M4 Reading Area White Shetland Ponies

[anguscat]

Around the Reading area as you drive towards London on the M4, there's always a big herd of white shetland ponies in fields on the left. We've been curious about them for years!! Does anyone know anything about them? Do they just represent someone's passion for white Shetlands?

 

[Tickles]

I think they might be for pulling pantomime coaches... listened to a radio four programme about some from that general area once. Plus a relative sold some for that somewhere near the M4...

 

[dizzyf]

Yep, they're used in pantos. We had 2 of them stay at our yard one panto season.

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/8309572.stm

Three of the ponies were stolen from there last year, I don't think they've been recovered yet.

 

[Dubsie]

They belong to Luckens Pantomime Ponies, which they operate from Lands End Equestrian Centre, which is the RS just round the corner from us, they usually have even more in the fields near here, but I think some may be still out on Panto duty. Pantomime Ponies
Essentially yes they are someone's passion - Ian once admitted to me he wasn't sure if he wasn't buying one he'd sold before! I think they all have to be a particular specification, they're trained up, and look completely different when they are groomed up, and I think I was told they do something like 15-20 pantos or so each Christmas.

 

[HollyP]

I have always wondered why they were all white!!! they have been there forever!

 

[Suzie86]

yep lands end pantomine ponies vvvv cute!!! dubsie whereabouts do you live then? i used to go to the lands end shows and worked in the pub there for a while too

 

[anguscat]

Thank you everyone!. There's one of life's little mysteries answered. Panto ponies....I'd never have guessed!!!!!