Pointless Post: Confidence knock by a Shetland!

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em2010

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It's a pointless post really as I'm probabaly just being a wuss...

There's three shetlands at the yard and my lad is a darling to handle (ok so I'm bias :p), X is now very trusting and is use to people but W has always been very in your face and it's causing me problems because the first month I was there I learnt what to do to make him calm down and not kick my lad or me! But now he's very close to my lad and will try his very best to kick, bite an barge me every time I go to see my boy and it's getting me abit nervous handling wise.. I can lead the other horses around and I'm fine but when it comes to pulling the shetlands in I will always have to wait for help :o :( I feel like such a wuss as the bigger horses are five times W's size!

Hot chocolate for anyone who read this :p
 
Muchos sympathy! An old yard I worked at, I was put on a Shetland to teach it a lesson as he was playing up no end. 16yr old, 5ft 5, 10 stone girl on a wee Shetland called Stout... and he taught me a lesson! Threw his head down at speed and with no neck, I was off like a shot. At least it wasn't far to fall... He wasn't much fun to handle at times either. For a gelding, he fancied himself as a ladies man, and wasn't afraid to use his teeth or hooves to keep you away from them. In the end, we'd tried to go in the field in pairs, taking him out of the field, then the horse we wanted, then putting Stout back in. Such a little trouble maker!

So, you bring the hot choc, I'll bring the marshmallows! lol.
 
no constructive suggestions but I have had more injurues from shetlands than larger horses and ponies so you are not alone
 
I feel for you! A badly behaved Shetland is a terror!

I was beaten up by a Shetland once! Walking the dogs through the village there was a public footpath through a field with two horses. The horses seemed quite chilled so I popped the stile and kept away from them (dogs both on leads, not barking or even looking at the horses) and the Shetland came right up to me and beat me up! He was rearing up and landing on me, then turning around and double barrelling me! I had to make a run for it and on the way back I went through the yard and told them there was no way I was braving their Shetland again!
 
I talked to someone who worked with "wild" koniks on a conservation project (you know, the ones you see fighting one another and looking savage). Despite the fact that they were practically unhandled, she'd never been hurt or threatened by one – not even the stallion or the youngsters. She had, however, been mown down twice by a 30-year-old Shetland. :rolleyes:
 
It needs manners! If it's coming at you when you are trying to catch yours take out a good length of undulene piping and wallop it if it comes near you. It'll make a loud noise but wont actually hurt it. Just because they are little they shouldn't be allowed to get away with behaviours you wouldn't tolerate off another horse. They are hard to lead if they pull because the center of gravity is so low but you can get round that by using a bridle or control halter and having a long line so even if they pull they can't get away from you and you still remain in control. Just get tough!
 
thanks for the sympathy guys :p and on this occasion I'm going to agree with the ****land name! I think he's always going to be like this the little bugger..

ajn: he's a rescue and was badly abused when he was a foal so 'teaching him manners' would be hard as if your not careful you inforce the 'omg it's a person there gonna hurt me kick&run' :(. it's a tricky one cuz some days he can be good as gold but lately he's been in a right bad mood lol!
 
Have to agree with other posters- I have a shetland and there was a serious typo there!!
Mine was unhandled when I got her and would kick,bite,rear and barge you even if you tried to stroke her!:eek:
The size does mean they get away with murder and abused or not he still needs to be taught manners and I dont mean taking a big stick to him(even if tempting!):rolleyes:
Little dogs are just the same-people always think its funny that a jack russel jumps up at a person but get upset if a rottie does it!? just coz its little doesnt mean its funny or cute!

Dont get yourself down over it though, shetlands were put on the earth purely to test humans patience!! :D;)
 
Yes i 100% agree about the typo explanation lucy!;)

I think I've just been told the reason for him kicking when I go to walk my lad.. Girls on the yard have been putting him in this stable on his own if he goes for them. The women with the stable next door also told me W kicks the walls and goes mad when he's in the stable on his own so it's really upset me that they are doing this.

Yes he's got to learn my lad has to come out sometimes but I really don't agree with them shutting him away for not wanting them to take his friend:confused:

Maybe I'm wrong but I'll be telling them all not to leave W in the stable on his own from now on. Hm also am I right in thinking I should make him move away from me instead of me movin away from him?
 
my friends shetland used to do this, would get you right in the back of the knees and knock you over! she chose to leave a headcollar on him, then you could grab him before he got you! he soon got the message and didn't keep trying it on! Hers did it for the same reason, didn't like her taking her horse out to ride!
 
As others have said, even the cutest shetland is still a horse! And my rescue shetland is convinced she's a 16.3 fiery warmblood trapped forever in a tiny fuzzy black body. You wouldn't take the sort of behaviour you describe off a big horse so don't take it off a teensy shetland. Take a crop in with you - a nice short one with a good smacky end. When the monster comes close, scythe it through the air at him a couple of times so it makes a satisfying whooshy noise and if he ignores it crack him one on his backside, hard. Very hard actually at this time of year because his body is probably about a foot below his winter hair. Having said that, I think a lot of problems arise with shetlands for the same reason they do with chihuahas. Very cute so they aren't taught manners from day 1. They are allowed to get away with stuff until something big happens and then they find that the rules they thought were in place (ie I can do whatever I want) have suddenly changed. They get confused and anxious and in some this will lead to aggression. You can easily turn a shitty shetland around by fairness, firmness, 100% consistency and loving them to bits.
 
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