Rehome shetland two ponies

[Van34]

We moved rural 6 years ago, spent the last 5 years renovating the house so had no time for anything other than work. The house is now done and we are working on the landscaping now. It's got me thinking, I really want horses again.
We are fortunate enough to have a field the backs onto our garden that is owned by the neighbour. The neighbour has an old mare in there who needs a companion bur he is reluctant to commit to another pony due to his age. I jokingly offered to get a shetland to graze it for him and he's said I can have the grazing for free so long as I manage it (as any horse owner would). I would love a ridden horse but I need to wait until we have the grounds finished before I would have time for lovely hacks out.
I work from home and earn enough money to pay bills and support the horses. DH has never stroked a horse nevermind handled one, but he is a huge animal lover and while he is apprehensive he's not 100% against it
So here is my AIBU, the rescue have called and they have a pair of shetlands that need homing together... do I take them on?

We strip graze rather than track for ours. Have tried track, but strip gives them something to look forward to each day. Here's mine

Ours would try to have sex with EVERYTHING as well - walls, trees, horses more than double his height who you could almost hear laughing at him.

A Shetland that lived with my mare used to shelter under her when it was raining. And stand behind her and drink her piss when she was weeing 🤮

Just here for the shettie pics!

You may find you need to fix the fencing before a rescue will rehome to you.

Otherwise, if you have a contingency plan for if the neighbour changes their mind, have ideas for stuff to do with them - a bored shetland is an EVIL shitland - sounds good to me!

I am waiting to hear back from them. Obviously they will come out and vet us as a suitable home and I am sure they will request the fencing is upgraded so we have started to look at options (leisure battery or mains). Thankfully we are secluded and quiet so an escapee will end up getting nowhere fast. The sheep only go as far as the next bit of grazing.
I only wanted one initially but I feel for these guys. Shetlands are so often used for children and can have horrible lives with them. I've seen the way they have been treated when we have been on livery yards. We have no kids so they can live out their retirement quietly.

Get them 😍 although the reason that Shitlands have such short legs, is so that they can be closer to the ground to hear Satan better...

I'd not heard that one before @Apocalyptichorsewoman

My own theory is that they contain the same amount of evil and chaos as a full sized horse (probably a maxi cob)...

But its super concentrated to fit into their tiny size...

Another thought - is the elderly companion-needing mare actually familiar with and happy with shetties, as I have met a fair few who believe them to be witch-craft, work of the devil and not to be approached under ANY circumstances....

I used to keep Shetlands with my other horses, one was an artful little bugger who could escape from anything, he was a spicy little sod too! Give me the horses any day!

Has anyone one read a book called 'Treacle bucket' it's about a very naughty Shetland pony. I had no idea that they were so naughty!

Shetlands I have known were intelligent, stubborn and could be very naughty and violent. They can be very hard to catch, and if they have been used as 'first ridden' tended to hate children. They were also escape artists, laughing in the face of electric fencing as they bulldozed their way through to get at the lush grazing they were not allowed to have. They are very good doers and have evolved to live on fresh air and thistles, and like most natives will need restricted grazing to maintain healthy weight and avoid laminitis.

People who love them call them characters, other more sane people call them psychopaths. Personally I love the horrid little buggers, and if I was fitter I would have them in a shot.

If you are after a riding pony for an adult you might like to consider a Fell pony or a Dales, they can also be a bit pony-like in character, and assume they are the brains of the outfit and can be opinionated, but they are lovely animals, big enough to ride but small enough to be cute and get away with anything. The restricted grazing also applies to them, as it would most equines with any native pony in their make up.

We had a Shetland as a companion, he had laminitis several times and ended up having to be restricted so wasn't much of a companion and so we had to get another pony too. Our Shetland would escape any fencing and shout f**k you as he tore across the field farting and bucking. He was like a big dog, gentle so cuddly and loved it when you sat with him for hours. It broke me when he died. I'd never have another Shetland because of the potential for laminitis. How about a couple of smaller moorland ponies?

Our shetland has repeated designs on obtaining a Darwin Award, and has absolutely no respect for fences. He is tenacious and will spend weeks working on a bit of fence before squeezing through like a rat and gorging himself stupid. Last time he ended up in hospital for a week at huge expense. I love him (and all the other shetlands I've met over the years) to pieces, but I would never have one again. I spend my days terrified of him escaping, getting colic and getting laminitis.

Go for it! Even though you initially only wanted one, it will surely be rewarding to keep the two of them together. And perhaps in some respects less demanding since they willl have each other for stimulation and company.

Are you going to want a riding horse further down the line? Then you'll have three...

Go for mains. 😂
I had a Shetland who perfected managing to kick the electric unit (through the fence...!) to break it and de electrify the fence. We went through 4 units before figuring out what happened.
Same pony also used to go along the fence line listening for any bits where it was shorting out.

Oh yes yes yes!
And do post some pics

Great pic !

Personally, no, I wouldn't. I have two horses, but everyone I know who has shetlands is constantly panicking about laminitis. With lots of unrestricted grazing, I think you could potentially be opening yourself up to a lot of trouble and vet bills. I have two horses (one youngster and one rescue) and they are a lot of work (and money - dentist, farrier, vet/jabs, any specialist feed, hay). I am regularly out there poo picking at 10pm. Ultimately, it's the responsibility of your neighbour to make sure he has a companion for his horse, as with rare exception, horses don't do well alone.