Do you notice your shetlands?

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Bellaboo18

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I'll start by saying I love my little shetland, he's great and isn't your typical escape artist. He's very easy to have around and I often think I could happily stick to a couple of shetlands *but* something needs to give.

I'm sure everyone will agree it was a hellish winter, that went on for forever. We've only been here 18 months but still I'd like to make next winter less muddy so the obvious answer would be to go from 3 to 2.

I've got a 16hh mare who I adore and won't ever leave, a 16hh gelding who she adores and then my shetland who I doubt she'd blink if he left.

I won't sell him but could loan him out; my question is, if I do, will I really notice the difference to my grazing? He obviously doesn't churn it up as much as the big horses (although none of them hooley around) but he's always head down grazing when the other two are at the hay cubes. How much difference do you think your shetlands make when your aim is to save grass for winter?

Opinions welcome 😊
 
Hmmmm I'm happy to be corrected but I think farmers consider livestock weight as a measure of stocking density. So by that measure losing a Shetland will probably reduce the pressure on your grazing by roughly around 10% presuming your Shetland weighs 125kg and your 16hh both weigh roughly 560kg.

I'm sure it's not all that accurate but a reasonably straightforward way to consider it. Obviously you could argue that the bigger horses may eat less due to economies of scale but then you could also argue that Shetlands are genetically predisposed to survive on less/poorer forage..... Interesting question really, at least I find it interesting but then I probably need to get out more 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Edited to add keep the Shetland they're great entertainment value per kg 😂
 
I have two and in all honesty I don't think it would make much difference if they were here or not. They have a wee pen for themselves over summer and this winter were out in 2 acres with my cob, cob and one shetland out 24/7 second shetland in at night. I have two others (14.2-15hh) who were out in 2.5 acres 24/7 and their field is by the far the more trashed. I seriously doubt the shetlands made much impact at all.

TBH I'd just get another shetland for equality 🤭
 
alibali said:
Hmmmm I'm happy to be corrected but I think farmers consider livestock weight as a measure of stocking density. So by that measure losing a Shetland will probably reduce the pressure on your grazing by roughly around 10% presuming your Shetland weighs 125kg and your 16hh both weigh roughly 560kg.

I'm sure it's not all that accurate but a reasonably straightforward way to consider it. Obviously you could argue that the bigger horses may eat less due to economies of scale but then you could also argue that Shetlands are genetically predisposed to survive on less/poorer forage..... Interesting question really, at least I find it interesting but then I probably need to get out more 🤣🤣🤣🤣
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🤣 I definitely didn't expect such an interesting reply, thanks! I agree he's designed to live off (next to) nothing and everytime I look out of the window he's eating even when the other two have given up because there's no grass so eating their hay. For 10% though he can stay, which I was hoping was the answer as I love having him around. I just wish my mare loved him like she does the gelding 🙄 I do think big horses like other big horses.
I find the oddest things interesting so don't worry!
 
ElleSkywalker said:
I have two and in all honesty I don't think it would make much difference if they were here or not. They have a wee pen for themselves over summer and this winter were out in 2 acres with my cob, cob and one shetland out 24/7 second shetland in at night. I have two others (14.2-15hh) who were out in 2.5 acres 24/7 and their field is by the far the more trashed. I seriously doubt the shetlands made much impact at all.

TBH I'd just get another shetland for equality 🤭
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Don't! 😂 When the sun's out and I'm starting to forget about winter, I'd love to buy him a little friend 🙈
 
Won’t make much difference. It’s weight not number. Shetlands are light, therefore easy on the land, and don’t eat a huge amount of grass. To make a big difference you would need to keep the Shetland and rehome one of the larger ones.
 
Aside from the amount they eat I think the biggest damage done to the grazing during wet weather is by their feet; the bigger the feet (which also usually means a heavier horse) the worse the damage, and it's made worse again by shoes. I expect Shetlands are actually quite light on the land compared to anything 14hh+, and certainly not churning it up as much.

I think you need to buy a second one though to properly test this hypothesis 😁
 
I bought another Shetland and there really is nothing cuter than BFF Shetlands having a run round the field. My original one had always lived with bigger ponies and I promised him that when the old girl went I’d get him a friend. It was the best decision ever and they are double cute and living their best lives. I can also restrict them together without feeling guilty
 
meleeka said:
I bought another Shetland and there really is nothing cuter than BFF Shetlands having a run round the field. My original one had always lived with bigger ponies and I promised him that when the old girl went I’d get him a friend. It was the best decision ever and they are double cute and living their best lives. I can also restrict them together without feeling guilty
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That’s the cutest thing ever!
I got mine a Welsh A as a companion hoping for the same. They hated watch other for about 6/7 years 😂
They now seem to get on nicely but I’d never stable together or anything, both were very happy to be stabled with the 16.2 and 16.3 friends they chose though 😂
Not the way I’d planned things at all!
 
Bellaboo18 said:
Don't! 😂 When the sun's out and I'm starting to forget about winter, I'd love to buy him a little friend 🙈
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I bought one to keep my retired mare company while I rode my cob, had two within the first week of buying the first and a third within the next year. Love them, they are so funny and I really enjoy owning them, they make me smile every day and they have made no difference to the grazing at all and eat very little hay. I always say all three of them make one horse.
 
This is an interesting thread! I’ve got a Sec A who was a companion to my competition horses, then companion needed a companion after they’d both retired and passed on so I now have a non ridden native too. I’ve been seriously thinking about going down the Shetland route! It’s been a long winter, I have plenty of space and I feel like a bit of fun is needed back in my life.

Thing is my Sec A is somewhat dramatic about life and I’m not sure he’d ever forgive me!
 
I have a mini as she is the only one who will go with every single sport horse and not risk any broken legs so they can have a friend if their normal friend has been removed to be ridden etc. They all like the Shetland but all love a bigger horse slightly more but find the Shetland a tolerable alternative if nothing else. The Shetland is also super useful if any are on box rest as a 15 x 17 stable is a large space for her.
 
We don't notice having our shetland at all in terms of the grazing and hay he eats. He just lives out with our herd ranging from 14.2hh to 16.3hh. We did have to go extreme with the fencing though, 4 strands and DECENT energiser for the electric fencing x
 
callybbi said:
We don't notice having our shetland at all in terms of the grazing and hay he eats. He just lives out with our herd ranging from 14.2hh to 16.3hh. We did have to go extreme with the fencing though, 4 strands and DECENT energiser for the electric fencing x
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We're lucky in that respect, he pretty much stays where he's put! x
 
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Bellaboo18 said:
We're lucky in that respect, he pretty much stays where he's put! x
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I do think they learn to be crafty. My latest one that came from the Shetland Islands didn’t know what an electric fence was, despite being 10. He’s absolutely terrified of it! I’m really hoping my other one, who has mastered the art of using his mane to insulate himself, doesn’t show him how it’s done 🙄
 
Thread update - I've loaned the little man to a lovely lady that needed a companion. I miss his little face around but get lots of updates and when we visited, I could tell how happy he is. In hindsight he was getting quite pushed out/bullied by my big gelding and would always be doing his own thing. At the time I thought by choice but now I'm not so sure as now he's never far from his new mate ☺️
I must admit one less (however small) mouth to feed over winter is a relief.
 
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