Entire Shetland

ItsJem

ItsJem

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28 May 2012
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Please dont shoot me down! A friend is in a predicament and needs somewhere to keep her six year old Shetland stallion. She has asked if I would consider keeping him temporarily with mine. However, I have two mares. They are both Welsh Bs. One is 12.3 and the other is 11.3. Shetland is 9hh. Now... Would it be completely out of the question to keep this boy with the girls? As much as I want to help her out, I dont want to risk any of them.
 
No! He will manage it, where there is a willy theres a way! Also he will harrass them. Why doesn't she get him cut, problem solved!?
 
When you say "with them" do you mean literally or just in an adjoining field, unless you can keep them apart and keeping an entire Shetland fenced may be tricky even without mares around, I would be very careful, unless you want 2 welsh x shetlands in 11 months time:eek:.
 
I wouldn't keep a shetland with anything less than 13.2hh! You'll be amazed at the lengths they can go to so to speak.
 
He is to be gelded soon. She has purchased him entire and her plan was always to geld him as soon as possible. It may be obvious to you HHF but no harm in double checking with others. My theory was that he was too small so appreciate the advice...
 
Perhaps he could be done now? I know its not ideal in this weather but he could stay in and be walked in hand perhaps? Then he should be over any stallion like stuff by the time your mares are cycling.
 
too big or too small it will not be fair on either of them as they will all harass each other, dont think for a minute the mares are not as guilty, if he did cover one he could also hurt himself with straining, why is she delaying the gelding and also she would still need to keep them apart for at least 6 weeks after the castration anyway. good luck.
 
Thanks for the help. I will just apologise and let her know it isn't possible. I don't want to risk the health or wellbeing of any of them, especially my girls!
 
It depends on his temperament, the girls' temperaments and whether you can adequately fence them off. The only experience I have of an entire Shetland was an elderly one I looked after briefly last year and he was a complete gentleman to handle and whilst he liked to chat to the mares who were kept out of his way by double fences he never made any attempt to break out. If your friend's pony is like him then I'd get his knackers off asap and fence him off from your girls.
 
No, unless you have the space that would be fine to keep any stallion on, away from your mares. The height won't make any difference at all though if he's actually in with the mares, bigger or not he'll manage if he's that way inclined. Why not just geld him?
 
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