# Christopher



## equinefaith (Sep 2, 2009)

Hello all, I am new to this forum. However, I have been working with a 4 year old unregistered Shetland pony for a little over 2 years. I haven't measured him, but he is a little weedy looking.

I was just wondering how to tell what type of Shetland he is? He may or may not be pure shetland. He was backyard bred. He is owned by my trainer, I am just training him for her because she doesn't have time. She got him from an old boarder who defaulted. She kept the dam and gave Chris to her as payment for the back owed board.

He is pure black, bleaches in the sun, with a little star. He is very calm, but is not responsive to cues on the lungeline, the driving lines, or in halter. He just doesn't seem to care what human want him to do. xD

My trainer's 5 year old daughter rides him in lessons, and she cannot do anything other than walk him, because once he hits a trot, he throws a rodeo and bucks her off. He has been seen by a vet and is healthy, has no back, pelvic, or other bone/musculature problems. He is fine with a saddle, is great with a bit, and is just starting to canter on the lungeline. I really have to work to get him to canter- he by far prefers to walk.

He is by no means conditioned, as I am the only one who really works him, and that is once a week. I do trot poles, driving, bending, and parelli type games to get him to trust me. He loves to set up for halter, and looks very pretty when he sets up. However, he won't square up for anything.

If you can give me any tips, I would appreciate it. I want to eventually (after I lose some weight) show him in pleasure driving classes and halter/showmanship type stuff. I am new to the Pony and Mini world as far as showing practices is concerned, so please excuse my lack of correct vocabulary






Thanks!


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## muffntuf (Sep 2, 2009)

If you are looking for a division that this pony fits into - I would say classic. Being 4 and not worked with much, I would not say he is acting out for cues, he just doesn't have the time devoted to him for him to get consistency.

As far as bucking past a walk - that will just take work with someone who can do the work, not a child in lessons unfortnatley.

If there is no registered papers, we couldn't help with bloodlines to tell you more about the background.

Keep after him, he seems to be doing what is asked of him, which is very compliant for the time spent with him.

Thanks for sharing and good luck!


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## equinefaith (Sep 2, 2009)

Thanks for your response- I would love to work him more but between work and school there just isn't time to come out more than once a week. As for having someone else ride him, that would be hard, because everyone is too big for him! Haha... he's a scrawny little guy. I wish I could get papers on at least his dam, but she's long gone. It would be nice, but I guess I'll just have to show him in open shows once I can find time to get out there more often.

He is very sweet. He loves to come out and be handled. For a while there, he wasn't touched at all except to be tossed food and water, and to have his feet done once every couple of months.

I am hoping to take him out and drive him on the trails nearby sometime soon. But I just want to be sure if he gets scared that I can control him so he doesn't run away.


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## kaykay (Sep 2, 2009)

Since hes being worked I would up his feed as he looks like he could use a few pounds that way as he works he will gain some muscle.


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## equinefaith (Sep 2, 2009)

kaykay said:


> Since hes being worked I would up his feed as he looks like he could use a few pounds that way as he works he will gain some muscle.


He actually eats just as much as his buddy Toby. He gets 1 pound of Elk Grove Milling pellets and a half of a flake of grass/alf mix in the morning, and 1/2 pound of EGM pellets and half a flake of grass/alf at night, with grazing and treats in between.

There is definitely a difference in muscle tone and how he looks when he is worked more regularly than when he is not- unfortunately I don't have pictures of him in any better shape than this at the moment. He doesn't use himself effectively either, because i don't focus on how he moves and works, moreso on the fact that he does what I ask.


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## TheCaseFamily00 (Sep 2, 2009)

I just wanted to say hi



.


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## equinefaith (Sep 3, 2009)

TheCaseFamily00 said:


> I just wanted to say hi
> 
> 
> 
> .


Hello


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## krissy3 (Sep 3, 2009)

I thought he looked a little thin too... I actually have a mare that could be his twin ! I would post a photo but all of my photos are too big.. and well it doesnt work for some reason ..

back to the horse, he is definatly not the European Shetland type I have 2 of those, and if you e-mail me I will send you the photos. I will IM you with my e-mail address. If he is 4 its a good time to start the training. First I would do a lot of in hand walking to get him very light, so he goes when you move your body out and stops when you stop walking w/out any cues. Same goes with you walking then fast walking , jogging then back down to a walk then to a fast walk , so he just keeps up with whatever your body is doing. Use a crop with the soft leather paddle on the end so it just makes noise when you give his rear end a little tap when he doesnt keep up with you, as you tap him you can make a clucking sound , so he thinks the clucking sound means "get on with it ", pick up the pace etc... soon all you will have to do is give a cluck and he will go... once he is doing this with no perssure at all on the roap he is ready for the next training step ...the round pen, I did free lunging first , then once he got the idea I did lunging with the line outside the pen..... I didnt do this over night...it will take some time , so take the time he needs, dont make the mistake so many people do with training too fast. It will pay off in the end to take the time he needs and then some. He looks taller than an AMHA, maybe a small AMHR, if so then you cant hardship him , but you can hardship him in AMHA.

he is nice though...worth hardshipping.


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## Field-of-Dreams (Sep 3, 2009)

equinefaith said:


> kaykay said:
> 
> 
> > Since hes being worked I would up his feed as he looks like he could use a few pounds that way as he works he will gain some muscle.
> ...



My pony gelding eats THREE TIMES as much as my minis, and he still looks thin (IMHO) He gets six cups of a complete pellet, 1/2 cup Calf Manna and a whole flake of bermuda hay twice a day. He was also getting 1/2 flake alfalfa hay until I ran out. My Minis are air ferns....





Lucy


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## crponies (Sep 3, 2009)

I don't have any tips for you but wanted to say hi. Also, you mentioned Elk Grove milling pellets so I was wondering if you are somewhere close to Elk Grove, CA.


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## equinefaith (Sep 4, 2009)

crponies said:


> I don't have any tips for you but wanted to say hi. Also, you mentioned Elk Grove milling pellets so I was wondering if you are somewhere close to Elk Grove, CA.


Hello





Yes, I live in the Sacramento area  My trainer gets them through a local feed store.


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## krissy3 (Sep 4, 2009)

our old barn used Elk grove pellets...A few minis coliced on them, so be careful... Try adding hot water ...as an expiriment to the pellets you are giving him , you will be amazed at how much water they absorb. I coffee can of pellets will absorb 3 same cans of water...now imagine those pellets in your horses gut on a day when he isnt drinking so much water, it would be like eating a sponge... I got everyone in the barn adding water to make a mash out of it after they saw how much water it could suck out of a horses gut. 2 or 3 minis were given a little too much and they got an impaction colic. I like the pellets , but I feel safer when they are disolved in water first, and its a good way to get meds. in and the horse to drink enough water.


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## equinefaith (Sep 4, 2009)

krissy3 said:


> our old barn used Elk grove pellets...A few minis coliced on them, so be careful... Try adding hot water ...as an expiriment to the pellets you are giving him , you will be amazed at how much water they absorb. I coffee can of pellets will absorb 3 same cans of water...now imagine those pellets in your horses gut on a day when he isnt drinking so much water, it would be like eating a sponge... I got everyone in the barn adding water to make a mash out of it after they saw how much water it could suck out of a horses gut. 2 or 3 minis were given a little too much and they got an impaction colic. I like the pellets , but I feel safer when they are disolved in water first, and its a good way to get meds. in and the horse to drink enough water.


We've never had a problem with colic- both of the ponies seem to do fine with them, and have for the entire time they've been with us. However, a QH I leased a couple years back was being fed alfalfa pellets and her owner (who wasn't the brightest crayon) didn't know that you HAVE to soak those- she got four or five of them stuck IN HER THROAT and nearly choked to death. If I hadn't gotten there when I did to pour water in her mouth, rub her throat, and stick my hand in and pull them out, she would have died.

I'm going out tomorrow to work the ponies- I'll try and get some more recent pictures for everyone


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## SweetOpal (Sep 4, 2009)

I have been feeding alfalfa pellets to big horses, minis, and shetlands for atleast 10 years and never had a colic due to impaction from not soaking pellets. I did have an impaction it was from alfalfa hay. I have never soaked my pellets other than the horse that impacted from Hay....


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## Golden Damsel (Sep 5, 2009)

TheCaseFamily00 said:


> I just wanted to say hi
> 
> 
> 
> .


Salute, from the California Coast. Fog Ranch Shetlands. Moss Landing, CA. www.fogranch.com

welcome pony friends!

Tell us about you and your ponies or other animal friends.


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