Can shetlands do dressage??

Jenny2502

Jenny2502

Puzzle and Milly
Apr 21, 2007
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Birmingham
I'm entering my shetland (and little rider of course) into an intro dressage test, i jus wondered if there are any rules about this.

Also if anyone has any pics of shetlands or tiny ponies doing dressage i'd love to see them.

Milly has a great balanced walk and trot and i want to show this off, why shouldnt she do dressage? yep she'll be laughed at but i'd have the last laugh if she got placed!?
 
Shetlands need a sympathetic judge, A friend of mine is an international judge and knows that different horses have different abilities, Shetlands are not anatomically well suited to dressage. Many a self important breeder will tell you that they breed ponies capable of extension, yeah, right, I have NEVER seen a Shetland produce true extension, they can do some fairly good lengthened strides, but they struggle due to their body shape.

For this reason my friend make allowances for Shetlands and if a pony is obedient, and soft, and bendy, does an accurate test and makes an effort to lengthen/shorten when asked, she will mark it favourably. She does not expect the same degree of ability as an Arab or warmblood, or even some of the other lighter UK M&M.

She will also mark over flexing down big time, sadly it is a fashion in the Shetland riding world to get the pony in behind the vertical, to make it look like a show pony. I have heard of some breeders leaving their Shetlands in the stable in a bitted bridle and a saddle with tight side reins on for hours. :( :( :(
 
We've taken a little coloured shettie X section A to several dressage tests ...
She rarely does very well because she's very speedy and her little legs flyyyyyyyy (esp compared tot the floaty warmbloods), but she often gets a most commended prize lol )
 
Kis Vihar said:
That's EVIL! :mad: Poor bl**dy ponies! They must get so sore.
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This was the advice being given out on a website devoted to the little darlings, I think the person giving out the info was a judge too. Suffice it to say, I no longer frequent the said site as I might say something I may regret.....I might add I do not regret what I said to them on the subject before, that still stands :D :D with knobs on!
 
Wally said:
This was the advice being given out on a website devoted to the little darlings, I think the person giving out the info was a judge too. Suffice it to say, I no longer frequent the said site as I might say something I may regret.....I might add I do not regret what I said to them on the subject before, that still stands :D :D with knobs on!
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Sometimes the judges are the worst....!:mad:

I had a right go at a judge on a showground once who placed my Welsh A right down. The handler was a young girl, who wanted to know what she had done 'wrong' and how to improve. I have always thought it was fair enough to ask advice of a judge, so off we went, and politely asked what to do in the future to catch the judge's eye. Judge said to the young lass: 'You did nothing wrong dahhhhling, your pony is a bit thin - I like to see good weight on a Welshie - she needs to be fat!' My pony had been seen by the vet every month for God knows how long, to do something about her obesity. She is 11.2hh and weighed nearly 400kilos!!!!! I was livid. I asked her if she knew about laminitis! Judges....Grrrr!

I can understand your point about Shetlands not getting the 'extension' etc due to their body type, but if a Shetland is nicely schooled and has good impulsion and obedience, then it would be great to see them do dressage! If the judge is sensible....:rolleyes:
 
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpVhLjY6cQw
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Teehee, my friend's little daughter & her shettie at walk-trot. Their first attempt, bless ... Didn't go too well, BUT the point is to go and have fun. Girl was stressed & first time alone in the school (!) ... but if she can enjoy this at age 10 and be taken seriously (judge was very sweet and did not look down at her - just gave some tips for the future), then she's set to enjoy riding for life methinks!
 
lovely soot! Thank you, doesnt make me feel so silly for entering her now.
corr shes got a far way to go to get as fit as yours though! she's a field fluff ball!!
 
yes some judges are horriable. I had a coloured pony that a little person took yo his first show for me, he was very good but did a small half rear infront of the judge so we did not expect to be placed . what upset me was her attitude, she put the child and pony last, soke to every other child then proceded to shout across the ring, 'oh yeah, and you can see why you wernt placed) in a truely horriable tone. clearly power corrupts......:)
 
WOWWWWWW!!!!! Milly was ridden tonight but she sooo wasnt in the mood! She was ok-ish and had a tiny canter ridden, but i'm hoping she'll be better next time and in a better mood, she was psyched up to be lunged and then was ridden last min bless her.
 
I don't normally go a bundle on the piaffe/passage/airs stuff but wee Lancelot looks like he's having a ball, none of the tail swishing & tension that you sometimes see from the dressage divas' horses. Shame he's not 16.2 :rolleyes:
 
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