Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

The tack room

<sigh> why can't dshetland be a bit bigger and younger?

16 replies

Pixel · 18/07/2009 23:13

It was so sweet today when we went to get her. Ds has severe ASD and doesn't really take much notice of animals normally, but he loves dshetland. He ran on ahead up the field (the other horses were out so it was safe) and he and dshetland ran back down together before I'd even got the headcollar out (wish I'd had a video camera). They were waiting impatiently for me to open the electric fencing. It's so lovely to see the relationship they have, especially as the pony had a reputation for being a kicker in the past and she's put up with all sorts from ds without so much as a raised hoof.

Anyway, we went out for a bit of a hack round the roads which they both enjoyed, but ds is getting rather big so he had to get off down a steep hill to save the poor old girl's knees. Major breakthrough, ds walked beside me and led the pony by the reins (I still had the leadrein). It was brilliant as he has a lot of sensory problems and has always refused to hold the reins, or hold on at all for that matter! Plus he's really bad at walking without trying to run off. I was such a proud mummy.

Then it was so funny when we were waiting patiently for a bus to go past, and the driver stopped and asked if we were getting on! All the passengers were gawping and I was soooo tempted. Dshetland would have been up for it .

I know shetlands don't have a very good reputation but this one has been a wonder. She was 'guide pony' to my dear old boy when he went blind and it was mainly down to her that his last couple of years were so happy and confident. Then when we lost him she gave me a reason to go along the field every day, otherwise I could have easily got out of the 'habit' and never got another horse. Now she is doing so much for ds, it's fantastic to see. The only one who doesn't love her to bits is dhorse, as she bullies him something rotten!

OP posts:

Report

MitchyInge · 19/07/2009 14:44

awwwwwww she is definitely 'horse of the day'

have you read that book, I forget who by and what it is called but it is about horses and autism?

Pixel · 19/07/2009 15:59

Is that the one where they take the boy to ride horses in Mongolia and have made it into a film? If so I haven't read the whole thing, just some exerpts in the paper and had a quick flick through and a look at the photos in Tesco. I'm a bit worried that if I read it I'll end up feeling a failure for not taking ds to Mongolia to be cured .

OP posts:

MitchyInge · 19/07/2009 18:12

oh that sounds like it - I got the book for mothers day but seem to have lost it , will keep an eye out for the film

I will watch it for you and report back

(unless I forget )

alicecrail · 21/07/2009 09:08

Bless, that sounds like a pony of a lifetime. As a general rule, it is a good thing that shetlands are small, think how strong the little buggers are!!

Are you on the lookout for a new one? I know of a lovely coloured cob about 14hh that is going cheap. He has been broken and turned away and is the sweetest little thing you could ever meet. It wouldn't take much to turn him into a superstar, just a bit of routine, (which he doesn't get at the moment)
She tried to sell him before he was cut, and someone came to ride him (hadn't had anything done for 6months) She got on, bridle so big the bit kept falling out, and the pony just wandered about the school following who ever was in front of him.

Pixel · 21/07/2009 16:20

Alice, he sounds a sweetheart. I wish I was on the lookout, I would love to be able to get ds a bigger pony, but we just can't afford it. We only have to pay for the shetland's hay and feed and her owner pays for rent/farrier/vet/worming, so we are on to a good thing atm! She wanted to give her to me because she knows how well we look after her but another field rent is just too much for us so we reached a compromise.
Ds will just have to graduate to my sister's pony who is 14hh. He won't be ideal as he can be very feisty and he isn't too sure about ds fidgeting about on his back, but he leads well and is good in traffic. I won't be letting ds run about with him in the field though!

OP posts:

alicecrail · 21/07/2009 16:45

That's a shame. Will you still be able to keep shetland for him to play about with?

Pixel · 21/07/2009 16:51

Oh yes, she isn't going anywhere, she is here for keeps.

OP posts:

alicecrail · 21/07/2009 16:59

Thats good. Are you planning on sharing your lovely little horse with him when he's bigger?

Pixel · 21/07/2009 18:28

Mmm that looks doubtful at the mo, he is terrible to lead. For a start he walks so fast we can't keep up, and gets cross when we try to make him walk at our pace. He is very strong and bargy if he gets the chance. Also he likes to take crafty nips although he is much better now and we are hoping that's a baby thing. It's strange how he is very well-mannered when he's being ridden (even when he shies he tries to make sure you don't come off!), but has no respect for people who are on the ground. We are working on his manners and he is much improved but still a long way to go before I would put ds on him.

OP posts:

alicecrail · 21/07/2009 21:34

He is still young though, a lot of that is probably just babyness. Have you been doing much with him lately?

Pixel · 21/07/2009 22:16

I've been doing some schooling and a friend of mine has been riding him out with my sister and her pony which he is loving(he's a real happy hacker!). My instructor has just started working again after her bad fall at the beginning of June and she has been giving me lunge lessons on him. I just wish we had somewhere to do it that was 1/ flat, and 2/ didn't have rabbits leaping out of the grass at random moments! Still, I apparently have a very secure seat.

OP posts:

MitchyInge · 22/07/2009 17:25

I just got beaten up by the smallest shetland in the world EVER, and I agree that it is a bloody good thing they do not come in horse sizes!

Pixel · 22/07/2009 17:53

Mitchy, how did you manage that?
Anyway, if it was that small it was probably a miniature, and I don't count them. Our shetland is a 'proper' one .

OP posts:

skankywitch · 22/07/2009 20:31

How old is your little shetland pixel?

As alicecrail said they are very strong little things and I'm sure will be able to carry your son for a while yet.

So lovely to hear that you're not going to dump him when outgrown.

Pixel · 23/07/2009 13:21

She'll soon be 27. We are hoping to keep her going for a few years yet as her owner is about to become a granny any day now and would love to see her grandchild ride her, just as her daughter did when she was little.

OP posts:

Owls · 23/07/2009 14:42

Ah Pixel that's a lovely story about your DS and your - errrrr - ds! . She sounds wonderful.

Right just got my sweet-iron bit and am waiting for a phone call from a lovely instructor I know from years ago (but who doesn't teach on a regular basis anymore) as to whether she can find time to take me on. Please, please, please. Fingers crossed.

You never know a new bit, a good instructor and some effort determination from me and I might get somewhere.

Mitchy - how did you get beaten up by a Shetland? I always stay out of their way! Think Pixel's got herself a good one.

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.