Do overheight Shetlands exist?

C

cobgoblin

Bugrit! Millennium hand and shrimp.
Joined
19 November 2011
Messages
10,217
Visit site
Just wondering....following on from the 20% rule thread I had a look at some info on Shetland ponies. The maximum height is given as 42" for a standard pony, but as they were supposed to have been ridden by adults historically, I was wondering if they've got smaller. Admittedly, it could be that the islanders were small.
So has anyone known an extra large shetland? Or ridden one?...apart from sorting out the kids pony for five minutes.
 
They're commonly overheight to our standards on the continent and USA where they've been crossed with sportier ponies and then do make the FEI driving height. They don't have the substance ours do though! Some studs do breed very up to height and the inevitable overweight one comes out. A decent 40inch+ shetland will take a small adult though- ours is 37inches but very solid (claylands). Not many people realise the size of a true to type standard shetland (rather than just small hairy pony small hairy pony).
 
Have to admit I haven't seen a standard Shetland for years....they all seem to be minis around here.
Having measured 42" up against myself...it would be quite substantial.
 
cobgoblin said:
Have to admit I haven't seen a standard Shetland for years....they all seem to be minis around here.
Having measured 42" up against myself...it would be quite substantial.
Click to expand...

I had a full up standard in to break a few years ago, he was ridden by a teenager to get started, she was tall about 5ft 5in, very slim and he carried her extremely well, he actually changed my opinion on the breed as he was such a nice pony we missed him when he went home. A 42in (10hands 2 in) shetland is not much smaller in height than many Sec a's or Dartmoors that are regularly ridden by small adults, they will usually be stockier and have more bone.
 
here is our boy,(42 ins)taken a few years ago,he is 32 now and shrunk a little x
cahill2.jpg
 
I had one as a kid, she was about 43 inches. Great little ride and drive pony, and was with me 30 years. I hope I can find one like her for baby NB some day.
 
I used to work on a Shetland stud more years ago than I like to remember (in excess of 20). We did a lot of showing and the big standards were quite popular then. Ours were all up to height and one of them is still with me, she looks huge compared to my friends Shetland.
I was stick thin back then and being 5 ft nothing expected to ride them. It was part of my job to back them and get them started, it was brilliant fun and they were fantastic little ponies. We did over the years end up with the occasional over height pony and given that they were all built like little power houses it meant that they were quite substantial!
 
I have one! She is *ek hem* *cough * 45" *cough* she is awesome! She was 42 on the dot when we got her at 5you then we turned her out in a good field. Big BIG mistake!

Standard shetlands have got bigger but daintier over the years. A big one used to be 40" an average shetlabd used to be 38" - going back to when they were pit ponies and the likes. But they were proper stocky wee beasts!
 
EKW said:
I have one! She is *ek hem* *cough * 45" *cough* she is awesome! She was 42 on the dot when we got her at 5you then we turned her out in a good field. Big BIG mistake!

Standard shetlands have got bigger but daintier over the years. A big one used to be 40" an average shetlabd used to be 38" - going back to when they were pit ponies and the likes. But they were proper stocky wee beasts!
Click to expand...

Wow! Have you got a pic?
 
EKW said:
See the pic at the bottom of the previous page :D and hell no! She most certainly NOT a kids pony! She is very sensitive to ride! Quiet hands and good balance is a must!
Click to expand...

Sorry...I saw the other pic afterwards but the jodhpurs made me think the rider was a tall child...oops
 
Yes, you do get some overheight. I had a pony come to me last year who was overheight. Unfortunately he had no passport, but I'd swear he was registered somewhere along the line - he was really good type. He was old enough not to have been chipped as a foal, so no idea of his history.

I have seen some cracking, solid up to height standards in recent years. You can even get some really solid midis and smaller standards too - they've not all gone pretty and light! I have an interesting midi currently - at two years (bought as a foal at foot) old he's built like a rhino - you look at him and think that if he fills out as most youngsters do as they get older, then he'd practically be big enough to carry me. I wouldn't ask that of him obviously - but you can see how they were ridden by adults at midi size in the past when you look at some like him! This particular midi is interesting, as both his parents are mini (one is an up to height mini, the other is a couple of inches smaller) but he's obviously thrown back to him parents ancestors, as he's already WAY bigger than either of them. I'm fascinated to see what he grows up to be, and intend to drive him as a single - he's such a chunk, there's no way he'll struggle.

Adults definitely ride them - I've known quite a few small adults who ride up to height shetlands. Personally, before I had my daughter (and got heavier and less brave) I used to ride a pony I own who is allegedly a shetland cross of 11.1hh - tall and wide! She's built like a brick ****house - actually looks like a very small traditional cob. I used to hack her out every day years ago. I started it just to keep her weight down, and once she was fit, she'd trot all day for me - amazing pony. But for all her size, not a kids LR, FR or even second ridden! She has done all pony club, but kids really have to be able to ride - she's an interesting combination of lazy & nappy added to excitable and explosive! Depends on her mood - get her in the right mood, and she is incredible - she's amazing jumping XC, but put her in the dressage ring, and she plods around and will nap if the rider is not on form. She is/was a great fun riding pony for someone who can ride - I used to love riding her, and once we'd had a discussion or two she behaved as she knew I could ride her properly. She's semi-retired now - kids who can ride are few and far between it seems, and once they're off the LR, seem to want to ride something of about 16hh! So sadly she's without a rider, and just mooches around the fields.
 
a good stocky Shetland is quite often shorter than you think it is.

My Shetland stallion wears a 5'3 rug and has a cob size bridle/headcollar but is only 41".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top