Shetlands/small ponies as companions.. thoughts needed.

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caramel

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Thinking of getting my TB a companion, he's had a Shetland friend in the past and he was very happy with her, she was on loan to us, but couldn't take her when we moved yards. (owner wanted her back). Now looking into it again for him, as he seems happier being around small ponies having been bullied by bigger horses, he's made friends with a foal and a Shetland, and would like to get him one of his own. (He's a 17.1 gelding)

Thoughts? Thinking more Shetland/Dartmoor type. Just a nice friend for him really.
What's people's experiences with shetlands etc as companions? Having asked around the general idea is "What will you do with a horse you can't ride?" but to be honest that doesn't bother me!
And where do people look for a nice companion? I know about the rescue charities etc.
 
I got my mini companion off preloved. He keeps a laminic company. The problem with small ponies as companions to big horses is dietry requirements. They won't be much use as a companion if they need restrictions while the big horse needs as much as they can get.
 
Was going to say the same. Ponies as good doers in the winter are fab because they can live off fresh air but come spring/ summer you may be restricting its grazing and thus the companion actually isn't one!
 
Any 2 equines living together as companions need to have the same dietry requirements, otherwise it completely defeats the object of having a companion if they have to be separated as one gets too fat.
 
Personnally they seem to be more hassle than they are worth, good as escaping, good at getting fat on fresh air, if your TB is a really good doer and can live in a limited grazing paddock in the summer and without hay in the winter it might work - but a similar feeding regime slightly bigger pony wouldn't cost you any more to keep and you wouldn't have to muzzle, separate in good grazing or soak hay in winter.

If your heart is set then this one looks cute !
http://www.bransbyhorses.co.uk/re-homing/re-homing animals-georgie.html
 
YO breeds shetlands and they make good little companions but you do have to put them to work because they can very quickly pack fat on :) They'll happily pull an adult on the flat in a lightweight buggy which is actually really fun! The shetlands who've been taught to drive we take out along the tracks or do driven obstacle courses around the big field. The ones who don't drive are given in-hand schooling lessons and then we do pony obstacle courses and some light liberty work in the school to make them bomb proof first ponies. In summer there's always tons of parents looking to take their tots our for a pony ride too, so that helps keep them slim. They're not quite the same amount of work as a horse, but nearly.
 
I have three miniatures and they are absolute stars, I love them. Didn't get them as companions for the big horses but they are great when I take the cob out as they keep the old mare company. As my two big horses are very good doers I don't have the dietary problem as they all need restricting when there is good grass available. They are lovely to have around and are real characters and to be honest not sure I would have a horse again when mine are gone but will always have some minis.
 
I have a Sec D who is a bit of a poor dooer - she is currently on adlib haylage and fed conditioning cubes, linseed, just grass and a balancer.

Her companion is a 34 inch shetland, who yes, blows up if she even so much as looks at grass!!

It does work though! My shetland is a little darling and causes me no trouble whatsoever. I have stock fencing all round so she cant get out and when I put up electric I make sure there are 3 strands and not just the 2 i would normally put for my mare. I have a large tattie box i feed haylage in for my mare in the winter and the little one cant reach it ;) She gets a Halley’s hay block ;) When the weather gets worse she will get a small haynet. Feed wise she gets a small amount of lowcal balancer as it IS important to make sure they still get the necessary vits and mins, not doing so leads to that awful pot belly so many have. In the summer my littlie is muzzled or shut into my yard area.
 
I've got a Highland pony as a companion for my TB and ID. She's big enough to be ridden by an adult which is great as she loves attention more than the horses do and her weight can be an issue. Escaping is a problem, she sees an opportunity which the horses would never consider but at least she is bigger than a Shetland so can't fit out of so many places. I haven't had to restrict her diet as the exercise helps so she works well as a companion. I had a sec A here before but that didn't work with his laminitis.
 
Don't assume a Shetland can't bully a big horse. They don't know they're small ;o)

Personally I really feel for Shetlands who aren't worked. Mine is never happier than when we've had him out for five or ten miles pulling a substantial exercise cart up hill and down dale. He sweats so much it runs off his tummy, but he'll come straight over the next day to do it again!

How about an older little pony? There are so many lovely family friends available for loan (which is sad, but for many owners it's that or pts). They probably need soaked feed, and don't hold their weight so well as they did in their youth - and they won't bully or damage your TB.
 
Agreed, small ponies aren't ideal companions for some horses as they need very very different management. Perhaps if you had a good do-er who also needed limited grazing it could work, but if your tb is anything like mine it needs all the grass it can eat! Heard so many people buy ponies as companions and end up having to keep them in separate pens/restricted grazing from the horse they are meant to be a companion to, and they end up being more work and hassle than the original horse.
 
Thank you all, lots to think about. Was slightly worried about the dietary side/laminitis so that's the main reason why I wanted opinions. My other thought was a new forest type that I can have a bit of fun with, so would be coming on hacks with us etc. Think I'll explore the New Forests more. Thank you again!
 
  1. I had a lovely little dartmoor as companion which came from the pony club , she was fab and it was so nice to offer her a home after she had taught so many little ones to ride. When she died we got a mini Shetland which I got through a friend. She got three from the new forest pony auctions, she went for one but got a bit carried away! Any way he is a fab companion for my boy. Yes you do have to be careful with feed etc but he is happy to be in a little starvation paddock when required. So easy to handle and costs nothing to keep. You never know there might even be a grand child one day to love him too !
 
I have standard shetland for a companion to my connemara. I bought to keep the connemara in her field as she jumped a five bar gate at five months old! The shetland was very good at giving her a bit of a boot when required. We have a little special needs girl who comes and rides her and behaves brilliantly for her. They don't cost much to keep & mines been like nanny mcphee.
 
I have a shetland as a companion for my TBx and I like it. They both eat old unfertilised grass but only the TB gets extra feed/hay - because the shetland is so short, it's easy to put hay out of her reach and feed the big one over the fence. Make no mistake, the shetland is in charge. Exercise is also important but there's loads you can do with a shetland! You can ride a standard, you can drive (which is great fun), ride & lead, take kids for rides, walk in hand, agility etc etc etc
 
I bought a Welsh section a from preloved to keep my horse company, he can be mischievous but he is lovely and we are having him broken in as a working horse in the next couple of months so he can help around the place. He does get fat but I get the farrier to check for laminitis every time he comes but he says he's fine. My big horse also doesn't like to share his food so I don't have a problem.
 
I have a welsh a who was my first pony and is now a companion to my Connemara. It works well as both ponies are good doers, the only difference being my Connemara has more hay and hard feed. My welsh boy is a bit
 
Sorry accidently pressed send! My welsh boy is a fiesty beast at times, and needs a fair bit of rugging but apart from that is fairly cheap to run, he isn't shod. I have a love of welsh a's and will probably always have one, but with a good doer.
 
We had a shetland as a companion for many years and it worked just fine.

We muzzled him for the grass growing season so did not need to separate.

In winter we bought the big horse in overnight for additional hard feed and hay, and left the shetland out with a handful of chaff. We were lucky as the stables overlooked the paddock so the shetland and my horse could still see each other and both were happy with the arrangement.

Our chap was a real sweetie, broken to ride and respected fencing (maybe we were just lucky?!) and kept him until my son had outgrown him.
 
I think they make awesome companions!

I have a 34" Shettie, I actually bought him from a lady on the yard because my horse loves him so much. He lives in with a herd of 7 horses. He's cheeky but nimble so he gets away with much more than any larger companion would, e.g. sharing hay from the herd leaders pile (no other horse would dare) and there have never been any squabbles with the Shetland like the ones that occasionally happen between the horses.

He is so easy and cheap to keep too, token handful of happy-hoof and a small amount of hay in the winter, if he comes in bedding is much less too. He's so hardy and has never had any injuries or illnesses. The only thing is, like everyone else has said, you have to watch their weight but it's not really that hard - he is out on 8 acres with the horses and if he's looking porky or the grass is good I just start muzzling him. I think for the sake of muzzling it's not hard and you can have a super economic companion rather than having to keep a larger companion who needs more feeding, hay and bedding etc and tbh there is probably more room for them injuring themselves!
 
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