Big horses scared of mini shetland - will they get over it?

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pixie

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The most recent addition to my livery yard is a mini shetland. He is very good natured, wants to be friends with everyone, and thus far isn't an escape artist! However some of the other livery horses are terrified of it.
He is kept with a horse and pony that he gets on with, but the ones that are scared of him will have to walk past their paddock each day to get to their own turnout. Will they get over it eventually? Just looking for some anecdotal evidence :)
 
My neighbour has a Shetland, our chaps had never seen one before and where totally freaked out. The looks on their faces was hilarious.

Harry my youngster was the brave one and went over to say hello. Well Rosie ( Shetland) went mental screaming bucking and back barrelling the fence. Harry just looked totally bemused and walked off.

The others finally picked up enough courage to say hello, and for a few days where quite taken by her. Now they just ignore her. Apart from Harry, bless him he does try to win her round. You can always tell when he says hello, as you can her screeching !

So in my limited experience they do get used to them.

Rosie is seriously cute, but does live up to the shetlands wicked reputation:D
 
They will get over the tiny, honestly.
I had an 18hh livery come in 2 yrs ago who was beside himself once he saw tiny fuzzy, he literally shook at the far side of the paddock, however only a week later and he was sucking her ears over the fence!

Gave them hay by the fence, fed them breakfast same places, he did get over himself, hope it works out op x
 
My old mare doll was actually kept on a Shetland pony stud for a while, and I borrowed a Shetland mare as a companion when she was pregnant so she is well used to Shetlands!
However my funniest ever moment on her was one day out hacking, I has just entered a field on our usual hack and was closing a gate when I heard a neigh. I turned around to see two very fat, very fluffy coloured Shetlands cantering over. Well doll nearly jumped the gate in fright and it was only when they turned side on and she realised what they were that she settled! Running at us head on it did look like two giant hamsters were running over! Haha! I still chuckle to myself every time I ride through that field!
 
Funny how they are scared of mini versions of themselves- mine is turned out with a Shetland but was coming back from a hack once and someone was leading 2 minis down the lane towards him. H froze, stood eyes bulging and would not move. Had to get off and move him into a driveway to let them past while he stared at them in horror!
 
Two of mine were petrified of not minis, but donkeys, my 15 2hh bully boy hid behind the 17 hh TB woose, in the corner of the field furthest from the strange creatures, so funny to watch, much better than the tv
 
Yes, they will quickly get used to the little one I'm sure, once the realise it is of the same species! My horse is fine with Shetlands but, for some reason, absolutely freaked at a couple of little Exmoors we met out at a trec competition once :rolleyes3::rolleyes3:
 
My old tb was terrified of them. I had to walk past one every time i hacked and it always jumped the wall of its paddock and chased us down the lane :D
 
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my 15'2 is best friends with an 8-9 hand mini shetland. he was a bit confused when they first met! now i even ride and lead the shettie. my 16'2 mare mostly ignores his- thinks he is too small to count i think. if the three of them are together the shetland hides behind my boy if he thinks my mare is getting too close!
 
Yes, they will get over it . . . at previous yard a livery bought a mini . . . when he first arrived all the horses were afraid of him, but after a few weeks of him being on the yard, they ALL got used to him and some found him entertaining . . . :).

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They will become great friends! My 3 liveries, 14.2 to 17.2, were appalled when The Tinies, 9hh and 8.5 hh, arrived. Now they all love each other. When my big mare was ill recently one or other Sheltie would keep her company while the other big ones were out during the day. She was in a loose box with slip rails. They were in the yard outside. When they felt like it they would lie down and roll under the bottom rail to be in with her, and roll out again when they'd had enough of the invalid. I know they hastened her recovery, and I wouldn't be without them as calmers for the big ones.
 
My youngster grew up in a field with mini Shetlands so imagine my surprise when he freaked out at the one at my yard! Unfortunately for him he had to walk past it to get to the fields so he got over his fear quickly. Whenever he took the courage to go towards the pony I would let him wander over and say hello and they often now will try and groom each other if given the chance! It helped that the Shetland Potters around in a large field and is also not afraid of the horses, so he would stand still whilst mine was snorting like a steam train!
 
My old shetland caused horror in large horses everywhere he went. My youngster was terrified of him initially but soon got over it.
 
My connie went straight nose to nose with the mini girls when the first arrived but my welsh cob, not surprisingly, wouldn't come within thirty yards of the fence for weeks!
 
A quick update!
Apparently, when big horse was being brought in the other day, mini galloped up to the fence as fast as his little hooves could carry him, and they had a good nose sniff over the fence :)
Not so scary after all! ;)
 
When we first got our shetland our horses were totally freaked out by him they used to snort and run away from him, it was quite amusing!

It took about a month for them to get used to him and then they totally loved him.... but what was really funny was the first time we put a rug on him, aparrently a naked shetland is fine but a shetland in a purple rug is a deadly predator, cue eyes out on stalks and run for your life lol!! poor little guy couldnt understand why his freinds suddenly didnt like him any more. hahaha;)
 
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