Step1
Ask yourself: Is my farmstead large enough to keep a pony and earn its keep ? A fenced-in pasture with a clean ,comfortable shelter is good. It should be large enough for grazing and exercise. Ponies like to run for the sheer pleasure of it. A good clean source of fresh water is needed. It could be a running stream or a tub of fresh water, you fill daily. Can you afford to buy or grow good quality hay ? Can you afford feed to give it a pint or so when it has worked hard all day ? Having determined that you have room, and can afford to feed it let's see if you can really use it on your farm. What are work ponies used for ?
Step2
Ponies can be used like draft or work horses , but are not able to pull the heavy loads a large draft animal can . But, on the bright side, they don't eat as much . It is good to get a pony that is trained for both saddle and harness . A pony can be used for pleasure riding , either in saddle or hitched to a sulkie, a buggy, a wagon ,or a sleigh for winter time . They can be hitched to a plow, a harrow, and other tools to cultivate gardens . There are hay mowers, hay rakes and hay wagons so when you grow your own hay you can harvest it with your work pony. That pony can skid logs from the woods, or pull a sled with logs for your winter wood pile . It might come in handy to pull your car out of a ditch sometime . In a small barn, in winter months, the body heat from your pony can help keep the other critters warm. A pony can be a loving companion , comforting you when you feel down. It's so pleasant to go into the barn in the evening, with all the chickens and other animals making their night sounds, and to put your face against the pony's warm neck . You can even cry if you want to and pour out your heatfelt sorrows. It will listen without criticism. Would you try that on a tractor ?
When you clean the stall you will have instant fertilizer that is never too "hot" to put fresh on the garden. Or you can throw it into the compost pile , so any seeds from hay and grazing will be decomposed and not grow as weeds in your garden. You won't even need a lawn mower if you can occasionally hitch it out to graze on your lawn. Are you convinced yet that you can use a work pony?
Step3
Compare prices . The price of a work pony will vary from place to place. You might get a good work pony free . We did. We advertised that we would give a good home to a pony. We got several. At an auction prices are usually fair, but you never know how the bidding will go. Nor are you sure what you are getting unless you take an expert with you and examine the ponies before the sale. Look around , advertise, and if possible see the pony at work in harness before you buy .
Compare what it would cost for you to buy a tractor and fuel and maintenace, a lawn mower, a truck for hauling, and all the other things that a pony would replace . Plus you would be helping the environment by not polluting it. Yes , you have to feed and care for a pony, but it will work for you for many years . If you raise your own hay that is a bonus . You won't need to buy fertilizer either, and soiled hay can go in the compost or be used as mulch in the garden. Yes, as we try to be more environmentally friendly, we may decide that , Yes, a pony is just what we need.
Enthusiast 
