BBP2
Well-Known Member
We bought our two little mini Shetland 2 year olds in April of 2025 and they are the lights of my life, just the sweetest, funniest, most brilliant little people.
My sisters pony is a really correct pony, the better of the two conformationally. Mine is a little narrow behind (so he is a little cow hocked but it’s postural rather than poor conformation I think, as in he rotates out slightly so his stifles get a bit sticky), his pelvis is a bit tipped into posterior rotation and he’s also narrow in front with his neck compressed quite a lot which can affect his breathing.
I think a lot of people would look at him and think ‘typical average mini Shetland’, but I think I should be able to make huge improvements with the right postural work. I need to encourage space and length in his neck, lift through his thoracic sling, and I think that will then allow his pelvis to shift out of its posterior rotation and help him use his hind legs in better alignment.
I know what I’m doing with a bigger horse, so my question is, how do you translate this to a tiny tiny pony without crippling yourself?!
My usual positioning and timing of aids on a big horse is comfortable and easy to time with the horses stride, but these guys take 3 strides for every one of mine! So although I can ask when standing as I can crouch down, that’s not so easy on the move to ask for adjustments. Any top tips on working a Shetland in hand correctly would be much appreciated! I wondered if I might almost be able to use a short whip with something on the end to touch him and bring awareness to an area to soften it, like I would usually do with my hand but without me bending down all the time? Not sure how to get the correct hand position with the cavesson.
My sisters pony is a really correct pony, the better of the two conformationally. Mine is a little narrow behind (so he is a little cow hocked but it’s postural rather than poor conformation I think, as in he rotates out slightly so his stifles get a bit sticky), his pelvis is a bit tipped into posterior rotation and he’s also narrow in front with his neck compressed quite a lot which can affect his breathing.
I think a lot of people would look at him and think ‘typical average mini Shetland’, but I think I should be able to make huge improvements with the right postural work. I need to encourage space and length in his neck, lift through his thoracic sling, and I think that will then allow his pelvis to shift out of its posterior rotation and help him use his hind legs in better alignment.
I know what I’m doing with a bigger horse, so my question is, how do you translate this to a tiny tiny pony without crippling yourself?!
My usual positioning and timing of aids on a big horse is comfortable and easy to time with the horses stride, but these guys take 3 strides for every one of mine! So although I can ask when standing as I can crouch down, that’s not so easy on the move to ask for adjustments. Any top tips on working a Shetland in hand correctly would be much appreciated! I wondered if I might almost be able to use a short whip with something on the end to touch him and bring awareness to an area to soften it, like I would usually do with my hand but without me bending down all the time? Not sure how to get the correct hand position with the cavesson.