# Miniature Shetland Care Tips?



## em2010 (21 August 2010)

Hey

I'm new to the whole owning a shetland thing, and was really wondering if any other shetland owners have got any tips for me on hoof and general care, also how old is my colt before he can be gelded as it will make living arrangements much easier . Also do you rug your shetland or just rely on thier thick coat to keep them warm all year round? 

Thanks Guys!


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## horsecrazy25 (21 August 2010)

Hey, hope you like it here.

Not sure about age sorry and my miniature feets are kept short and trimmed every 6 weeks. 

I have 3 Miniature Shetlands  x


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## em2010 (21 August 2010)

Hey.
Thanks for letting me know! 

Aww! They have such strong personality's their fantastic.. I have a colt called Chello, just weaned and he's amazing! he's really friendly already, at first I was a little worried because people was saying how mischievous shetland colts can be but he's settled in at the stables and is enjoying himself with the two shetland gelding living there  

Whats yours called and how old are they if you don't mind me asking?  x


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## horsecrazy25 (21 August 2010)

em2010 said:



			Hey.
Thanks for letting me know! 

Aww! They have such strong personality's their fantastic.. I have a colt called Chello, just weaned and he's amazing! he's really friendly already, at first I was a little worried because people was saying how mischievous shetland colts can be but he's settled in at the stables and is enjoying himself with the two shetland gelding living there  

Whats yours called and how old are they if you don't mind me asking?  x
		
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Awwww he sounds wonderful, no probs.

Pip who is 5 - rescued from meat man! - gelding and very very cheecky.
TJ who is 12 - brought from a friend! - Gelding and as good as gold
Tonto who is 2 - Mum lost control of hand at sale  - colt and like a puppy dog, just follows you around.

They are wonderful and i have done so well showing Pip. People always ask me if they for sale when i go to shows!!! Im like "No Way" lol x


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## em2010 (21 August 2010)

horsecrazy25 said:



			Awwww he sounds wonderful, no probs.

Pip who is 5 - rescued from meat man! - gelding and very very cheecky.
TJ who is 12 - brought from a friend! - Gelding and as good as gold
Tonto who is 2 - Mum lost control of hand at sale  - colt and like a puppy dog, just follows you around.

They are wonderful and i have done so well showing Pip. People always ask me if they for sale when i go to shows!!! Im like "No Way" lol x
		
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Awww they sound amazing, its so sweet that your rescue horse is the one to be doing well in shows!, what kind of stuff do you do with him ? x


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## Box_Of_Frogs (22 August 2010)

Welcome to the mad world of miniature shetlands! I've got 2: rescued Molly who I don't think is quite miniature at 9hh and Lady (fostered from a local rescue charity) who is 7.2hh. I think the best advice is to never forget they are tiny equines but still equines! So pretty much everything you need to be aware about for any horse or pony will apply: gelding, feet, feeding, etc. An awful lot of miniatures get away with murder because they are just so cute. Molly lunges beautifully when she feels like it but when she doesn't feel like it she throws a monumental strop and strikes out, bucks, kicks, shakes her head, the works. It's so cute I almost fall over laughing but if she was a 17hh warmblood it wouldn't be so funny! Another thing to think about is exercise and weight because all Shetlands are programmed to gain weight on just half a daisy a week. Take great care because one minute they're slim and the next they're like Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs. Think about winter care too. Shetties have 2 layers of hair in their coats and, whilst it's true that this keeps them warm in the winter, in torrential rain a shettie will get as wet or wetter than any horse. And a sodden shettie takes forever to dry. A good source of kit, rugs etc is Dinky Rugs - they do everything you could ever want in teeny tiny sizes. Most on line shops stop at 4ft6in for rugs (if you're lucky) but miniatures will be somewhere around 3ft6 or 3ft9.  Another thing that has made the world of difference to my two is adjusting the stable doors so they can see out. We left the normal size doors alone, just fastened back, and made a smaller door that opens inwards so the ponies can see over and enjoy the goings on around them. And a final word of warning, a determined shettie can get through any fence, hedge, railing, razor wire, land mines, known to man!

There's a Forum dedicated to shettie owners - PM me and I'll give you the link x


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## NormandJ.J (22 August 2010)

I own a minature shetland as well and he to gets away with murder! He's extremely cute and fluffy though so I forgive him! We're having a lot of trouble with his weight at the moment he basically acts and looks like a fluffy slug, part of the problem is that people feed him titbits over the field fence despite me telling them not to and being a minature shetland he will eat anything, so watch out for that!


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## Shysmum (22 August 2010)

There's a gorgeous mini staying at the yard, who is my boy's best friend. My first pony was a mini, and i'd forgotton how totally gorgeous they are. He loves his grub, has a big belly, even tho in the fatty paddock, is very gentle,  and believe it or not, when they're all out in the big field, he's head of the herd. he hates being bathed (rolls within seconds), but his mane and tail come up smashing with a bit of wash n, go !


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## TelH (22 August 2010)

Box_Of_Frogs said:



			And a final word of warning, a determined shettie can get through any fence, hedge, railing, razor wire, land mines, known to man!
		
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And a really determined Shettie will then proceed to toddle round your fields and let all the other ponies out too 

Beware of the Shetties secret ability to teleport out of anywhere you try to contain them


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## jendie (22 August 2010)

We have three, a 19 year old gelding who is my favourite, a 14 year old mare and her two-year-old daughter. I love them to bits, they are extremely gentle and I've never been nipped or trodden on by any of them. I tried rugging them last winter but it didn't work - they were soon covered with sweat even though it was a cold day. They grow very thick coats in winter and keep themselves toasty warm - if you push your fingers through the coat to the skin you can feel the warmth. They have a field shelter but I bring them in at night from October onwards because I feel better when they are in during howling winds etc, I really don't think they'd mind a bit. I've never regretted buying them and I'd never part with them. Oh and they have their feet trimmed every six weeks, no need for shoes!!


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## em2010 (22 August 2010)

hehe.. all of your storys have made me giggle!

there such brilliant mischievous lil things and your all right when you say they get away with murder because i know mine does! 

thanks for all the tips and stuff and i'll bear in mind that their little escape artists  xx


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## amandap (22 August 2010)

Box_Of_Frogs said:



			I think the best advice is to never forget they are tiny equines but still equines! So pretty much everything you need to be aware about for any horse or pony will apply: gelding, feet, feeding, etc. An awful lot of miniatures get away with murder because they are just so cute.
		
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Second this! I find I have to be strict with myself though. lol 
I never rug just leave them in their wooly coats. Watch diet though.
I have Millie, Maisy, bought at Auction off the moor and Molly daughter of Millie who appeared 6 months later. 
Enjoy, I love em.

Mta... watch out for lice with their thick winter coats.


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## Arkmiido (22 August 2010)

amandap said:



			Second this! I find I have to be strict with myself though. lol 
I never rug just leave them in their wooly coats. Watch diet though.
I have Millie, Maisy, bought at Auction off the moor and Molly daughter of Millie who appeared 6 months later. 
Enjoy, I love em.

Mta... watch out for lice with their thick winter coats.
		
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I have a Millie (mum), and her daughters Matty and Maisie! I also have a Munchkin, and a Butternut Squash -who is Munchie's filly, also Pele, and Pumpkin who is my superstar driving pony. Almost all of them drive as singles/pairs. They make great driving ponies! 


OP - One thing I would add is that all equines, however small, and especially if good escape artists.. should be vaccinated for tetanus at the very least, as well as flu if your are being extra efficient!! Don't forget teeth and worming too... And they do well on oat straw with hay in the winter.
For lice (because yes, they are very prone..) Deosect (cypermethrin) is very very good at eradicating it - available from vets.
I clip and rug the ones that do driving trials in the winter, because their woolly coats make them very sweaty if you are working them.
Enjoy them - minis are fab, but have way more personality and fizz than standards!!


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## horsecrazy25 (22 August 2010)

em2010 said:



			Awww they sound amazing, its so sweet that your rescue horse is the one to be doing well in shows!, what kind of stuff do you do with him ? x
		
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Awww thanks, 
Mountain and Moorland, sometimes Best Turned Out and Miniature Shetland classes. 
It will be interesting to see how Tonto my new one will get on. Never shown TJ but i am going to.


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