varkie
Grand Prix Poster
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 4,913
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Post by varkie on Dec 11, 2010 20:41:50 GMT 1
While they are tough, in the event that a big horse does seriously go for them, they can get very hurt.
When one of ours goes to a new home with a big horse, we advise that they are initially electriced next to each other, not in together. Once they are put in together, we advise that an 'escape' area is created with electric - an area with electric high enough to let the shetland through but low enough to keep the bigger horse out - that means that in the event it all gets a bit sticky between the two, the shetland has somewhere safe to run to.
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Post by antares on Dec 11, 2010 22:23:17 GMT 1
I always remember shetlands from my younger days as being nippy bitey little b***ers and swore I'd never have one.
But when an elderly lady who lives near me could no longer look after her 2 year old miniature shetland I took him on & I can honestly say he is the most adorable, fun, cute and cuddly pony ever.
He is a field ornament and possibly always will be - the job he'll have to do is be a companion to other horses and to entertain me which he will do all day long. He's so cheeky to the other horses and he gets away with it most of the time - like varkie says, they don't know they're so small and attitude makes up for their size.
We do have a time out zone for wee Stanley, a part of the field that he can get to and the others can't which is important I think but he uses it to his total advantage i.e. he only picks on the others when he's close enough to his time out zone that he can run into it before they can get to him.
Fence wise - we have 6ft hedges all round so he's going nowhere!
Good luck
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Post by clara81 on Dec 12, 2010 16:34:42 GMT 1
I'm reading this with interest as I've recently had a Shetland "abandoned" in my field! I didn't see an owner for three weeks but now she's turned up with some hay and asked if I'll look after him as she's not very well. I've had him 5 or 6 weeks now and have found out that he escapes a lot (but my fence is beyond crap and to be far he only goes through an existing hole, he doesn't create holes and the next field is growing carrots!) so I've had a lot of repairs to do! He also tries to cover mares, kicks, nips, barges and generally behaves like a spoilt brat when he doesn't get his own way. On the plus side, he learns very quickly, he's quite fun to have around the place and apparently he rides so when I've treated his rain scald and sorted out his behaviour he might be ok for my nephew to ride. I've been thinking for a while about getting a Shetland and this little guy has in some ways put me off for life but in other ways had me reading through the Freeads.....
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Post by kafee on Dec 13, 2010 0:30:41 GMT 1
Good luck with the little chap clara81, let us know how you get on. I doubt it's his fault that he's acting like a spoilt brat.
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Post by feemac on Dec 13, 2010 9:24:10 GMT 1
I never wanted one and had one forced on me as a companion for my big horse who had to be left at home from time to time. But now I wouldn't be without him he was a escape artist and still can be he used to lower his head below the lowest electric wire and gallop at it pulling the wooden post with mains electric wire out of the ground!
Ernie is treated like any of the big horses not like a second class citizen like many people do. he is stabled at night all year round due to sweet itch and a rather large belly. He is rugged due to sweet itch he is a great companion pony but tries to kill strange horses for a start so is introduced slowly to any new horses he is great to load will stay in for weeks on end if anyone needs to be box rested.
He enjoys loose jumping with the big boys and will jump 90cm for fun he loves kids to play with but couldn't eat a whole one at once! He is very loving 99% of the time we have used him for pulling a slegde but has never been taught but he would let you do anything to him for attention.
He play fights with my 16.1hh all the time and they love each other I have just introduced my new foal into the herd so he will keep him in check as his previous projects have been companion to a clydesdale colt and a warmblood that made 18.1hh he doesn't think of himself as a small pony either. He goes to the shows with kids that don't own a pony or have the opportunity to go to shows just for a bit of fun I like to call it Ernie Therapy!
Ernie and a little 6 year old girl qualified for the young handlers championship at the north east showing championship in a class I'd thirty she stood him up in front of the judge and he nudged her nearly knocking her over she checked him and said 'Ernie don't you do that' right in front of the judge! We were rolling about laughing because her face was so serious and he behaved perfectly after that! They ended up 6th with a extremly happy little girl!
So he may be looked at as not much use for anything but the joy he puts unto peoples lives is worth it and I would never be without him!
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Post by clara81 on Dec 13, 2010 12:01:27 GMT 1
Good luck with the little chap clara81, let us know how you get on. I doubt it's his fault that he's acting like a spoilt brat. No it's not, having met his owner I'm not surprised he behaves like that, she's a bit, erm, eccentric shall we say! Well since I found the hole in the hedge he hasn't got out again, despite knowing there are rows and rows of carrots in the next field so he can't be that bad.
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Post by mirrormar on Dec 16, 2010 0:31:19 GMT 1
We have 2, one is a mini we love them both, the only time one of them has escaped is when the electric fence wasn't turned on, we get a lot of pleasure from them, they are really funny but very loving, go on have him you know you want too lol lol lol xxxxx
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