So hard to find full up island type ridden Shetlands these days!

Love it! hahaha! He was a lovely sort and sounds a gem. I don't subscribe to the whole "Shetlands are demons" ethos. Treat them like any other horse and they'll follow suit. My standard mare is the kindest little thing, certainly not a kid's pony under saddle but such a sweet, utterly compliant soul. I feel a lot of Shetlands get the short end of the stick and a bad reputation due to being handled like toys. A real shame!
Couldn't agree more, If you treated Warmbloods like a lot of Shetlands end up being treated they'd have a filthy reputation
 
Absolutely Wally! Same goes for most stallions. I've had a lot of "problematic" ponies come into my care and every one has rapidly resolved into a lovely personality when they realised there were people out there capable of treating them kindly, fairly but firmly. It's the most sensitive animals who wish for nothing more than to please you and yet sadly encounter people who are just not fair or confident. Shetlands get it the absolute worst due to abuse relating to their small stature and having to suffer at the hands of some children who's parents just don't teach them to respect the animals.

Your stallion was an absolute stunner! I hadn't noticed the photo of him with his little friend above. It's getting impossible to find black ones these days too!
 
The same can be said for chestnuts or chestnut mares. Cobs are always safe confidence giving plods.
 
The same can be said for chestnuts or chestnut mares. Cobs are always safe confidence giving plods.

Please don't say that to my friend who's been looking after and riding Little Un while I'm away - she says he makes her appreciate her quiet 4yo that's not long out of racing! He IS safe, but he's also forward and does have the Welsh cob sense of humour . . .
 
Please don't say that to my friend who's been looking after and riding Little Un while I'm away - she says he makes her appreciate her quiet 4yo that's not long out of racing! He IS safe, but he's also forward and does have the Welsh cob sense of humour . . .
That's the thing they are all individuals.
One ex racer I rode came out because he was uninterested in joining in.
A Shetland run off with me once because he could not because he was a Shetland.
 
Mental these old equestrian wives tales and stereotypes! Quietest pony I ever owned was my old chestnut section C stallion. I was told when I bought him that he had supposedly been ridden in the past by a previous owner. I frequently hopped on him in the yard when he was tied up for his groom. I would sit there getting all his good itchy spots and he loved it! After his breeding duties were over for the season I thought it would be nice for him to have another job so tacked him up and had a little plod around the school. He was ridiculously green, didn't know a thing and was quite confused but didn't put a foot wrong! It blew my mind when his 'previous', previous owner got in touch with me and I asked what he had done under saddle and was told, nothing, he wasn't broken to ride!!! :eek: Chestnut, Welsh and a stallion!

On the flip side I've met some very spicy natured traditional cobs! I think when people have preconceived ideas due to these stereotypes it does effect the way they approach and treat the animal. There's nothing a horse finds more suspicious than a suspicious person!
 
Reviving this thread with a quick question. Does anyone know where I can get a Shetland measuring stick? Annoyingly I have one which goes up to 39" and one that starts at 10.2hh! Is there such a thing that does everything in between? Cheers!
 
Cheers! It seems to be sold out everywhere. Only the aluminium one is available now and apparently there are no horses under 10.2hh according to Shires! :confused:
 
She has literally just dropped her foal so she won't be with me for 2-3 weeks while we wait for him to find his feet. I will certainly post pics when she is with me (bursting to do so now but don't want to hex anything!) I've actually admired her for a few years now so feel very fortunate.
 
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Ooh, and since I posted this thread my Ulverscroft mare also foaled to a gorgeous 42" stallion so the herd had suddenly grown! Almost as ordered, a lovely filly but not black as I had kept my fingers crossed for. None the less I'll gladly take 1 out of 2 elements I hoped for!
 
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Why not go for a draft pony which is short but can carry heavier people or larger, or get a small horse or quarter pony because they carry weight well too. There are a lot of choices even larger ponies like Haflingers. You can have a lot of fun on those and I mean fun without crazy people making complaints of riding a smaller horse. Those handle weight better than the taller horses do.
 
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