# Miniature Shetland - how much can they carry?



## Sooty (30 July 2009)

In fact, any information or advice from mini owners would be appreciated, as I am reluctantly becoming one myself this weekend. (Owner, not miniature Shetland...). We are getting a three-year-old gelding whose main role will be as companion to the neurotic Fraser, but I would like to keep him interested and at some point get him broken and ridden.


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## T_K (30 July 2009)

As a rule a standard shetland can take as many stone as their hands in height; e.g 9hh ca take 9 stone. But then that's for cobby scottish built shetties - not sure for minis, I guess it depends on the build etc - I've never seen one ridden TBH but they can pull a reasonble trap I believe.


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## lucym (30 July 2009)

haha ditto
i bought a 3yr old minature about a month ago, called Jim, as a companion for my TB, he is the cutest thing- but if you have electric fencing he may not stay where hes put!!!
i hate to say this, but they dont get along, so minature is now living with the retired cldysdale- so cute together!!!
i have long reined and lunged Jim, and have sat on him ( i only weigh 7.5st) wouldnt want to ride him as such though
hope you have lots of fun with your mini


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## varkie (30 July 2009)

I breed them, and they are strong little things!  As long as they have plenty of bone, are a sensible height, and are proper shetlands, rather than mini ponies, they should be able to take a rider.

My daughter is 3 years old now, and easily has several years riding them ahead of her.  She is just over 2 stone atm, and they don't even notice her weight.  I would expect her to be able to ride them until she is around 6 years old on a daily basis, and hope to be able to use her to back them lightly for a few years after that!

This is a pic of her as a two year old, riding a 33" shetland, who wasn't as solid as I'd have liked him to be:






This is her a month or so ago, helping us back a 34" shetland who was being sold as a riding pony for a tot:






Shetlands do need a job to do.  They are intelligent, clever animals.  If you let them get bored, they will find ways to amuse themselves!  Treat shetlands like they are about 16hh - not like tiny ponies.  If you do this, you will always have polite ponies.  The only shetlands we have found (none of ours!) who are ill mannered have been allowed to become so by incorrect handling or no handling at all.

If I can answer any questions, please let me know.


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## Sooty (30 July 2009)

This one is 30" - so that's *works out in head* 7.2hh. Nina could ride him then! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 He is all body and no legs. Strange little thing...


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## Sooty (30 July 2009)

We have post and rail with electric round the top, and have just installed a row of electric wire between the bottom rail and the ground. Hopefully that will keep him in - I have heard they do like to escape... They have to get on or he'll be going back!


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## Sooty (30 July 2009)

Oh thank you so much! I am aware that they have to be treated like horses, but with this one being only three I am also aware that it will need to be exposed to a lot of new experiences. I don't want him to just stand around and get bored. He is homebred at a local stud but from Island ponies, and is fairly chunky. Yours look huge in comparison LOL! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 (And are gorgeous  
	
	
		
		
	


	




).







PS Are you on Facebook?


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## varkie (30 July 2009)

Hmm, 30" is not very big at all.  I wouldn't put much weight on him.  He probably should not be asked to carry more than a few stone, and definitely not even that much before he's 4 years old.  They're a late maturing breed - we never put weight on them before 4 years old, and only lightly harness them at 3 years old, and that late in the year. 

He'll probably ultimately make about 31".  I would suggest that fully mature, he'll have a weight limit of about 4-5 stone when fully grown, on his back, depending on his quantity of bone.  Obviously he can pull significantly more, but at his size, if driven as a single, it will have to be on the flat, and on flat ground - he'll struggle on a surface or on hills, even if only one driver.

It isn't so much that shetlands like to escape, as that if they can go thru fencing, they do - why not, after all?  They don't have a mental thing that thinks, oh, I shouldn't do that.  Electric &amp; shetlands doesn't always work - especially in the winter - where they grow such thick coats, they often can just walk thru it.  If a shetland gets out, it isnt' that they're being naughty, it's that your fencing isn't adequate!

We have post &amp; electric fencing, backed up with stock fencing.  That holds them in.


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## varkie (30 July 2009)

X post!  
	
	
		
		
	


	





Here's my stud address, so you can see our ponies:

www.varkiesstud.co.uk

I'll pm you my name, for Facebook, if you'd like to chat more about it.


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## Helen010382 (30 July 2009)

He is lovely!!!

Be warned though that minis get addictive - I started with one nine years ago and now have 8... (and looking to get another...)

I found with my lot if they can get their heads through a gap they will just barge their bodies through!  Hence the OH building me a new fence..






One of mine is ridden but all of the others are long reined, walked in hand and loose schooled (Well more like running around like idiots  
	
	
		
		
	


	




)  You do need to keep them busy and also treat them as you would a big horse - insist on manners just like you would with something bigger.

Good luck and hope to see more pictures!


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## Sooty (30 July 2009)

No, I wouldn't think of backing him until next year, but would like to get him used to tack. We have installed some turbo wire (as recommended by his breeder) and hopefully he will learn to respect that as he has his summer coat at the moment. We can't have stock fencing as it is too dangerous for the larger horses. There are two little girls at the farm next door who might enjoy sitting on him; I just don't want him to ping them into the atmosphere!


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## Sooty (30 July 2009)

Aw what a cutie! I am not impressed by their potential addictive qualities however... 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 I like your fence. We have to find something that will contain the mini and the 17hh - fingers crossed our solution works.


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## SaffronWelshDragon (30 July 2009)

My little'un is 9.1hh, she's a Shetland X, so has a bigger head than a normal Shetland and also longer legs. She's only 5 years old and we got her as a companion for our retired Welsh A. She's unbroken as far as I know, and the other day we tried her with a bridle and seemed to quite enjoy it. I wasn't intending to do anything with her as I already have Saffron who needs riding quite a lot. However I can see that she'll get bored easily as she's so intelligent, so might start lunging / long-reining her with a view to break her to ride / drive. Never done this before so methinks I shall have to buy a good book!

Although she's not a proper Shetland, she looks sturdy and at a little over 7.5 stone I reckon I'll be the one who tries riding her first. She's the skewbald in my sig, although that photo is deceptive as she has a shaggy winter coat which makes her look about 7hh!


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## Sooty (30 July 2009)

9.1hh - that's huge! 
	
	
		
		
	


	








 She is a cutie. My friend had a Shetland x NF in her riding school, and he was a cracking little pony.


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## f_s_ (30 July 2009)

I have a mini, and my nephews have a pony ride on him occasionally!! They are tiny tots though, so don't weigh more than 3 stone.

We adore ours, who came to me as a feral pony at ten months old. He is a little mischief, but I agree with Varkie, and we treat ours as a 16hh horse that is prone to laminitis.

He is a companion really, sticks like glue to my daughter's old pony (mare) who he regards as Mum, and keeps the bigger ones in check!!! 
	
	
		
		
	


	












 We have shown him, and he won!!!

I get him to help me with little jobs, like, he becomes my tack tray when I'm brushing the others. Put the brushes on his back and he follows me around!! 
	
	
		
		
	


	








 He also likes to rearrange the poles in the school!!! Often not as I'd like them! 
	
	
		
		
	


	













You will adore yours very quickly, and despite having excellent manners and an adorable temperament ( why do shetlands get a bad name?), he is cheeky and does make us laugh, often getting away with things!! 
	
	
		
		
	


	









Good luck, and lots of pictures please!! 
	
	
		
		
	


	













This is our little one!!


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## VictoriaEDT (30 July 2009)

Mine is ridden!


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## VictoriaEDT (30 July 2009)

and no that is not me!


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## Sooty (30 July 2009)

Oh that is encouraging - thanks! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 This one is still growing, but next year he'll probably have a grazing muzzle. I might start a blog for him, like I did for Fraser!


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## Sooty (30 July 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
Mine is ridden!

































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Fantastic picture!!!


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## SaffronWelshDragon (30 July 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
9.1hh - that's huge! 
	
	
		
		
	


	








 She is a cutie. My friend had a Shetland x NF in her riding school, and he was a cracking little pony. 

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL! The lesser known Giant Shetland! No idea what she's crossed with, can't have been anything big, but now you mention the NF, she does have slender New Foresty legs I think!

Sorry for the thread hi-jack!


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