Do your shetties get bullied?

[S.J.C]

To all the shettie owners out there really. Do your shetties get bullied by bigger horses in their herds? I'm going over the advantages/disadvantages of getting a shetland. I have heard of friends shets getting picked on before, I wouldn't want him to be beaten up....

Thanks
Sarah xx

[SarahandSolomon]

noooo,
i used to know a little mare shetland who bullied the bigger boys!!
she was a toughy!
+ they're so cheeky and adorable

[ginny!]

I've heard quite the opposite I'm sure ours wouldn't think twice of beating up some of the bigger ones

I'm sure someone on here has 2-3 BIG horses (16.3, 17hh??) and a Shetland. Needless to say the Shetland was the boss, if i remember correctly.
And i also think someone used to keep their Shetland with shires im not entirely sure though.

[Wally]

They can certainly hold their own. But having said that there are personalities within every breed who won't be top of the heap.

Andy will take anything on and so will the Muppets, they are fearless. Whiffy and Gem would not stand up to another horse beating them up. Hetty would tell a big jhorse exactly where to get off should they try and tell her what to do.

[cloversluck]

Our little shetty doesnt put up with any bother, and even though hes ancient if one of the bigger ponios tries it on he'l chase them till they know to leave him alone
tbh iv lost count of the times HE actually bullies the bigger ones

[Melting Moments]

I actually found it was my shetland all 8 1/2 hh's of him bully our big horses lol

[XWP]

Another one here who's shetland was top dog!! My youngster tried it on with her when she was just 3 and trying to work her way up the pecking order - no chance!!

[learningcurve]

My two can look after themselves, but don't go looking for trouble and they can run like hell.

My shetland Surprise is funny tho, he is like an itch that can't be scratched, he will be chased off someones hay pile but keep coming back, until they just except he is sharing theirs, then they can share his.

[Native Lover]

My daughters shetland used to manage to keep out of the way of my fell mare even though the fell mare was the dominant,moody mare type

[ElvisFan]

I,ve got a 17.2 Clydie and she was relentlessly bullied by Molly the Shetland. Molly never kicked or bit my horse just seem to delight in being able to chase her off when she wanted.It was quite funny to watch sometimes, this little pony chasing a great hulking horse round the field. You could almost see her smiling sometimes as if to say "Ha...got ya" lol.

[S.J.C]

OMG! Wow, I never realised the shetties bullied the BIGGER horses!?
Great, thanks guys, thas one less thing to worry about

Sarah xx

[Bengi1991]

There is 2 on our land and they tend to keep out of the way of the bigger ones though our cob Rossi is best mates with shetland Sweep even hiding behind her when he doesnt want to be caught

[carthorse]

The YOs mini shetland has been tearing acros the field to beat the proverbial out of my welsh cob the last few days. The mares in the next field (he's little enough to walk under the fencing so spends a lot of time with them) are in season & they are his & he won'[t take comnpetition. If he was any bigger I'd really be quite worried, as it is poor LU can at least run away!!

[LinzCos]

I have a 17.1hh, 14.2hh and two Shetties and they all get on fine. There is something of a size based pecking order but no bullying - the little ones run away and taunt the biggies!

I did get the second Shettie as a friend for the first one though and was very pleased we did that. They are great together and have fun being the same size. Helps when they need restricted grazing too. Great excuse for two as well

Oh, the Shetties do bully our dogs - the labs are scared to go into their fields the ponies just run at them and bowl them over!

[Arabmare]

Our Shetland bullies shantih and shantih is scared of her. Moon bosses all of the horses but the shetland can walk all in between the bosses and never gets told off!!! She has done it to every boss horse we have ever had. They will let her share their dinners!! She gets away with everything then beats my poor girl up!!!

[jaydales]

My miniature shetland certainly doesn't get bullied....he's the one doing most of the bullying. I have a 15.1 and a yearling CB (currently about 15.3) who he bosses around something rotten

[kmacp]

Hey there, ive got 3 shetlands and the only problem i have ever had was when a young gelding was getting too playfull with them, he was only 13.2 but managed to grab one of my girls over the neck and cause her a nasty sore neck and a hefty vet bill for me!!!. It was just the extra height that let him do this and he also tied it with one of the geldings, saying that though my 35 year old will give any other man in the field that trys to show authority a good run for his money, he can be a bit dominant sometimes if they wont back down.

[peerielee]

I have a shetland and a young friesian. The shetland certianly rules the roost!

[zola2000]

lol sorry i had to laugh omg my 2 are the bullies they take on my 16.2 irish x tb and also beat up my 14.2 welsh d, and they are even wrost when the 2 shetlands are together my 2 can diff hold there own