The happiest shetland in the world.

[scruffyponies]

On Saturday Bruin (38", 22yo shetland gelding) was ridden by a confident 10 yo girl, who responded to the suggestion of 'no stirrup November' by kicking her feet out and leading the ride in gallop down the lanes. He came back dripping with sweat - being in a full winter coat and it being about 18 degrees, which of course made his post-ride roll all the more enjoyable.

Yesterday one of his now teenage former riders came along to act as his groom for another sharer's visiting grand-kids, so he got a walk out on the lead (with a bit of trot on request), and loads of fuss and brushing. For a moment he was turned back out with his friends in the sunshine looking beautiful, but 2 minutes upside down in the mud soon fixed that.

Bruin has never looked happier. I have come to the conclusion that all shetland ponies should be held in some kind of community trust, shared between many families to make sure they get the attention and the work they enjoy.

 

[stangs]

Perhaps all small ponies, doomed to be grown out of, should be in community trusts - plenty of work and no getting passed around.

You must have one of the fittest Shetlands in the country!

 

[scruffyponies]

You must have one of the fittest Shetlands in the country!

He would keep up with hounds if we hunted him tomorrow, so I guess you're not far wrong.

 

[Tarragon]

I would love to see a photo of your happy Shetland

 

[scruffyponies]

Haven't got a good one, but this was us just setting off on Saturday. Of course he looks more scruffy than happy in this one, and it was before the stirrups were abandoned.

 

[Rumtytum]

Haven't got a good one, but this was us just setting off on Saturday. Of course he looks more scruffy than happy in this one, and it was before the stirrups were abandoned.
View attachment 102651

He has the look of determination ?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Shetlands thrive on work! They love it! It doesn't matter if its an inhand tootle down round the field with a toddler or a mad gallop across the countryside. They know when they have a job and they relish it!

 

[maya2008]

Shetlands thrive on work! They love it! It doesn't matter if its an inhand tootle down round the field with a toddler or a mad gallop across the countryside. They know when they have a job and they relish it!

My Shetland thinks her job is to evict small children to help them learn. Well…that and to be naughty. Children are safe until they’re 4 years old, and then it’s a baptism of fire!

Glad yours had fun! They’re such busy little things with such clever minds.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

My Shetland thinks her job is to evict small children to help them learn. Well…that and to be naughty. Children are safe until they’re 4 years old, and then it’s a baptism of fire.

And that is a very admirable job to a shetland! Teaching kids everything they need to know and coping with whatever life throws at them ???

 

[scruffyponies]

Here is is on Sunday.
I love that he is striding purposefully out, but full attention is on the children.

 

[Getbackboys]

he looks wonderful love shetlands i had 3 down to 1 sadly. if you are going to be riding him would it not be worth giving him a bib clip as heating up and sweating under their long hair must be quite uncomfortable and its wet from the inside out so wet on the skin, not like wet from the rain so wet from the outside but not penetrated through to the skin, just a thought which would be why the massive rolling after, have fun be safe, i only see one person with hi viz in the pic

 

[Cloball]

I used to ride a Shetland that I'm pretty sure half of the island rode at some point he delighted in depositing me in puddles, he had excellent aim, refusing to go at the requested speed and hiding in hedges.

 

[SEL]

My riding addiction started on 2 Shetlands - they taught most of the kids in the village. Bonny was mid 20s and an absolute saint. I had my first canter, first jump, first off lead rein everything and first fall (saddle slipped down her neck). Her field mate was not a saint (!) & taught me how to hang on..... plenty more falls followed because the little devil used to bog off and drop his shoulder. My mum thought I'd grow out of it. She's still waiting.

I love the thought of yours galloping along with his little rider before returning home for a good scratch. My fencing would need a lot of work to be Shetland proof but I'd love a mini spotty to keep the big spotty company.

 

[rabatsa]

The shetland that I rode when a child had a thing about open gates, nice manicured lawns and rolling. He would put the three together every chance he got. When riding down the main street in the village you would be praying that all the properties with nice lawns had their gates shut.

 

[Birker2020]

The shetland that I rode when a child had a thing about open gates, nice manicured lawns and rolling. He would put the three together every chance he got. When riding down the main street in the village you would be praying that all the properties with nice lawns had their gates shut.

We had two shetland brothers at our yard, they belonged to the YO. They were a right pair of mischievous lovelies, they would escape every chance they could out of the starvation paddock and my gosh they were quick across the ground when they wanted to be. The one had slightly deformed legs and was a rescue but he never let it stand in the way of having a good time, they were loved my everyone. Because they were so inseparable they were both pts due to old age at the same time. They gave us lots of fun, when I used to work there I had one pulling my arm out dragging me along and the other going extremely slow behind so I used to be stretched right out! Happy memories.

 

[meleeka]

My Shetland really doesn’t like children. It’s a shame as he’s got an amazing nature with me, but he just wants chase kids out of his field. He was owned by travellers before me, so his only real
experience has been with cruel children.

 

[scruffyponies]

My Shetland really doesn’t like children. It’s a shame as he’s got an amazing nature with me, but he just wants chase kids out of his field. He was owned by travellers before me, so his only real
experience has been with cruel children.

That is so sad. I have seen Bruin led by an 18mth old baby - he just loves them, and is really kind right up until they take the piss. I have a great photo somewhere of a pair of smiling 6 yo girls sitting backwards on him. A moment after the camera clicked they were face down on the floor. He decided there was a time limit. No animosity; just setting boundaries

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Flint was one of the most epic ponies you could ever wish for! He used to do the Shetland pony grand national and go go like poop off if a shovel! When we did ridden classes and we sent on to extend on the go round the number of parent that told their kids to "go behind the Shetland, you can over take it and look good" ?? yeah they ate our dust! Even the large breeds knew better than to take us on in a gallop! But in true Shetland fashion he had his quirks. You couldn't catch him in the field. Ever. You had to entice him through the gate with food to a smaller area where he would then be caught with no issue. He would also drop a shoulder and spin with no warning. I got deposited on the ground far more times than I cared to remember! But he carried a lot of kids to victory in the show ring in his life time.

This was the first of our 3 Highland Show victories (the 3rd he won with a borrowed rider as I really was too big by then). 2002 this was!




16 years later at the age of 28 Flint went to a show again for the first time in 6 years and he was an absolute riot ???



Rains was always an opportunistic bugger! He also rolls when he can't be bothered doing something - rider on or not, stand still or canter, makes no odds to him he will just hit the deck and squiggle.



I borrowed him for a class for the entertainment value! The toad had not put a foot out of line for my nephew but with me he wrong legged it at every opportunity! And I know full well it was not my dodgy aids he was just being an obnoxious beast because he could be ???



Everyone needs a shetland in their lives!

 

[Ratface]

What a lovely little fiend!

 

[TwyfordM]

We had two Shetland’s at the riding school I worked at, knew them for years and they were both saints with the little tots, absolute menaces with the older kids ? so many memories of them barrelling through me at full speed when I opened the door, trying to wrestle headcollars on them. Being dragged by the pair of them like sled dogs across the fields . Smaller one was so teeny he would run between your legs if you tried to stop him ? bolting around the school with screaming kids, both on board and trying to lead ??‍?

They escaped once went off down the motorway and were brought back by the police ??‍?

There’s just the one of them now and despite his old age he spends his days wrestling youngsters much larger than him ?