Author Topic: Shetland Pony wants a boyfriend.. (Read 7138 times)

Snoopy · « **on:** November 06, 2009, 06:50:46 pm »

Just Got a Six Year Old Shetland Pony, she is very dark brown all over, and I would like to mate her
with a same coloured Shetland Pony.

We are in Ireland, and if you can put me onto anyone who can help me get this lovely girl into
foal please p.m. me

Will post a photo of her soon, she is a bit camera shy at the moment, not long parted from her last
foal, so is a bit grumpy, but still beautiful.

sabrina · « **Reply #1 on:** November 08, 2009, 07:42:31 pm »

Go onto Shetland-pony.com Gerry has two Irish Studs on his web site, hope this helps

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #2 on:** November 08, 2009, 10:04:03 pm »

you need to check her parents and grand parents for their colour its not easy as they can produce lots of diffrent colours. same with the dad.

Snoopy · « **Reply #3 on:** November 10, 2009, 08:02:49 pm »

Thanks Sabrina and Shetland Paul.

Another little problem, shes not been handled much, and I need to learn her to walk with me on a lead for
exercise, as its really rainy here and she is not used to being in a field of grass, only in a dry concrete arena.

Any books or advice pointers greatly appreciated.

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #4 on:** November 10, 2009, 09:57:17 pm »

daft question why was a shetland pony kept on stone. they are best on grass at 6 she should have been broken to walking and being used. were starting to train up one of ours as a plough horse.

you will need to watch that she does not get fat but its better to be in the field. are its feet ok.

you could do with someone to keep her company they hate being alone.

they tend to be greedy little things so start off bucket training and build up from there. food is a wonderful bonding tool. dont use anything with oats or your going to get problems. rain and mud are not problems to shetlands. just make sure there is some type of wind brake.

dont treat as a small pet these are very much horses even if they are small they also have very long memories so you will need to get her trust.

we got the horse vet book and lots of other basic books. try getting a care of native breeds book. your very brave shetlands are very long lived. by the way has she ever had a foal. but the main thing let her on the grass. sorry again what type is it the rougher the better.

Rosemary · « **Reply #5 on:** November 11, 2009, 08:02:29 pm »

I agree with shetlandpaul. She will benefit from a companion - another pony for choice. Also on the "pet" thing - horses, even small horses, need a leader and boundaries. You may have to be very firm with her, and consistent, if she is disrespectful. Even if she is unconfident, she will respond better to firm and fair, than to "petting". It doesn't work with horses - they don't understand it.

HappyHippy · « **Reply #6 on:** November 12, 2009, 09:16:05 am »

We had a couple of shetland ponies when i was younger.
Waifs and strays who decided they didn't like where they stayed and kept coming to our farm (maybe something to do with my gran and her tendancy to feed everything!) In the end their owners decided it wasn't worth the hassle of continually taking them home only to discover they'd done a bunk the following day

Neither of them had been broken and by the time they came to us it was really too late (and we were all too big to ride them anyway) But they were nice enough and could be caught and have a head collar and lead rein put on without objecting.
Goldie, the female was prone to put on weight very easily and as she got heavier began to suffer from laminitus (spelling ?) the field did have wet patches in it too so it may have been something to do with that - this is possibly why yours has been kept on hard standing ?
She was a placid wee thing, until the farrier came to sort her feet. On one occasion she managed to get free (there were 3 BIG men, plus the farrier holding her) My dad's farmer friend Hugh, who must've been 6 ft tall and built like a brick sh**house, ended up with 2 lovely hoof shaped bruises on his chest

and another time my gran had to get stitches in her hand where Smokey had decided to eat the slice of bread, but wanted her thumb to go with it

They might be small and cute, but they've definately got attitude, and power in those short legs

If your grass is good and plentifull keep an eye on her, they are so prone to put on weight especially if they've got a constant supply of grass. The other things worth checking are her feet and teeth- both common problems for shetlands. Good luck and let us know how you get on Julie

Snoopy · « **Reply #7 on:** November 12, 2009, 09:41:32 am »

She spent all her life in the Zoo, and therefore has been looked after very well, we are homing her until
the Zoo is refurbished, and she is with the Miniature Donkeys.

She will get more care and attention than most animals, and is in great condition, all I really need is
advice on how to get her confidence and trust, so that I can walk her around the farm, and show her
to school children.

The Zoo are wonderful and the keepers are great, but the animals are left to their own devices and not
handled too often, only by vets and keepers who feed them. She is great at posing for photographs though

Joe kept horses most of his life, but he is so busy with the shop and markets and restaurants that the animals other than
pigs are now my responsibility to groom and train. I was kicked by a horse when I was Eleven, and so am a bit apprehensive.

Tara is more confident than me, as she is a natural rider and goes to riding school, but I want to calm her down
and get her trust before Tara goes plaiting her main etc.

She had a foal last year, and has only just been separated - which is another reason why shes a bit grumpy too.

Will persevere- love her to bits, and she loves the donkeys, and is very happy, just nervous as everything is new to
her.

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #8 on:** November 12, 2009, 12:33:14 pm »

well thats diffrent. still you would have thought that a zoo would have know to keep at least two. but as she had other horse family members thats fine. the laminitis sorry about the spelling is diet based thats why a shetland is not really suitable as a companion for standard horses. the grass on most paddocks is too rich. they really need very rough glass. so we are very lucky. its very true nothing will stop a Shetland if they make there mind up. our colts have jumped stock fencing and swam a lake to visit some girls. the daughter has been dragged across peat banks which was funny but not safe.

Rosemary · « **Reply #9 on:** November 12, 2009, 02:28:11 pm »

I suggest you try Parelli Natural Horsemanship

Snoopy · « **Reply #10 on:** November 13, 2009, 06:13:35 pm »

Had a good look at that site Rosemary -thanks.

She is getting more trusting every day, still not got to groom her yet, she needs it too.

Tara is enjoying collecting tack, combs, brushes, foot picks etc, and Joe is putting rings here and there around the farm
so that we can walk her out to work on her in the sun - was a wonderful day here today, but we are promised storms for
the next three days

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #11 on:** November 13, 2009, 09:55:11 pm »

it was wet wet wet up here. you sound like your doing fine. start by gently stroking her nose as she comes for food. then her neck and on down. stay away from her back end untill your very sure of her. they hurt like big horses.