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Many folk think about getting a 'cute' Shetland Pony for their non-riding children, or as a pet. Don't be deceived by their cute and cuddly exterior - they are horses at heart. You may think that they would make an ideal pet for your little son or daughter but these are incredibly spirited and intelligent little horses who would have one over on a child (or you) as soon as it looked at you.

I didn't take on a Shetland lightly and had always dissed them as nasty biting kicking creatures but about three years ago I judged a show in Shetland where probably half the entrants were ridden Shetlands. Now I was impressed with the ability of these ponies to do anything that was asked of them from dressage tests, gymkhana games to show jumping. I had to rethink my incredibly biased view. Now having owned one for a year I think they are amazing endearing creatures that have the heart of a horse three times its size. I am so lucky to have found a pony as nice as Jem.

My little ponies are looked after well, but they are horses and are treated as such. They are groomed and handled often, as both the mare and foal still need a lot of work. The mare was a rescue case and I took her on as a companion for my lonely Highland Pony.



She has taken a lot of gentling and work to get her to trust me. Foalie is getting there, but as I injured myself not long after he was born, I couldn't do the imprinting work with him. He does trust me now but is becoming very colty as he discovers he is a little stallion… well actually I think he thinks he is a big stallion and forgets he has a little body. He doesn't know this yet, but the vet is booked. I can’t keep him as a stallion as I don’t have the land to keep the mare separate and I don’t have the experience to keep a stallion, let alone the reputation of having good breeding stock.

So, if anyone out there who doesn't have experience of horses, think carefully and get advice before considering taking on a Shetland Pony