# Shetland yes or no



## Conn804 (9 July 2021)

Hi all. We have made the decision to get our 10 year old pony mad daughter a pony of sorts. She has been riding for about a year.
We are not horsey people but I have a keen interest in learning about them and have taken lessons etc over the past year. Our thought was to get a good Shetland as a first project for her. One that's been ridden, proven to be good with children etc. This is not necessarily for her to ride but to learn about horse care, grooming, management etc. Am I mad getting a Shetland. I've read so many differing opinions on the breed and don't want to make a mistake. Any help /advice much appreciated.


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## paddi22 (9 July 2021)

I'd imagine a child would be keen to ride whatever pony they get (even if they only start off grooming) so would you be better off getting a bigger pony that would do her for a few years?  If I was in your position I'd foster a shetland from a rescue and just see how it goes.  Shetlands can be little buggers with fencing, need constant weight management, so often have to be on restricted grazing or turnout.  Will you be keeping it at home or on a livery yard? if at home it will need another pony for company unless you have cattle etc that it might settle in with.


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## L&M (9 July 2021)

Most 10 yrs olds would want to ride their pony......also most 10 yr olds would either be too big, or grow out of, a shetland. 

My son had one a shetland who he learnt to handle and ride on at the age of 5yrs, by 9yrs old moved on to a 13hh welsh sec b, and by the age of 12 yrs a 14.2hh.

Shetlands also come with a reputation - we were very lucky as ours was angelic, but always had weight management issues.


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## Pinkvboots (9 July 2021)

I would get something bigger for a ten year old so she has a good few years with that pony, shetlands I call them shitlands all the ones I have looked after are a pita they escape then won't be caught, I used to show some in hand years ago for someone I quite enjoyed that, I think mainly because I literally turned up and was handed a pony then handed it back after the class.


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## Conn804 (9 July 2021)

Thanks for this honest opinion. She just seems to be obsessed with Shetlands and I think it's a size thing. Because it's smaller she seems to have more confidence around them. But yeah you are probably right. As she grows more as a rider she will want something she can ride. Think maybe I just like the idea of her having her first pony instead of non stop watching ponies on YouTube!! I will take your advice on board. Thanks ever so much


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## Conn804 (9 July 2021)

Shit lands. Oh my that made me laugh lol. Only saw a few comments so far and I'm already being seated away from my idea.


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## Conn804 (9 July 2021)

14668385, member: thank you. My daughter is a quiet wee thing and I was thinking the Shetland would give her more confidence for a year or 2 and then when she was a more confident rider she cud get a pony and we would still keep the Shetland. Think I need to re think!!
 What type of pony would you suggest as a food starting breed?


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## Meowy Catkin (9 July 2021)

A novice child with non-horsey parents really needs to be at a good, supportive livery yard with people (fellow liveries and staff) that are helpful and kind.

RE breed. It's not the most important thing. Number one is the right temperament and not overhorsing the child in any way. Of course if the pony is to be ridden it needs to be an appropriate size to carry the child. I would look at ponies who are being rehomed because they have been owned by a novice child who has now outgown the pony in size or ability. So they are now selling the 1st pony and looking for a 2nd pony.


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## paddi22 (9 July 2021)

The issue I found with shetland is they are great lead rein ponies but I've never found one good off the lead rein, any I've had have managed to avoid work by running off to food, sticking their heads down to eat grass, rolling or bucking. I just can't imagine a ten year old pony mad kid being content with a parent leading her around on something that is probably going to be too small anyway.  It costs as much to keep a pony she can ride as one she can't.  I remember being her age and it was way more fun being on pony camps learning about managements with a gang of friends and then having fun in lessons. She would be better off learning the ropes in an environment where she can have fun and more support.


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## Pinkvboots (9 July 2021)

I rode a few as a teenager as I was really skinny and light and I fell off a lot they are not the easiest


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## PurBee (9 July 2021)

Pinkvboots said:



			I rode a few as a teenager as I was really skinny and light and I fell off a lot they are not the easiest

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me too -age 13, being lightweight and having ridden ponies/horses for a few yrs, a friends mum had a large round shetland that wasnt ridden much but had been ridden,  as a companion for a TB. Sweet thing on the ground grooming it etc but in the saddle i managed to stay on for 50 metres bucking and broncing its way down the field before it launched me into a huge pile of nettles! 
Theyre fun but probably not for a nervous small wee child.


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## Conn804 (9 July 2021)

paddi22, she's starting to help at the stables so maybe I'll just wait and see how that goes. Maybe as you say that will be more beneficial to her and would save me a lot of hassle and money until she's competent enough to ride the pony she eventually gets! Thank u


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## smolmaus (9 July 2021)

Pinkvboots said:



			I rode a few as a teenager as I was really skinny and light and I fell off a lot they are not the easiest

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I miss those days. One absolute devil called Fuzzy Wuzzy in particular. 

If she's at the stables "working" she's going to be getting plenty of fun and experience to keep her mind off having her own for a while. Ride that train while it lasts imo. Or maybe ask the RS if she could share a pony for a few days a week?


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## Tiddlypom (9 July 2021)

Conn804 said:



			paddi22, she's starting a job at the stables so maybe I'll just wait and see how that goes. Maybe as you say that will be more beneficial to her and would save me a lot of hassle and money until she's competent enough to ride the money she gets! Thank u
		
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Your daughter is 10?

The min age for paid part time work is 13. 

https://www.gov.uk/child-employment


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## Conn804 (9 July 2021)

It's not a job in the true sense. She is only 10 🤣


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## Conn804 (9 July 2021)

It's not a job in the true sense. She is only 10. She calls it a job.


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## Tiddlypom (9 July 2021)

Unpaid, then?

Many of us, including me, remember working on yards when young to earn rides. It's a different and more regulated world now.


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## honetpot (9 July 2021)

A good Shetland is now a lot of money, for that you could probably get a 12-12.2 PC all rounder at the end of summer, after PC camp. It may not be the smartest looking pony, the good ones often look not thought at all has been used in their breeding, and they may have a few tricks they have learned to show the child who is really in charge, but they do look after and tolerate children.


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## Conn804 (9 July 2021)

honetpot, yeah the ones I've seen are  £1k -£1.5k so not cheap!!


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## Winters100 (9 July 2021)

I love the idea of owning Shetlands. And I think I love the idea, because it has stayed as an idea.

The irrational side of me would go and buy a few right now.  They are adorable and it would be so much fun to have them.  The rational side of me knows that, even if I make them a paddock which resembles a cage from Jurassic Park, they will get through the fence.  Upon getting through the fence they will find and destroy something, and for sure it will be something that is expensive and difficult to replace.  In the meantime, instead of hanging over the gate watching the cute little things graze peacefully, I will be living in a constant state of stress about how much grass they are eating and are they at risk of laminitis.  

The rest of the family, having encouraged the purchase, will soon realise that they are no end of trouble, and be asking me to get rid of them. Of course by this time I will have become attached to them.  My idea of them being used for our friends' small children to ride will have come to nothing once they have bucked a few off and have the reputation of fire breathing dragons among the local 5 year olds.  I will be left with sole responsibility, adoring them, while secretly wanting to cry at how much time they take to care for.

Other than that I think Shetlands are a wonderful idea


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## Auslander (9 July 2021)

The problem with shitlands is that one is never enough


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## Conn804 (9 July 2021)

[QUOTE="Winters100 🤣🤣🤣🤣 hilarious!! Thanks everyone for the help. You have well and truly made my mind up. No Shetlands for now!!


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## splashgirl45 (9 July 2021)

i would think that its better for her to share a pony and get an idea of what it is like to own but without the responsibility,  it wont hurt her to wait for a couple of years and remember pony owning is not cheap!!!!!  i couldnt afford to buy my own till i was 21 but helped at the riding school and got to ride many different horses before finally getting my own and had horses for over 50 years ...and that is why i still havent paid my mortgage off!!!!


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## Conn804 (9 July 2021)

Auslander you must love them!!


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## Conn804 (9 July 2021)

splashgirl45, I would like to pay my mortgage off soon so I'll let her run to the riding school for another few years🤣🤣🤣


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## splashgirl45 (9 July 2021)

good idea


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## SaddlePsych'D (9 July 2021)

Sorry, couldn't resist - I'm still a bit traumatised by the Shetland I used to lead rein when I was a teen helping at the riding school. The little boy riding was so sweet and the lessons were fun but it _was _chasing me in trot.


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## Jules111 (9 July 2021)

I have 4 equine money pits, by far the one who makes me smile everyday whilst also causing me the most problems is the just under 8hh mini shetland. He's lots of fun but by no means a child's play thing. My overly confident 10 yr old who believes she's the next Charlotte x Nick gets more upset attempting to catch the mini beast than she has ever done with any of the other horse size horses. He has caused her more injuries than all of our other horses put together, it's improving her reflexes just attempting to pick his feet out.  We are a horsey family and I can recognise the difference between a battle of wills and her truly being in danger.  If your little one wants to ride and enjoy her horsey time then finding a confidence giving Shetland will be a challenge, I know of one but it would cost more than a talented warmblood price to buy it. Safer to go for a true first pony of unspecified breed who is happy to be messed around with and tolerant of mistakes.


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## Maisie53 (10 July 2021)

My 10 year old daughter has a shetland cross cob. She is very opiniated and definitely not a novice ride off lead rein. She does become very quiet on the lead rein for my younger daughter. My 10 year old however will be riding her till she's 20 if she can I'm sure! She's great fun for a capable child!


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## Auslander (10 July 2021)

Conn804 said:



			Auslander you must love them!!
		
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I was fine with my single shitland - then my liveries started wanting their own!


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## misst (10 July 2021)

I adore them and if I had land I would have at least 2 or 3 for fun BUT.... they are funny, sometimes affectionate, strong willed stubborn and feisty.
My daughters first pony was an older shitland on loan. He taught her lots and she learned to have a sticky bum and to persevere. We loved him and she had him from aged 8 - 10. She also raced and showed shitlands for a family until she was about 12. It was fantastic fun but they were neither sweet nor easy. We had experienced help and support and would not have survived without it!
Her next pony which was just for her and we bought rather than loaned was a connie x arab - fantastic all round challenging beautiful girl. The shitlands helped to build the confidence needed but were not easy first ponies and were not for the fainthearted! I would look for a nice PC all rounder who may well be older and wiser than your little girl


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## Elf On A Shelf (11 July 2021)

You know I get so, so, SO annoyed when people spend their whole time slagging off shetland ponies! I really do! You lot have clearly me the stereotypical spoilt little brats and not the well mannered, well behaved ones from studs that have grown up with manners instilled into them! They can be fantastic little ponies on AND off the lead rein and yes they certainly teach the kid to ride and handle ponies properly but they are worth their weight in gold! Not one of mine bites, not one kicks, not one destroys fences (and the sweetitch pony is behind electric) not one sntaches or drags you for grass. My ridden ponies are actually much better off the lead rein as Open ponies as they never really have small kids riding them so they are well schooled and forward going but completely safe as houses. My stallions behave so well at shows that people often forget they are entire as they are so chilled out. Yes my yearling colt is a but noisey and hyper when out and about but he is a yearling that is only just learning about like away from home and I most certainly wouldn't be selling him to someone such as the OP gelded or not because he is just young. But I wouldn't hesitate to hand over the lead rein of ANY of my others - including my 29yo stallion and even the Wee Coloured Job when he was here to a child as they are so well mannered. 

OP - 1-1.5k for a decent shetland is cheap right now for what people are selling them for. Your best bet is to go to straight to a stud. Many don't keep geldings around but if you are not adverse to a mare then many have some older (teenage) ponies they aren't breeding from any more that they are usually happy to part with. You don't need to be able to ride them to have fun. They are great wee ponies to show and at affiliated shows most have classes for Young Handlers. The Stud Book Society run a Young Exhibitors Scheme every year where you are marked on your handling skills no matter what class you enter and send in 5 scores, they tally up the points and award prizes at the end of the year to the best 3 or 4 in each age group.


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## Elf On A Shelf (11 July 2021)

Totally wild Stallion...



Clearly utterly wild mare at her first show for a few years...




So badly behaved, snatching for grass and ploughing off...
	


Borrowed child that had never sat on Flint before that morning won his class and out galloped all the large breeds in the championship



Same pony 10 years or so later with another random kid that sat on him for the first time 15mins before the class that they went on to win. He then got picked up by another random kid to do the young handlers with to come 4th at her first ever attempt at a showing class.



Between the Jockey and myself we are barely controlling this savage beast ...



Although this is me on her for the class win I chucked someone else on entirely straight after to ride her in the championship as I took my nephew and lead rein pony (the one above) in the championship.



Same mare as above - Clearly a wild savage and a stereotypical shetland...



Every single one of them is a truly lovely pony inside and out.


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## Adoni123 (12 July 2021)

I wouldn't settle on breed. Aim to get a suitable pony for your child no matter what the breed is. Some are naughty some aren't, same as every breed. I've seen things go wrong when people have an exact picture in their head of what breed etc they want. Just aim for a nice pony and it may be a shetland, but don't rule out a pony who is suitable because it's not a shetland


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## LEC (12 July 2021)

I have a Shetland - I have to say they are surprisingly high maintenance. We joke that with the sport horses we spend our lives keeping them sound in their limbs and the Shetland to keep it alive in its body. Our Shetland had heatstroke last week after an hour of being out in warm weather at 3pm. We have been so careful as well, keeping her in during the day. We now have a massive thermometer so we don't turn her out if too warm. We are pananoid about lami and paranoid about colic. She is absolutely wonderful though and a brilliant companion to the neurotic eventers. I ride and lead with her and take her for walks. She loves humans and attention and is very sweet.


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