Shetland Pony

About the breed

The Shetland pony is a small British native pony breed with a compact body, short strong legs, a profuse mane and a thick winter coat. It comes from the Shetland Islands north of the Scottish mainland and is now bred worldwide as a children's pony, a driving pony and a show pony. Its size is misleading: this is a hardy, intelligent and strong-willed equine that needs schooling as serious as any full-sized horse and a closely controlled diet.

From the Bronze Age to the first stud-book

Small ponies have lived on the Shetland Isles for more than two thousand years. The Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society notes that excavations on the islands have revealed the bones of small ponies from the Bronze Age. Because few outside horses reached the island population, only the hardiest animals survived the harsh winters; according to the society, the ponies are not small because of poor feeding, rather it was the small pony that survived there while larger horses did not.

The society was founded in 1890 to publish a stud-book, the first for a native pony breed in Britain. The first volume appeared in 1891 and recorded 408 mares and 48 stallions. Since 1992 the society has been officially recognised as the stud-book of origin (the "Mother Stud-Book") for Shetland ponies worldwide; stud-books elsewhere are daughter stud-books. About 1,800 foals are registered with the society each year.

From the pits to harness and the children's saddle

The Shetland began as a pack and farm pony. On the islands it carried peat and seaweed for the fields, worked the land and carried its owner; it was not used in harness until the mid-19th century because there were no proper roads. When an 1847 law banned children from the coal pits, young colts came into great demand for work underground. The Marquis of Londonderry's stud, founded in the 1870s on the islands of Bressay and Noss, had in the society's view the most significant effect on today's type.

In the last twenty years of the 19th century thousands of ponies left the islands, many of them across the Atlantic. Two types remain within the breed: a heavier-boned draught type with a powerful chest for driving and a lighter, free-moving type with high tail carriage for riding.

Height at the withers: no more than 107 cm

Under the standard of the stud-book of origin, a registered Shetland pony must not exceed 42 inches, or 107 cm at the withers. The breed is measured in inches rather than hands; the pony stands on a level, preferably concrete surface and is measured with a measuring stick from the withers to the ground.

Ponies over 34 inches (86 cm) are Standard, those of 34 inches and under are Miniature Shetlands, and both must meet the same breed standard. Ponies of only 26 inches (66 cm) were recorded on the islands centuries ago, but the society does not encourage breeders to breed too small. The standard sets no minimum height.

Conformation, double winter coat and weight

The Shetland has a small, well-proportioned head, small erect ears, a broad forehead with bold dark eyes and a broad muzzle with open nostrils. The neck is well set onto a sloping shoulder, the withers are well defined, the body is strong and deep, the quarters broad and long, and the legs have good flat bone and short cannons. In winter it grows a double coat whose guard hairs shed the rain and keep the skin dry; in summer the coat is short with a silky sheen. Mane and tail are long, straight and profuse. The pony may be any colour known in horses except spotted.

The standard gives no weight. The vet-reviewed PetMD guide gives an average of 400 to 450 pounds, about 180 to 205 kg (the guide also follows the American registry, so treat it as a rough guide; Miniatures are lighter). In a Utrecht University trial, the four control mares on a maintenance diet averaged 160 kg, while the group fed double energy over two consecutive summers gained 52 per cent in body weight.

Temperament: intelligent, brave and strong-willed

The Shetland is known as an intelligent and courageous pony. The breed society credits it with a superb temperament for riding and driving, high intelligence and a courageous disposition. PetMD adds that it can be stubborn at times and therefore hard to handle, and recommends patience and never punishment in training.

The society's key point is that, small as it is, the pony must be broken in exactly as a larger equine would be: long-reined, mouthed and backed. For a beginner it is therefore suitable only with conditions: a well-schooled pony with a calm nature can be a pleasant first pony, while a young or unschooled one belongs with an experienced owner or trainer.

Is the Shetland really a children's pony?

The Shetland is often a child's first pony, but not automatically. The breed society says its docile nature makes it ideal as a first pony for a child, while stressing correct breaking. PetMD adds that because of its size it can only be ridden by children, not adults. So the child rides, but schooling must be taken on by an experienced adult who leads the pony or works it from the ground. It suits a family where someone knows horses.

Driving, riding and other uses

The Shetland is a driving pony above all. The breed society calls it a driving pony par excellence and, for its size, the strongest of all horse breeds; Queen Victoria herself owned several pairs of Shetlands for her phaetons. Today it is seen in driving classes at shows, in leisure driving, under children's saddles and in in-hand showing.

Shetland pony or American Shetland: what is the difference

The British Shetland and the American Shetland are not the same breed. The British pony is registered in the stud-book of origin and stands no more than 107 cm, while the American one is registered with the American Shetland Pony Club; the USEF rule book allows it up to 46 inches (117 cm) and describes a more refined build with a high head carriage. When reading foreign guides, check which type the heights and weights refer to.

Feeding: a thrifty pony on a controlled diet

The Shetland's diet is based on hay or sparse grazing, not concentrates. The UK DEFRA welfare code recommends almost constant access to forage outside exercise hours, since horses in a natural state graze for 16 to 20 hours a day, but warns that horses prone to excessive weight gain may need their grazing restricted at certain times of year. Clean fresh water must always be available.

According to DEFRA, excessive concentrates can contribute to obesity, gastrointestinal upset and laminitis, and vitamins and minerals may need to be added when grazing is inadequate. Weight and condition should be monitored regularly and feeding adjusted to keep an optimum body condition score. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that hyperlipaemia occurs most commonly in ponies, miniature horses and donkeys, and that there is often a history of prolonged anorexia, rapid weight loss and previous obesity.

Grooming, hooves, teeth and preventive care

Caring for a Shetland is simple but not trivial. The dense winter coat needs regular brushing and the long mane and tail regular combing. Under the DEFRA code, hooves are trimmed or re-shod as the farrier advises, usually every 4 to 8 weeks; ponies worked on roads and hard surfaces will generally need shoes.

Teeth should be checked at least once a year by a vet or equine dental technician, and older animals may need more frequent checks. Vaccination and parasite control should follow a programme agreed with a vet, including faecal worm egg counts and wormers when necessary.

Exercise, turnout and the herd

A Shetland needs daily exercise and as much time outdoors as possible. The DEFRA code notes that some horses, particularly native breeds, can live out all year provided they have shelter from prevailing winds, summer sun and flies. Pony fencing should be 1 to 1.3 m high, with the lower rail about 0.5 m above the ground.

The pony is a herd animal. DEFRA stresses that horses should be able to socialise with their own species and that isolation can have a negative psychological impact; other animals are only second best. Beyond turnout it needs work to suit it: leading, lungeing, driving or children's riding.

Health: obesity, laminitis and genetic disorders

The biggest health risk for a Shetland is obesity. DEFRA states that obesity is a major factor in laminitis and that long-term excess weight can lead to hormonal disease such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). In an Australian study of 167 Shetland and Welsh ponies, 61 per cent had insulin dysregulation, and laminitis was associated with insulin dysregulation and PPID.

Skeletal atavism has been described in the breed: an inherited disorder in which the ulna and fibula grow too long and fail to fuse to the neighbouring bone. The UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory estimates that about 12 per cent of Shetland ponies are carriers and that the trait is inherited as a simple recessive; testing helps identify carriers. Researchers in Hannover found an ACAN variant in a dwarf Miniature Shetland and describe it as a potential cause of the dwarfism. For horses in general the Merck manual gives a lifespan of 25 to 30 years; for the Shetland, PetMD gives an average of 20 to 30 years.

Who the Shetland pony suits

The Shetland suits families with an experienced adult to school it, driving and showing enthusiasts, and keepers with grazing that can be restricted and other horses for company. It suits less well as a present for a child without experienced adult support, as a mount for adult riders, or for owners who cannot control its diet. It needs shelter, exercise, company, a farrier, dental checks and a vaccination and parasite-control programme agreed with a vet; keeping a running record of these visits and of weight changes is worthwhile.

Pros & cons