Shetland Ponies

[slipperandpjsmum]

Does anyone own a Shetland? I have little experience of them and a friend has asked me for my thoughts on buying one for her daughter. I replied I did not know but knew people who did! Thoughts and comments very welcome.

[LovePinkBitsOfMyHorse]

I love all the natives really, actually if am honest just love all horses and all animals in general. There will always be something special about exmoors though, it is the ancientness of the breed for me I think.

There is a beautiful exmoor at our place who only 11 months ago was wild on Exmoor and now does everything. He's not scared of anything! There is also a slightly weird one but think he had a troubled past.

[Santassnowyoldclothcatpuss]

Exmoors are nice but DD doesn't want one because they are ugly! she wants a gypsy cob. She was schooling A youngster for her instructor and he was fabulous. Unfortunately instructor fell out with the owner and the lovely pony had to stay behind.

[Pixel]

Ugly! .

[slipperandpjsmum]

What approx age could you ride a Shetland till? My friends daughter is 4 and is quite a small frame like her Mum.

What sort of costs are we talking about in comparison to a pony?

Alice why aren't you a fan?

Thanks so much for the replies so far!!

[AliceandtheGinormousBaps]

They have a certain reputation for a reason! The big problem being as already mentioned, they are not bred for children, they were bred for farmers to carry fallen stock home, a small workhorse.

But because they are small, people get them for their kids or as pets ad forget they are still horses, not big dogs iyswim? They need proper work and management just like any other breed of horse. Handled correctly they are fab, but too many get ruined.

[Pixel]

Oh yes, dshetland is treated like a horse, she isn't a toy. There is a new person at our field with a young shetland and she lets her daughter chase it about and clamber all over it and then wonders why it's nervous and won't be caught. I confidently predict sweet pony turning round and kicking annoying child in the near future!

Slipper, Ds is almost 11 and still rides the shetland. They are very strong and versatile, you only have to watch the Shetland Pony Grand National to see how well they cope with a bigger rider.

[Pixel]

Actually ds is big for his age, I'm having to buy him clothes for 13 year olds, but dshetland is very keen when ridden and certainly doesn't struggle to carry him (I sometimes make him get off down steep hills but that is because she is nearly 30 and has an arthritic fetlock,). I can quite imagine her carrying a dead sheep home through a bog.

[LovePinkBitsOfMyHorse]

want a donkey AND a Shetland

Barney has a mealy muzzle and is brown so that practically IS exmoor

do you think that lungworm thing is overstated as a risk? surely just worm donkey?

[Santassnowyoldclothcatpuss]

'What approx age could you ride a Shetland till?'...
I'm 35 and I still ride mine!
( although she is a traditional, wears a 5'3 rug and a cob size bridle!)

[AliceandtheGinormousBaps]

Good worming will pretty much eliminate the risk.

We were at a yard that had Donkeys but ours are fine.

Donkeys give me a fit of the giggles everytime they start braying, both horses were the first time they heard one

[slipperandpjsmum]

Thanks again so much everyone your replies are so useful!!!!

Do you think I should suggest another breed to my friend??? Her children are 5 and 3 and she is very keen to buy them a pony. I think she was thinking of size rather than anything else. The pony will live out on her father's farm.

[slipperandpjsmum]

Sorry 4 almost 5!

[AliceandtheGinormousBaps]

I would suggest she goes by individual pony, not each breed iyswim? Go to look at ponies that sound suitable and the right one will find you. Good Luck

[Santassnowyoldclothcatpuss]

Welsh a are around the right size. They can also be more delicate And less strong than shetlands. We have a marvellous one who did DD proud as a lead rein and first ridden. She's now in foal as she's not so good at that sEcond pony stage and is waiting a year or two till DD is able to manage her better! A nice welsh a foal this year and a bigger outcross for dd to break and ride next year maybe. They can be stunning ponies too. Ours is really flouncy and unicornish when she's all tarted up!

[Santassnowyoldclothcatpuss]

Also, if it's going to live out, you do need a nice native. Sticky legged show ponies are great but she'll end up in wet rug hell!