honest
Millie is now working her third pony in as many years - each one produced by me, each one still a family friend. She competes in Pony Club Area Working Hunter and knows more about hoof balance than most vets.
Poppy is smaller, chattier, and terrifying on cross-country. She has a pony I bred myself, a scruffy welsh crossbreed I nearly gave up on twice.
Between them, they've broken enough of my ponies to civilised riding that I've learnt more about producing "kid-safe" than any textbook ever taught me. They are, quite honestly, the toughest quality control I've got.
Millie & Poppy, summer 2025
Ready to start with a WhatsApp?
Nearly every family starts here. Send me a quick hello — tell me your rider's age and roughly what you're after. I'll reply personally, usually the same day.