[WaltDisneyWorld]

Hi Everyone, I should be getting a Shetland foal towards the end of the year and would appreciate any recommendations of good books on raising/training foals especially Shetlands or any do's or don'ts in advice that you could offer.

[janeislay]

Everyone's circumstances and methods are so different, it's difficult to recommend anything.   Try looking at what's available in Amazon.

The only things I'd advise are (a) depending on what grazing you have, be very careful of overfeeding the mare and don't feed any concentrates to the foal or you'll be in danger of growth deformities.  and (b) don't over handle the foal or it'll become too cheeky.

We leave our foals on their mums for as long as possible (nearly a year) and handle them as little as is necessary.

Jane

[white-blazes]

Don't spoil with tit-bits either, or you'll have a nipping pony always searching your pockets

[sabrina]

I feed my foals hard food to help with growth and development over the first two years then they go onto a small feed of Hi-fi with vit& min to keep them in tip top health.Now before anyone jumps down my throat I have been breeding and working with young stock for over 44 years and not once have I had any problem.  Now as I no longer breed myself I buy foals to bring on. Foals grow 90 per cent in their first year, Just about everyone of my ponies has been a Champion. I have friends in Shetland who have bred ponies for years and they too all feed mares, foals and youngstock. If you lack experience get in touch with the likes of Dengi and ask for their advice. What I will say, I feed weaned foals hard food that has been soaked with some water. Shetlands are greedy and this stops them choking. As for rearing and bringing on a Shetland Pony, its the same as any pony, time to let them grow and be a youngster, getting used to being handled with grooming, cleaning feet and leading in and out when needed. Breaking to ride is also the same. There are no short cuts to producing a well manered childs pony who has had the time spent on learning good manners. Look for a book on Shetlands or natives, something that takes in everything you need to know. As far as a Shetland Pony is concerned he is as big and as strong as any horse, brave and willing to please ( well most of the time ) will give you lots of fun and laughter and try his very best at whatever he has to turn a hoof at.

[WaltDisneyWorld]

Thank you for the replies. I will search on Amazon for some appropriate books and then no doubt will have loads of questions.