# Can I afford a Shetland Pony? (Help)



## Shauna O'Kane (26 July 2018)

My sister and I love horses and we take riding lessons every week.  We would love to have our own ridden pony but we cannot afford the upkeep and insurance of a big pony/horse.

 We are thinking of purchasing a Shetland Pony as we believe that we wold be able to afford one Shetland and we should have enough space to keep it.

We live along the coast of Ireland and would like to keep the pony at our home. We would also like to know if the area for the pony would be big enough.  Approximately 10 ft x 50 ft.

We are not sure what type of costs would be involved so if you could offer any advice on the monthly/annual costs of owning a shetland pony it would be much appreciated.


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## Theocat (26 July 2018)

Unless you're tiny a Shetland will be no good - and even if you're light enough, but tall, you won't necessarily develop good riding habits on a pony that's much too small.

Ponies need company, so you don't want to keep one on its own.

I have seen Shetlands kept on tiny patches before, but it takes a huge amount of maintenance and possibly additional feeding. If it gets muddy, it will be no use at all.

There have been lots of threads on costs before, and just because it's smaller you won't necessarily always have smaller bills. You will need less feed, forage and bedding, but things like feet, vet visits, and insurance all add up.

You should certainly be able to find a share for a couple of days a week for no more than it would cost to keep a Shetland. I do not think a Shetland is right in this scenario and I don't think it would be fair on the pony.


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## be positive (26 July 2018)

Many of the costs involved are the same whatever the size, vaccinations, dentist, worming, shelter, emergency vets bills, insurance etc they may be lower but are still there but the most important thing in my view is that no equine should live alone and the space you are planning on keeping him in is not adequate it is no more than a fairly moderate garden, it will be enough in summer but in winter will become a mud pit and be totally unsuitable. 

I would save the money and use it for a share or some extra riding, maybe a short riding holiday every now and again, you would get more out of that than having a lonely pony at home that while it may be appealing at this time of year may be very different mid winter when you see it in mud, miserable in the rain and looking very lonely.


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## Shauna O'Kane (26 July 2018)

Thank you for informing me that the area for keeping the pony is too small we have sone Land around us and we may be able to use that Land to keep the pony.  

If we were to get a second pony to accompany the other what would the costs for that be?

My sister and I live far from any stables therefore we could not board the pony at a stables or get a share/lease a pony.

I would appreciate any inforation that anyone has to offer.


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## Shauna O'Kane (26 July 2018)

Thank you for your reply.  This shetland would not be a riden pony.  

A share is not suitable for us either sadly as there are no stables close by.

I would also like to know how much two ponies would cost living on a bigger piece of land.


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## kimberleigh (26 July 2018)

Hi, 

Basic running costs are farrier for feet trimming every 6-8weeks on average, hay/haylage and possibly hardcfeed depending on qualityof grazing/forage,  rugs (esp on irish coast if you have no shelter on land), worming, vaccinations, dentist visits, insurance - unless you had emergency vet fees money set aside! 

Things like outlay costs for tools such as wheelbarrow etc for poo picking field, electric fencing for sectioning off field if ponies get too fat, even costs of grooming kit/headcollar etc all mount up. 

It certainly isnt cheap keeping any equine, even 2 tiny shetlands. 

You would also need to bear in mind that if one or both became lame/ill and needed to be stabled, then you'd have the hassle/expense of finding somewhere suitable - and that may be difficult given you've mentioned you live nowhere near any stables.

Sorry that all seems quite negative but better to know the facts before jumping into something


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## Shauna O'Kane (26 July 2018)

Thank you for your message.

We have a shed to keep the ponies in and we would be building a three sided shelter in its field.

We would also like to know the cost of insurance for 2 shetland ponies.

Our grandparents have a cattle farm so sourcing hay would not be a big problem for us.


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## LaurenBay (26 July 2018)

Just because they are smaller does not mean they won't be costly. Admittedly the price of hay, feed, bedding will be cheaper. BUT insurance, vets, farrier, dentist will all add up just the same as any other Horse.

As also mentioned Horses do need company so you would be looking at getting 2. So your costs would be doubled. If you have land/shelter already why can't you get a ridden pony and a shetland for its companion? the only cost extra would be hay and hard feed. You have said hay is not a problem and most hardy ponies do not need hard feed, if it it needed however hard feed is not really expensive at all (depending on what you feed) my 14.2 good doer cost me £10 every month in hard feed.


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## Shauna O'Kane (26 July 2018)

Thank you for your message.  

We cannot get a ridden pony as the shelter is slightlytoo small a big pony and we would have no place to ride the pony which is why we would like to get a smaller pony


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## LaurenBay (26 July 2018)

Shauna O'Kane said:



			Thank you for your message.  

We cannot get a ridden pony as the shelter is slightlytoo small a big pony and we would have no place to ride the pony which is why we would like to get a smaller pony
		
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You could ride in the field or hack? You said you were building a bug shelter? can that not house the 2 ponies?


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## Theocat (26 July 2018)

If you want a price on it, I would budget between £100 - £200 per pony per month if you are honest about everything you are likely to buy or need, including equipment, and averaged out.

Can you help at the stables where you have lessons? Could you have two lessons a week to get more horse time? (If you can't afford two lessons a week, you can't afford a pony.)

If you really want a ridden pony, I am unconvinced that a couple of Shetland ponies in a field will make you happy, especially when you're fighting your way through the dark in a game and howling rain to deliver hay / check an injury / retrieve them when they escape / put your electric fencing back up.


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## Elf On A Shelf (26 July 2018)

Just because shetlands are small they aren't cheap to look after! You still need all the basics. If you put them in a big field then they will get lammi so that will require stabling, vets fees etc. Shetlands aren't great first ponies as they are crafty and clever.

Do you have the time, money and experience to have your own? From all of the questions you are asking I would assume not.


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## Shauna O'Kane (26 July 2018)

EKW said:



			Just because shetlands are small they aren't cheap to look after! You still need all the basics. If you put them in a big field then they will get lammi so that will require stabling, vets fees etc. Shetlands aren't great first ponies as they are crafty and clever.

Do you have the time, money and experience to have your own? From all of the questions you are asking I would assume not.
		
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Thank you for your message.

I have been working weekends at a stable for 3 years so I have experience with ponies.  I have time every morning and evening and all day during school holidays and weekends. I am trying to figure out if my sister and I would have enough money to keep the shetlands. 

We are willing to do anything in order to have our own equine and we are just trying to find the best way to have our own


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## highlandponygirl (26 July 2018)

Shauna O'Kane said:



			Thank you for your message.

We have a shed to keep the ponies in and we would be building a three sided shelter in its field.
		
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Even small Shetland ponies need plenty of room to move around and most sheds (assuming it's a standard garden shed) aren't big enough to hold a pony as well as food/water buckets and banks if you use them etc... I used to care for a small herd of Shetlands and many, often, make the mistake of assuming that being small makes them easier to handle, infact, they are super intelligent and often stubborn oafs who easily turn into little monsters, think very carefully if you would be able to cope with that, and how, if put in that situation.

Who will be paying for the up-keep? Are your parents 'horsey'? If not, are they, and you, prepared that £200 p/m can easily become £500?

I think everyone here 'gets' that you really want your own pony, but is it really worth buying a pony that isn't able to meet everything that you would like, i.e riding - I know it isn't the be all of keeping ponies, but for most it is one of the biggest reasons they choose to spend a lot of time and money caring for them. You will spend just as much looking after a Shetland than many other larger ponies. What happens if you go ahead with buying 1/2 Shetlands, if you have to spend £100/200 per month, per pony, will you still have money left over to continue riding elsewhere? If not then that is a huge compromise to make, and one you may end up resenting in the long run.

I agree with above comments re spending money you might have on more lessons; see if there are any experience days/ breaks/ camps that you may be able to go to, to broaden your experience.

If you are still set on a pony, with your parents support, are you able to look for a more suitable pony on full-loan? Many loaners are happy for their ponies to move to other locations.


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## Shauna O'Kane (26 July 2018)

highlandponygirl said:



			Even small Shetland ponies need plenty of room to move around and most sheds (assuming it's a standard garden shed) aren't big enough to hold a pony as well as food/water buckets and banks if you use them etc... I used to care for a small herd of Shetlands and many, often, make the mistake of assuming that being small makes them easier to handle, infact, they are super intelligent and often stubborn oafs who easily turn into little monsters, think very carefully if you would be able to cope with that, and how, if put in that situation.

Who will be paying for the up-keep? Are your parents 'horsey'? If not, are they, and you, prepared that £200 p/m can easily become £500?

I think everyone here 'gets' that you really want your own pony, but is it really worth buying a pony that isn't able to meet everything that you would like, i.e riding - I know it isn't the be all of keeping ponies, but for most it is one of the biggest reasons they choose to spend a lot of time and money caring for them. You will spend just as much looking after a Shetland than many other larger ponies. What happens if you go ahead with buying 1/2 Shetlands, if you have to spend £100/200 per month, per pony, will you still have money left over to continue riding elsewhere? If not then that is a huge compromise to make, and one you may end up resenting in the long run.

I agree with above comments re spending money you might have on more lessons; see if there are any experience days/ breaks/ camps that you may be able to go to, to broaden your experience.

If you are still set on a pony, with your parents support, are you able to look for a more suitable pony on full-loan? Many loaners are happy for their ponies to move to other locations.
		
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Thank you for your message


Our shed is as big as a large horse's stall would be.  I am aware that shetlands can be quite cheeky and hard to handle.  I have been taught how to handle difficult ponies from a past instructor at the stables I take lessons at.

My sister and I will be paying for the upkeep on our own as best we can.  Our parents are not "horsey" but they pay for our riding lessons every week.

I do not mind not being able to ride the pony as we would be keeping up our riding lessons.  The idea is that we would pay for the shetland(s) and our parents would pay for our lessons.

We cannot take extra lessons as the stables we take lessons at is almost an hour away and they only have lessons on certain days.  We invested some of our money into a riding experience and a camp but we decided that we would like to save our money so we could afford a pony.

Sadly we have not been able to get a pony on a loan as the stables we looked at needed all of their horses for their own use.

I appreciate all of your advice


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## Equi (27 July 2018)

No. Just having one you "own" is not good enough unless its in the right conditions and for the right reasons.


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## Lindylouanne (27 July 2018)

Always expect the unexpected.

A friend has a Shetland pony that during the winter had to be rushed to the Equine Hospital in the middle of the night for emergency colic surgery. First thing the vet said was "just because she is small it won't make it any cheaper"

The vet was true to her word and three weeks later after a few complications the pony came home. Total cost £7,500. Pony wasn't insured so the owner had to pay the bill herself.


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## baran (27 July 2018)

Shauna O'Kane said:



			We are willing to do anything in order to have our own equine and we are just trying to find the best way to have our own
		
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Why? What do you think you will get out of keeping a (potentially very) expensive pet who will be bored out of its mind and find as many irritating ways to amuse itself as possible? The reason many small ponies are a nightmare is lack of mental and physical work.


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## ester (27 July 2018)

10ft x50ft is tiny to expect to keep a moving animal in.


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## Chinchilla (27 July 2018)

Shetlands can be absolute ******** and you don't have enough space for one IMHO - particularly if it's not ridden. 
Ours has five acres and used to be ride and drive but was still - how can I phase this? - somewhat characterful and lively. They also live a very long time: ours is now 28 and it is fairly common to find them this age and older.

ETA - well, actually, his field is about an acre, but he just walks under all our fences when he feels like it, even when they're electrified, so has access to the whole five acres. Shetlands are pretty renowned escape artists: they won't stay somewhere unless they want to.


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## Leah3horses (4 August 2018)

Hi Shauna, I know this thread is a few days old but I have 2 rescue mini shetlands as well as my big horses, and feel for you in your situation. The main quality ponies need is love and a life long, committed home where they can choose to behave naturally, and not have all their choices removed....yes of course money has to be a consideration, but you are lucky to live in a rural area where it sounds like you wouldn't be paying livery fees. My minis are my best friends, they are my pets and get plenty of stimulation and exercise on their long daily walks...ponies can become quite naughty if left to their own devices in fields but with the right sort of daily attention and activities they can be wonderful, loving ponies who are a joy to share so many things with. I think you and your sister need a bit of positive feedback for asking important questions, when so many people just get Shetlands on a whim, without any research at all. I've sent you a request in case you would like to ask any further questions or need any more pony advice. The field with a shelter may be a possibility, depends on lots of other things . One thing is for sure, healthy Shetlands are far more suited to living out on the coast of Ireland than being rugged and stabled in 'softer' environments, where they have all their important choices removed.


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## kathantoinette (4 August 2018)

Shauna-my advice would be to keep having your riding lessons and save all of your money that you would potentially spend on the 2 Shetland ponies for the day that you can buy your own pony/horse to ride and maybe keep in a more suitable place.  Good luck for whatever you decide.


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## Shauna O'Kane (4 August 2018)

Thank you for your reply.
 We just want an equine to love and care for we don't mind that we cannot ride the shetlands.
We would exercise the pony daily and I can assure you that we have done research.  We have been trying to figure out the cost but we are unsure of an exact price to keep the pony at home.
I appreciate your feedback and I would love if I could ask you more questions.


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## ycbm (4 August 2018)

It costs almost the same to keep a small pony as it does to keep a bigger one. I have two. If you can't afford a pony big enough to ride, you can't afford a Shetland. Like all horses they can present you with a huge unexpected vet bill at any time. 

How old are you and your sister Shauna?


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## Shauna O'Kane (4 August 2018)

Thank you for your comment I understand that shetlands cost almost the same but it is the small things that we are saving that could make it possible for us.
My sister is just ten and I am in the year of my fifteenth birthday


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## ester (4 August 2018)

but you really don't have enough space.


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## ycbm (4 August 2018)

Shauna O'Kane said:



			Thank you for your comment I understand that shetlands cost almost the same but it is the small things that we are saving that could make it possible for us.
My sister is just ten and I am in the year of my fifteenth birthday
		
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Shauna you can't keep any horse safely on a tight budget. What will you do if one of them hurts themselves? It costs over £400 for a vet to put one to sleep.  Colic is very common and an operation can cost five thousand or more. Insurance doesn't always cover illnesses and will cost you at least seven hundred pounds a year for a pair of ponies. 

 At ten and fifteen, however much you would love it, it really, really isn't a good idea.


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## Theocat (5 August 2018)

The reason you can't get an exact cost is because it is impossible.

If you budget £30 per pony per month for forage between October and April, you can guarantee your bales will be dusty or mouldy and you have to throw half of it away, or you leave it in the shed and the roof leaks unexpectedly, or your ponies just won't eat it - and suddenly you have to pay twice.

Or you rely on electric fencing to keep them in, and someone pinches it - so you have to replace it in a hurry.

Or they need vet care for something that isn't covered by insurance, or needs ongoing medication for the rest of their life.

Knowing horses, all of these things will happen in the same month, and next month it will be something else.

You will also find it impossible, with no facilities, to provide exercise or stimulation every day. In the winter, when it is dark before and after school, you will be doing checks and mucking out in the dark five days a week for months at a time.

I am sorry to be negative, but both you and the ponies will be skint and miserable.

Save what you would be spending, and pay for camps or riding holidays in the schools holidays. You will get so much more out of it. You are certainly looking at more than a thousand pounds each a year - that will get you a lot of saddle time!


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## LaurenBay (6 August 2018)

I would really keep your riding lessons, in the long run you will gain so much more from these rather then owning a shetland. 

I was a Horsemad child, my dream was to own my own Horse, however finances meant I couldn't do it. I waited until I was 21 until I could afford my own. Whilst I had saved enough for the upfront payment of the Horse. I found the upkeep price really difficult and got myself into a bit of debt after a big vets bill! I was lucky that my parents did bail me out and I still have the Horse 7 years later. I am in a much better financial position now but I still would not buy a second.

If you really want to go ahead then you will have to factor in the below:

Upfront costs for the Ponies.

Hay - £4 - £5 a small bale - for 2 Shetlands I would say you would use half a bale a day.

Bedding - straw is cheaper however Shetlands are pretty greedy and you will have to be on the look out for laminitis, so I would go for a shavings bed personally. This is between £7-£10 per bale, depending on what brand you go for. You would need 1 a week (perhaps more if they are extra dirty)

Insurance - depending on what cover you go for. You will certainly need public insurance. maybe £15 per pony per month.

Feet trimming - every 6-8 weeks, I pay £20 for this. Not sure if farriers will charge less because they are smaller. So £40 a go every 6-8 weeks.

Dentist - twice a year (routine, unless you suspect an issue in which case will be more frequent visits!). I pay £35 and most dentists charge around that where I am from. So roughly 60-70 for you for 2 Ponies.

Then there will be the upfront costs for mucking out tools, feed bowls, buckets, hay nets, first aid kits, grooming kits, head collars, lunging equipment (if that is what you wanted to do with them)

Ongoing costs for fixing fences, stables, and general wear and tear of the yard/field. Shetlands can be very good escape artists so you will need to make sure your fencing is top notch!

Any ad hoc vets bills, you can insure for vets bills but you will still pay some of it. Also most claims will only be to a certain amount per claim, can be very pricey for something like Laminitis or Colic. Then of course you could have a long period of boxrest after which will increase the costs of bedding and hay. Also more time.

Holiday cover - Who will be doing the Ponies when you are away? you will need to pay a groom to see to your Ponies.

Traveling costs - How will the Ponies be transported to you? This can be quite costly.

Lots to think about. Also as your sister is only 10 the majority of the financial burden will be yours, that is an awful lot of responsibility. Would you miss your riding? I really do think you would be better off saving for a Horse, keep up the lessons and maybe in a few years look to getting your own that you can ride and when you will be in full time work so you can support yourself and the pony. 

Whilst you may think we are being negative and mean, we all know how much time, effort and money goes in to the daily running of a Horse. The majority of us could not have had 2 ponies and be solely responsible for them at 15.


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## Highflinger (6 August 2018)

Shauna - I so understand you desire to have a pony to love but I think everyone suggesting you save your money for lessons and not having shetlands is wise. Is there any rescue centre nearby where you could go and care for a pony.  It may be worth advertising on FB  asking if anyone has a pony you could share - most shares are for over 18s but if you are happy not to ride but just love and pamper a pony then maybe someone would be interested. I certainly know of several local to me who would be very happy for you to come and pamper an unridden horse.


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## rascal (18 August 2018)

I was also a horse mad child, I had my lesson every week and like you helped out. My parents were not horsey (in fact my Mother hates horses) and although I really wanted one, I had to wait until I was 18 and working.
The amount of land you have available is not enough for a pony, and they need compamny. you would need to rent secure grazing, and that will add up. Our horses live out with a shelter, but we have almost 2 aces per horse/pony. Please think about it. One day you will be in a position to have one, but not yet.


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## harribea (28 August 2018)

Hi Shauna, it's lovely to hear how passionate you are about horses and I have no doubt that you would pour your heart and soul into caring for any you owned.  I've been horse-mad all my life and was thrilled to get my first ponies - 2 miniature Shetlands - about 4 years ago.  I look after them at home and I also now have a Connemara in a livery yard nearby.  BTW I have to say that my sensitive Connemara is much easier to handle than the cheeky Shetlands!

I hope you're not disheartened by all these posts because they really are full of great advice.  There's nothing wrong with what you want but you would be wise to be patient.  The problems that have been flagged here shouldn't put you off in the long-run but they must be resolved before you can go ahead and bring any ponies to your home.  You wouldn't bring home a baby without making sure you had all the practical things needed day-to-day, the knowledge to handle any emergencies and the money to support both regular and unexpected costs.  And, in some ways, horses are trickier because not everyone will know how to help you if things go wrong.

It's really hard when you ask a question and don't get the answer you were hoping for.  I'm sure many of us on here have ended up with horses that weren't quite right for us because we've not been able to take the advice of others! But you don't need to look at this as a yes/no situation.  You could take all this information and put together a list of things you'll need to work on over the next few months or years.  That way, you'll still be making progress towards your goal and you'll know that you're going to provide the best home ever for your ponies when you do finally get them.  

So hold onto your dream but don't rush into a purchase - you owe it to your future ponies to handle this planning phase really well.  One day, it will all come together.  Good luck.


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