How do Shetland’s/smalls cope with living with bigger horses?

Mine have always been fine together and every horse I’ve had has lived with our Shetland, he’s often in and out of their stables under the door chain to share hay or food 😬
He’s my go to if I ever need something to keep anything company.
Until Alfie. I honestly think Alfie would kill him if he got the chance so they are very much now ponies together and away from the horse!
 
For short period of time I had some Shetlands as grass livery with a 16 hand cob. The cob was always pushed out other way by them. Section Section A's are the same, I have had two baby sitter Section A's that sometimes loan out to people who have horses, they will sort out young stock but not cause damage. Both load and do everything first time so they are great teachers, fortunately the do not teach them to go through the electric fence.
 
I have a Shetland x who came to be a companion to a bigger pony. It was his personality that convinced me he'd be a good fit as he is unsquashable and bounces back from adversity like a rubber ball. The initial meeting wasn't all that great but eventually they sorted out who was to be in charge (NOT the small this time!) and they lived happily together after that, for a long time.
 
I think anything dinky, sturdy, not too hard on the land (no big feet), self confident and not easily offended would work. Probably someone who has been well socialised in a herd and is good in traffic so it can assist with young horse training.

If any of you fancy sharing photos of your small pony people I would love to see them!
 
No Shetland experience but I do have a small Section A companion. He’s typically Welsh about life but when turned out and left to his own devices he’s spot on. He’s passive enough that he got out of the way when needed but wouldn’t be bullied, held his ground and wasn’t beyond a kick in the right direction. My big old brute of a HW type wasn’t particularly tolerant of other horses (or indeed people!) in his space but I’d often turn up and find little one stood underneath his belly eating 🙈 He lived alone happily enough for a couple of days when I lost old boy suddenly, and now lives with a mare who can be territorial but keeps her in check. He’s definitely not clingy!

I do have a properly post and rail fenced small paddock for restricted grazing when needed. Life is too short to wrangle electric tape on a daily basis!
 
This is our little chap - bought very much to do a job as a companion but has turned out to be so much more than that. We’ve broken him in ourselves and our daughter rides him. He took to the whole thing like a duck to water. Keeps the big boys in check, shows them up constantly because he’s so much braver, and only occasionally behaves like a shitland 😆

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My gelding took 1 look at the Shetland I borrowed to be a companion whilst he was on restricted turn out and decided he absolutely despised it. Not helped by the fact it was a mare, instantly came into season and could only make really pathetic squealing noises at him.
 
TheMule said:
My gelding took 1 look at the Shetland I borrowed to be a companion whilst he was on restricted turn out and decided he absolutely despised it. Not helped by the fact it was a mare, instantly came into season and could only make really pathetic squealing noises at him.
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We had a similar experience with a Shetland mare - she was all sass and lasted the grand total of an afternoon (it was an experiment with her owner, we mutually decided it was not working!) Thankfully less drama with Badger 😆
 
Don't you get problems with contradictory management needs when you mix small ponies with larger horses? Surely they have different requirements? I can see a Shetland and a native small cob working with both living on air, but how do you mix a Shetland with a TB or Warmblood for example?
 
Tarragon said:
Don't you get problems with contradictory management needs when you mix small ponies with larger horses? Surely they have different requirements? I can see a Shetland and a native small cob working with both living on air, but how do you mix a Shetland with a TB or Warmblood for example?
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When I had bigger horses I didn't have too much grass to worry about luckily, but found hanging haynets worked well. The little one couldn't reach to eat out of it and just hoovered the left overs off the floor. My cob used to let him steal hay out of his mouth which sort of defeated the object 🙄 I did always have another smaller pony so if I needed to bring the Shetland in for some of the day he had company and he'd just get the run of the yard, while the big ones got on with eating.
 
Tarragon said:
Don't you get problems with contradictory management needs when you mix small ponies with larger horses? Surely they have different requirements? I can see a Shetland and a native small cob working with both living on air, but how do you mix a Shetland with a TB or Warmblood for example?
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My big boys are two natives/good doers as well so their management needs are largely the same. We also muzzle as required and he comes in overnight with the others all year round, so it’s been ok so far. I can see how it would be tricky with horses with different needs though.
 
We have a Shetland in with my two, 16.2 & 17hh. He keeps out the way, they occasionally enjoy a zoomies with him (keeps his weight down?)… but generally speaking they all get on very well! Hugo is quite dominant and is definitely herd leader (literally does head counts😆) but he copes fine and hasn’t tried to kill him yet…

Interestingly we’ve just had to add another Shetland into the herd as it lost its field mate and Brodie our Shetland hates it😆!

ETA: Brodie is muzzled when he's turned out and comes in at night in the winter and in the day in the summer. We've got facilities to stable him in the field if needed, but he is slim, i've never met a shetland that will just stand and snooze (he is old) for section of the day and not guzzle the grass!

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Not Shetlands, but I got two rescue ponies from Redwings, one was a welsh section A, the other was 11hhs of pure hooligan, whose party trick was escaping from any field he wanted, they lived for many years as a happy gang with my 16.1 warmblood mare. But all the horses liked them, in this pic the hooligan spotted that my 18hh warmblood had more hay left, so he promptly rolled under the fence and helped himself, the big guy was happy to share.
 

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I really want a Shetland but would need to have my own land, because I can't justify a third horse on a livery yard just because it's cute.

But if I ever get my own wee croft.......
 
Just to add some balance, I have a mini shet and wouldn’t ever put her out with my big lot again.
She’s never really been the fiesty type. When she was younger I had her out with my lot and it was fine, she kept herself away from shenanigans and would throw a buck to get others to back off, but now she’s older she doesn’t move as quickly and I just know she’d get bullied and played with! She was a companion for my old pony who we sadly lost last year, and had since become a full time member of our sheep flock
 
Livery on my yard (where stable being held) has a tiny Shetland and her 17.3hh gelding goes out with her. They've always got on well after, a short introduction with electric fence between them.
 
Our little mini (now 18) was a perfect companion to our older welsh D X.

We've since lost the welsh mare, and little Cookie is companion to Bo, my 8 year old gelding and to be honest, it is not a match made in heaven.

Bo wants to play and gets upset if Cookie doesn't want to play, and pesters her until she gives him both barrels.

It really isn't working for either of them. I really can't rehome Cookie as she's extremely nervous and I promised myself I would be her last home.

So im resigned to having to get a third now!
 
Depends on the temperament of the horses. Size doesn't seem to come into it. We have a mini shetland who has always got on well with everything, including young colts, much bigger horses and his best mate, the stallion <<<< in the picture.
He has been used as a companion in and out of stables for all kinds of things and is regularly 'lent' to friends for this purpose.

My big soppy welsh, however, took 2 years to recover from the nervous breakdown caused by living with 2 shetland mares who bullied him.
 
I have a 31 inch mini living with my 16'1 and 17'1. the mini and 16'1 are besties and the 17'1 shoes him off every now and again! but the big ones always get upset when I take him away
 
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