Is this little lad good enough to show ?

mandwhy said:
I think he's cute, not spectacular but hey he's a mini and thats not what local showing is about! I think he is only particularly tubby around the middle, so it would improve greatly with pole work and lunging and hills as already suggested to firm up the abdominals. I have just started lunging my welsh A (she's only 2 so I don't want to overdo it) and it doesn't take that long when you get into the swing of it. Maybe your little chap would enjoy a little jumping in hand when he's a bit fitter too :-)

You could try feeding various supplements like magnesium to help with the weight loss.

I use a razor comb to feather the mane, it works really well and you can get them for like 2 quid on ebay.
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Sorry I would not be lungeing most two years olds, why would you, take them out on long reins, get yourself and him self fitter without any strain.
And for heavens sake don't use a razor comb on the mane or anywhere else, learn to pull it with a metal mane comb.
Magnesium will not help a pony to lose weight.....
 
No way! He wouldn't suit the showing world even if he slimmed down. I think you should buy a proper show pony but don't worry, i'll take him off your hands for you ;):D
 
I have show minis, although Im new to all this I would say his legs are rather fine built and his back a little long. That said, you are working on his fitness which once he loses a little of his belly will possibly make his slum legs look more in proportion. He has a lovely head and markings. Definately more mane and tail needed...you can never have too much lol :D


FWIW re: Moomin1 and Goldenstar. Its a well know fact that Moomin and I havent always seen eye to eye but I genuinely dont think her or Goldenstar intended to come across as rude. They are both very knowledgeable people and forthright in their opinions for which I have great respect.
Maybe call a truce..?? ;)


Whats his breeding?? Xx
 
cornbrodolly said:
+2 for 'cute as a button'. yes to local showing .

sick of all this banging on about weight - he s not obese , and quite frankly a) it is much more cruel to starve a horse than to have them be slightly overweight
b) have noticed by photos on 1 0r 2 peoples signatures that they who yak loudest about horse s weight [ not on this thread so far, I have to say] should step on their own scales , and slim down their own thunder thighs
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Actually, it is just as harmful to have overweight horses as underweight ones.

Just as it is in those people you say have 'thunder thighs'. ;)
 
Miss L Toe said:
Sorry I would not be lungeing most two years olds, why would you, take them out on long reins, get yourself and him self fitter without any strain.
And for heavens sake don't use a razor comb on the mane or anywhere else, learn to pull it with a metal mane comb.
Magnesium will not help a pony to lose weight.....
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^^^^^^most definitely this on all counts!

I am one who does not think this shettie is that overweight, I have seen many on here that are much more so, and this is from someone who really dislikes seeing overweight horses.

However CMT you are obviously not a good enough owner for this chap so I will pm you my address and he can come here and starve :)
 
Some of these comments have made me chuckle...

Colleen he is an absolute sweetie pie..and i do love the ginger bread man...Go out and have some fun and enjoy him..

Magnesium aids digestion not metabolism so will not help with weight loss....
 
I would say he lacks condition and is certainly not too overweight. By condition I dont mean fat I mean turning him the right way up so his top line balances his frame. He will only do well if he has four straight legs and a good topline I have only met about 3 Mini Shetlands in my life that filled those criteria. Even a very famous ridden one has at least one crooked leg possibly two
 
what a gorgeous wee chap! I cant see where the comments about his weight are coming from tbh and Im usually one of the first to cringe at an overweight pony.

Its incredibly difficult with minis... they do tend to carry weight on their tums without having fat pockets elsewhere too. Mine looked in foal this time last year and I had the vet out on 3 occasions doing tests to make sure she wasnt. that was on a bare paddock with soaked hay and a vit supplement too.

With regards showing, you could do coloured classes too? A lot depends on his movement too and who the judge is haha, so just go out and have some fun!
 
I put up a CC thread recently and think I got off lightly quite frankly lol

The pony is very cute and although his markings are striking I would agree with the person that said he isn't evenly marked enough generally

Love the gingerbread man too!
 
Good grief.

I've seen CMT's paddock. And without being rude to the OP, if you think this pony has been gorging himself on lush, sugar-laden, savannah-style grass, think again.

CMT also successfully rehab-ed a laminitic pony in same paddock who got placed at Dublin Horse Show just a short time after leaving her yard.

Her management of all her horses is second to none.
 
CaveCanem said:
Good grief.

I've seen CMT's paddock. And without being rude to the OP, if you think this pony has been gorging himself on lush, sugar-laden, savannah-style grass, think again.

CMT also successfully rehab-ed a laminitic pony in same paddock who got placed at Dublin Horse Show just a short time after leaving her yard.

Her management of all her horses is second to none.
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Nobody is saying it isn't. And nobody has said it must be gorging itself on lush grass.

IMO, it is very overweight. That is all. Don't see what the big deal is. I quite openly would say and do say that I let my mare get overweight last summer through my own circumstances. I didn't get defensive when anyone commented.
 
I don't think it's me you need to apologise to.
Anyway, going to leave it now, the OP doesn't need this, and I know what I can see with my own eyes, not one photograph on a forum.
 
CaveCanem said:
I don't think it's me you need to apologise to.
Anyway, going to leave it now, the OP doesn't need this, and I know what I can see with my own eyes, not one photograph on a forum.
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That's fine, but if OP posts one photo on a forum, then they must expect to get judgements on that photo.

And no, I won't apologise for thinking that the pony is too fat. It is IMO.
 
Moomin ...your opinion is clearly black and white . So therefor it does not matter to me :)

I do believe you referred to your own horse as 'fatty' ....just a tad ironic if you ask me .
He is not very overweight ....he is ever so slightly .....with a pot belly . As I see him every day and looking at him this evening, the more I realise he is not as you described, so from here on in your posts are void to me :)


Dressedkez ......thelwel ponies are thick crested, ridge down the middle of their back with fat pockets .
Chuckles isn't quite there ;)
 
Miss L Toe said:
Sorry I would not be lungeing most two years olds, why would you, take them out on long reins, get yourself and him self fitter without any strain.
And for heavens sake don't use a razor comb on the mane or anywhere else, learn to pull it with a metal mane comb.
Magnesium will not help a pony to lose weight.....
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Not proper lunging, it basically is long lining and only walk and trot. I could use another line and it would make little difference. Ragging a pony round in circles isnt good for anything no matter what age.

I use the comb on both my ponies and get good results as their manes are not overly thick so I don't want to pull and thin them. Pulling serves a different purpose.

And yes it helps them to digest sugars especially for cresty fat pad types.
 
I have a horse we call fatty and yes it is irony he's the one I put on a 200 kilo diet when he arrived at the end of it he I gave him the nick name fatty because he was not any more.
It reminds not to let things slip.
 
cornbrodolly said:
+2 for 'cute as a button'. yes to local showing .

sick of all this banging on about weight - he s not obese , and quite frankly a) it is much more cruel to starve a horse than to have them be slightly overweight
b) have noticed by photos on 1 0r 2 peoples signatures that they who yak loudest about horse s weight [ not on this thread so far, I have to say] should step on their own scales , and slim down their own thunder thighs
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Like
 
And this is why, I would never ever post photos on here of my horses asking for feedback. Constructive suggestions would be fine but some of these comments are downright unpleasant and rude. Big difference between comments like "straight backed and need to grow the mane..." where the poster is trying to help and "disgusting" where the poster is not bothering.
 
Not read all the replies, but, yes I think he would do quite well out showing.

Re weight, can you make a track/paradise system so he has to walk about more? Sorry if you have already put grazing info on. I find if I starve my welsh sec a she just hangs on to her fat even more, but a track system works quite well for her when I can have one.
 
I truly dont see that is a fat pony at all he has no neck a clear poverty line down his thigh and is very lacking in muscle. He has a big grass belly how on a restricted diet I dont know maybe it is just a shetland thing. He has the makings of a lovely show shetland if he is straight and moves well.
Personally I would get more muscle and condition on him he needs to fit in a box for showing from all angles.
I will repeat by condition I dont mean fat I mean toned top line with a proper top to his neck and more mane and tail
like this one picked up from google images
 
windand rain said:
I truly dont see that is a fat pony at all he has no neck a clear poverty line down his thigh and is very lacking in muscle. He has a big grass belly how on a restricted diet I dont know maybe it is just a shetland thing. He has the makings of a lovely show shetland if he is straight and moves well.
Personally I would get more muscle and condition on him he needs to fit in a box for showing from all angles.
I will repeat by condition I dont mean fat I mean toned top line with a proper top to his neck and more mane and tail
like this one picked up from google images
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What a lovely shetty, wish my sec A was as trim as that...
 
WR - Shetland in this country don't look like that! That pic was probably taken in Aus.

If you want well turned out and produced mini shetlands look to the Kerswell Stud.
 
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