can adults break in larger shetlands??

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sallypops

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i can't imagine a little child breaking in a shetland so who does it, do adults do it??? are they not too big?? does anyone on here break them??

random question i kno but my friend an i were talking about it the other day
 
most shetlands are broken by having a kid plonked on their back and led round.

Small adults can ride shetlands and most ponies would do better being broken properly rather than the quicker method described aove.
 
My youngest daughter and I have done it as a team before. I am 5'5" and 135 lbs. I was not on them a lot but enough to get the point across. My daughter was a great listener and did great for the rest of it . I have been on many shetlands and none of them ever seemed to struggle to hold me. They are sturdy little things with incredibly strong limbs. My farrier regularily breaks them in himself. he is a small man that is about the same size as me although maybe a bit thinner
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Large shetlands are stronger than 15hh TBs. As long as we're not talking 12 stone plus, I'm sure it's ok just for the training stages until they're ready for a kid.
 
I have ridden and broken in a shetland mare, she was maximum height (32 inches) I am 5ft 3 and weighed 8 stone at the time.
She was lovely to ride really willing, although very strong. She was a lead rein pony, but not very suitable for a child to ride off the lead rein!
 
If its any help, I've known a larger shetland that was more than capable of breaking adults; she could have carried me (large adult) no bother at all; AND dumped me head first in the ditch, etc. etc.....
 
I broke in a larger shetland and used to jump it, was a right little sod and had no problems carting round with 5ft3 me on him, and could even manage a good 2ft9 cross country jump!
 
i have schooled shetlands before and have a 3yr old who wil be properly backed this summer, when she has matured enough i intend to get on her too before putting a child on board. im 5ft3 and about 8 and half stone in riding gear
 
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I have ridden and broken in a shetland mare, she was maximum height (32 inches)

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i think you will find the max height is 42``
 
Bigger shetlands are fine I would say... however I didnt have the guts to get on my 9.2hh when I was backing her, so had to long rein loads etc, did put a bit off weight on her, and angle my ody above her etc, still in search of someone who could school her for me now though... She could be such an amazing pony with a bit of proper schooling, loves jumping, and pops 2ft with ease!!!
 
She wasn't mine; she was a beach pony that a friend had on loan for her unsuspecting children. She must have been a full 40", solid, with a back like a table, jet black with a glitter in her eye... Shilasdair would have loved her. She used to jump out of her paddock into peoples' gardens, just because she could; the fence was 4' if it was an inch. She used to charge the electric fence as well, and duck under it at the gallop. It was like a threat; get on my back & THIS is what will happen to you....
 
I rode a shetland last year that decided to show me up by tanking off and them dumping me. I wasnt wearing a hat, and got told off by my children.

He was a hoot to ride.

He was 9.3hh and I was just over 9 stone at the time.
 
some shetlands are actually quite nice!

The one we had was a bit of a git when we got him, but with regular handling etc he came good. sold him to a lovely family who understand what he is and treat him properly.

We've missed having a shetland, so bought another
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To be fair, the family that had her actually tamed this one; they had a friend an elderly man- old style traveller- he told them to tether her by the kitchen door, where she could see people coming & going all day and get the odd titbit or bit of attention, and she would eventually come to accept them; so they parked her there with a haynet; and it worked. It was odd how that hard glitter went from her eyes, and she became a very useful pony.

It said a lot for them that they gave her that chance, though; she was extremely scary at first; and a solid animal. A LOT stronger & chunkier than our Welsh A (11.2).
 
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