January 2, 2026 
LEXINGTON, KY—Looking for a top show pony at a fire-sale price? You may be in luck.
A monthly horse and pony sales report published by Equine Auction Zone last month found that now is the time to buy a wide range of ponies, school-horse-type packers, and Children’s division mounts at very sensible prices.
According to experts, the reason may have nothing to do with the market, itself, but rather, an obnoxious new slang phrase that’s caught on like wildfire among school-aged children.
“December was a tough month for parents,” said Equine Auction Zone Communications Director Chris Zappella. “Surviving the holidays, being home 24/7 with the kids over school breaks, taking care of their horses in the cold. A lot of moms and dads just reached their breaking point.”
But there was one standout, write-in factor that the study found had a direct impact on parents deciding to throw-in the towel on their sons’ and daughters’ pony ownership: “In write-in response after write-in response, parents said their reason for selling was that their kids won’t stop saying ‘6-7,’” Zappella said. “People have just had enough.”
One of those parents is Nick Pritchard, who decided to sell his daughter Nellie’s 14-year-old medium pony, Cheeto, after she used ‘6-7’ for what he calls “the quad-zillionth” time. “I know many people reading this will probably think I’m the worst father in the world. But all I can say is, I tried.
“My wife tried, her teacher and her trainer tried. Nothing worked.
“I finally told Nellie that if she didn’t stop using ‘6-7’ in the house and at the barn, and in the car on the way to the barn, that there were going to be consequences. She wouldn’t listen.
“She’d say it with her siblings, she’d say it with her friends. Once, we had the NCAA game on TV in the background, and it went into overtime on a tie-score of 67. She just about lost her mind!
“Eventually, my wife and I went to a therapist, who told us that as long as we were sure that Nellie understood our feelings, and she still chose to act against our wishes, that we were well within our financial rights as her parents to make a stand using something that we had paid for—and that we also needed to follow-through.
“Sadly, Cheeto ended up being that thing. Nellie broke out her first ‘6-7’ just minutes into the first day of Christmas break, and that was it. We found Cheeto a new little girl to love him in a barn not far away the very next day.
“Of course, Nellie, was furious with us, but it seemed to have the impact we desired. She’s cut down her ‘6-7’ usage down by at least 50%,” Pritchard said.
According to Zappella, Equine Auction Zone’s data reflects similar scenarios occurring among fatigued parents all around the country, whose horse-crazy kids have pushed them one ‘6-7’ too far.
“I’m sure it’s a sad loss for these kids, having their horses and ponies sold. But as someone who studies the economics of the industry, I have to say, this stupid little TikTok fad has been big boon for horse sales across the board,” he chuckled. “So keep it up, kids!”
More satire from Nina Fedrizzi:
- Ros Canter Changes Her Name
- Parental ‘Sting’ Operation Breaks Up Underground Hobby Horse Ring
- New Drowsiness Alert Monitor Helps Ammies Stay On Track in the Tack
- Public Library Bans Beloved Children’s Horse Classics for Being “Too Godless”
- Three Things E.R. Doctors Wish You’d Avoid: “Horses, Horses & Smallish Horses”
- Olympic Rider Dispels the Myth of Wearing a Hairnet: “It’s a Personal Choice”
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