The search for a small has begun…

I have had one shetland/welsh cross and we now have a second one that is a retired riding school pony (she originally came from a trekking center in Wales and ended up in a riding school near Paris before being retired to us). Both would suit what you are looking for. I would say don't get too hung up on breed, a nice temperament is more important (particularly a companion who doesn't mind being left behind on his own).
Both are/were about 11ish hh.

You could aslo get a NF from the sales, they seem like nice ponies.
 
Palindrome said:
I have had one shetland/welsh cross and we now have a second one that is a retired riding school pony (she originally came from a trekking center in Wales and ended up in a riding school near Paris before being retired to us). Both would suit what you are looking for. I would say don't get too hung up on breed, a nice temperament is more important (particularly a companion who doesn't mind being left behind on his own).
Both are/were about 11ish hh.

You could aslo get a NF from the sales, they seem like nice ponies.
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I’m definitely not too fussed on breed. My last little pony was a Dartmoor x Shetland and he was brilliant. I’m open and in no rush to get the right one.
 
Big vote for the mini!

I get very defensive when people say mean things about them 🙈
As long as they're treated like horses not toys there's absolutely no reason why they can't be calm sensible and beautifully behaved.
Mine lives out with my older tb gelding and the tb yearling. He's 3 this year and I got him as a weanling.
He goes for regular walks and took to driving like a duck to water.
A bit of roadwork means my farrier only touches him about twice a year for balancing, and I rarely have to restrict his grazing. He plays with the youngster, can't hurt the others, and is smart enough to duck or leg it when they've had enough.
Happy to chat if you have any specific questions, and he has a thread, search for Cousin It... but beware the temptation!
One day when I'm (more) old I will have a collection of many minis, like a crazy cat lady but so much better!
 
BBP said:
I think muzzle are almost a certainty at some points in the year! How big are your other two? How do you find weight management?
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The other two are a 15hh older Connie, and a 15.3hh Connie x ID. Never had any trouble between the three of them, they get on like a house on fire. If there’s any shenanigans then the Shetland always starts it 😆 weight management has been trial and error but the Connie x ID had a terrible history (before coming to us) of laminitis and probably has EMS, so they’re quite compatible really. Muzzling has been our friend and Badgy is looking quite trim going into spring, which is great news!
 
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Shetland/Welsh I knew came from a large dealer's yard. Friend asked dealer his name "Wild Willy". He was attached by the teeth to the leg of a Shire at the time.
Probably saved her a fortune by putting the kids off riding. He could remove one from his back by turning his head and pulling them off by the welly.
 
P.forpony said:
Big vote for the mini!

I get very defensive when people say mean things about them 🙈
As long as they're treated like horses not toys there's absolutely no reason why they can't be calm sensible and beautifully behaved.
Mine lives out with my older tb gelding and the tb yearling. He's 3 this year and I got him as a weanling.
He goes for regular walks and took to driving like a duck to water.
A bit of roadwork means my farrier only touches him about twice a year for balancing, and I rarely have to restrict his grazing. He plays with the youngster, can't hurt the others, and is smart enough to duck or leg it when they've had enough.
Happy to chat if you have any specific questions, and he has a thread, search for Cousin It... but beware the temptation!
One day when I'm (more) old I will have a collection of many minis, like a crazy cat lady but so much better!
Click to expand...
The adventures of Cousin It are part of what is drawing me to some mini madness! I may well throw some questions your way.
 
P.forpony said:
Big vote for the mini!

I get very defensive when people say mean things about them 🙈
As long as they're treated like horses not toys there's absolutely no reason why they can't be calm sensible and beautifully behaved.
Mine lives out with my older tb gelding and the tb yearling. He's 3 this year and I got him as a weanling.
He goes for regular walks and took to driving like a duck to water.
A bit of roadwork means my farrier only touches him about twice a year for balancing, and I rarely have to restrict his grazing. He plays with the youngster, can't hurt the others, and is smart enough to duck or leg it when they've had enough.
Happy to chat if you have any specific questions, and he has a thread, search for Cousin It... but beware the temptation!
One day when I'm (more) old I will have a collection of many minis, like a crazy cat lady but so much better!
Click to expand...
As a verified mini hoarder I can attest to the fact it is much better than cats 😂
 
If your horse has thuggish tendencies as you mention above, it may well be that you do indeed have to separate them, which I see is a possibility for you.

An old eventer of mine used to have his winter holidays in a ten acre field on the side of a hill; he was out with a few others plus the resident shetland. All got on great apart from mine who viewed the shetland as his personal play thing. More often than not this involved getting behind the shetland, grabbing hold of his crest and making him gallop up and down the hill at break neck speed. Eventually we had to separate them.
 
gunnergundog said:
If your horse has thuggish tendencies as you mention above, it may well be that you do indeed have to separate them, which I see is a possibility for you.

An old eventer of mine used to have his winter holidays in a ten acre field on the side of a hill; he was out with a few others plus the resident shetland. All got on great apart from mine who viewed the shetland as his personal play thing. More often than not this involved getting behind the shetland, grabbing hold of his crest and making him gallop up and down the hill at break neck speed. Eventually we had to separate them.
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Yes I think it could go either way, he could either just allow a small person to rag on him like BBP did, or he might get over the top and play too rough. So I can absolutely separate, and whatever we get won’t go in with him unless we have really positive over the fence interactions for a while. The golden Arab would be quite happy keeping a friend for herself I’m sure.

I’m hoping some of his rough play is boredom, and also not feeling so good so being a bit grumpy at times. Now he is showing signs of starting to feel better, I can start to do a bit more to engage his brain and find outlets for his intelligence and energy so it might take the pressure off him annoying the others.
 
I think its just a young gelding thing. My young highland and teenaged cob used to play like demons. Boxing and throwing each other around. My lovely sweet mare just stood eating and rolling her eyes when the mad half hour kicked in.
 
Just go and see some would be my suggestion. The right one will choose you.

We bought this little one 3 years ago when she was just tiny. Now really need to move her on to a ridden job (we did back her and she was unphased and amenable) but she’s very happy bossing her friends around and making everyone behave nicely towards each other!
 

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maya2008 said:
Just go and see some would be my suggestion. The right one will choose you.

We bought this little one 3 years ago when she was just tiny. Now really need to move her on to a ridden job (we did back her and she was unphased and amenable) but she’s very happy bossing her friends around and making everyone behave nicely towards each other!
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She’s beautiful.

That’s the advice a few have given me. I’ve arranged to go over in a couple of weeks time to meet them all and we will see what happens 🙂
 
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Caol Ila said:
It’s a Fin mini-me and I want it!

If I had my own place and could therefore justify a mini Shetland, I’d go down there in a heartbeat.

Or maybe my livery yard wouldn’t notice him. No, I don’t have two mouse dun horses. You’re just seeing double.
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As long as they don’t see both of them together they might just think it’s Fin but really far away!
 
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