# Do you ever get tired of defending your shetlands?



## kaykay (Mar 16, 2006)

Im so tired of the bad rep shetland ponies have! Everytime you tell someone you have shetland ponies they audibly gasp and go into a rant about mean nasty ponies. Or even talking to mini breeders they immediately start talking about wild modern ponies not realizing they are not the same as a classic pony. I always tell them to come over and meet mine and see for themselves. What I really like is when people visit here and talk about what great dispostions my miniatures have and they are actually talking about one of the shetland ponies LOL. So then when you tell them thats a registered shetland/mini they just cant believe it. Just had to vent

Kay


----------



## Lewella (Mar 16, 2006)

When people start ranting about the mean nasty pony from their childhood I usually one of several questions depending on the situation......

Was it a registered Shetland?/Are you sure it was a Shetland? 99.9% of the time it wasn't - it was just some pony that was called a Shetland just because it was small. Many people have no idea that there is a such thing as a registered Shetland and when you explain that the only registry in the country older than the ASPC is the Jockey Club it is like a light bulb goes on.

Were they supervised by an adult when they were with the pony? Again, most of the time the answer is no and then I explain that ponies in general are smarter than most horses and most children. People pick up on that pretty quick and usually tell you some dumb thing they did that no self respecting pony would tollerate.

My favorite is always the "aren't they kind of short for Shetlands?" - I usually get this one in referrence to something in the 42 inch range. Once I explain that 42 inches is pretty average and that they can only be 46 inches I hear a lot of "Oh, we must not have had a Shetland then".

You do run into the opposite situation sometimes - the people who had registered Shetlands when they were young and are thrilled to hear that someone has them. Those people often went through the boom and bust era and aren't sure that the registered pony even still exists. It is always a treat to meet these people and hear about ponies from the past.


----------



## Beccy (Mar 16, 2006)

I am not a Shetland breeder, I do have three unregistered Shetlands (as well as several larger ponies) that have been our kids's ponies and are still here (forever!) however this is one of my pet peeves so I am going to add my 2 cents worth.

I am sick and tired of arguing that ponies are no nastier than horses, but people who have that in their heads don't seem to change their minds.

I really feel that ponies are often "trained" by children either because of their size, or because they were bought as youngsters and left to children to look after. Many children have no idea when or how to correct a pony and the result is an animal who thinks they can run the show. I have known so many wonderful, well schooled ponies, and by the same token have known a few horrid horses. I think much of it comes down (temperament aside) to how they have been raised/handled. (or complete lack of handling)

I have had this ongoing argument with a neighbour of ours for years now, because as a child he had a "nasty" pony, so therefore all ponies must be nasty



:

I love my ponies



:


----------



## CLC Stables (Mar 16, 2006)

I used to.................NOW I EDUCATE...........I get so many people interested in my horses because of my educating them on the true characteristics of the breeds.


----------



## chandab (Mar 16, 2006)

I don't have Shetlands, but especially since having the minis; I run into people who bad mouth Shetlands as being evil and ill tempered. Most of the ponies they are referring to are grade ponies that children have spoiled. I've come across so many people that refer to all ponies as Shetlands. Most people are amazed when I tell them my minis are very sweet and well-behaved, even my 2 year old stallion is pretty well-behaved (the little walking hormone that he is :bgrin ). I also try to tell them that today's Shetland's and pretty much all registered Shetlands are nothing like the pony they remember in looks or temperament.


----------



## keeperofthehorses (Mar 16, 2006)

I don't mind educating non-horsey people about my sweet shetties. They usually have an open mind and are pleasantly surprised and easily won over.

What does get under my skin is long-time breeders of any breed of horse bad mouthing them. They of all people should know that there are dark characters in any breed, and that shouldn't define a breed as a whole. I even see that here on occasion.



:

I've come to expect the nastiness from the cow-horse people around my area too. They always say something smart, usually with the words "useless" or "dog food" in their witty comments. I just come back with my own smart @#$ comment about finding shetties more fun and interesting than their "dime-a-dozen cow horses". Don't worry stock horse fanciers, I have my own APHA horse who is very loved.



: Darrin has a friend who will always make dumb comments to my face about the ponies, but I've caught him in the barn more than once giving them kisses on the noses and sweet talking to them. Maybe it's a macho thing?


----------



## ponyboi09 (Mar 16, 2006)

when i tell ppl about my minis they say, you have those little hateful twurps. and im like you havent met mine....they arent hateful and any horse no matter what breed, if it is raised right then you wont have a meany horse....i just dont understand how ppl develope such strict opinions



:


----------



## Mercysmom (Mar 17, 2006)

I an a new Modern Shetland owner and am expecting my first Modern Shetland foal in May.

I have to laugh as I have a mini that is much hotter than my Modern mare. We were working everyone through a few halter obstacle paces (walk through hula hoop, over poles, on plastic). Freedom (the mini) blows up everytime something rattles or crinkles - she was raised here as a foal and that is just her personality, despite her exposure to the same things as the other horses.

Intrepid does the obstacles without batting an eyelash. She is so willing to do as I ask as long as I make the task clear to her. I was expecting a firecracker of a pony after I heard Moderns are "hot". Not to say she won't fire up out in the field and do that big trot, but she is a pretty amazing pony and is very trusting.

If I had more room, I would have more ponies. I feel lucky to have a mare and impending foal.

Back when I was a kid I rode some nasty "Shetlands" that were in fact grade ponies - and they were nasty because they were spoiled. One was a brat who taught me a lot about riding after he took me under pine trees to scrape me off and the other was a bucker... he was pretty ticked off he could not dump me and the boy who owned him was impressed I stayed on! :lol:

I think about the few Arabs and many TBs I rode over the years (I even broke a few TBs, my Belgian and my PMU to saddle) and some of those Arabs and TBs were quite "hot" to me - guess the degree of "heat" depends on what fire you have been exposed to. :bgrin

Denise

Silversong Farm


----------



## rabbitsfizz (Mar 17, 2006)

OK, for me Shetland is a different animal, and I KNOW Wally will jump up and down on my head for saying this , and hope she can add to it...BUT...Shetlands were not bred as Children's ponies. They were bred to pull sleds and carry baskets and live on NOTHING- thin air. They were bred with broad backs and independent natures.

Why would you blame a Jack Russel Terrier for killing a rat?? Would you also blame it if it failed to discriminate between a newborn kitten and a rat??

Well, I would not.

Not all kids are nice and kind to ponies.

If a Shetland is treated meanly (not cruelly) it has the genetic ability to defend itself- it has come from stock that has brains and has had to look after itself.

SOME ponies will make this decision at the start of their lives and not wait to be treated badly.

SOME JRT's will decide that cats are rats and kill them, not all.

Not all Shetlands will use their intelligence against you.

Some will.

Surely as in Native Shetlands, there are American lines that are better known for temperament than others??

The main difference between Miniature Horses and Shetlands- at the start, and for me, is that I bred for beauty and temperament, not bone and hair and intelligence!! (Taking soundness and conformation as a given in both breeds)

Today, 25 years later, that is still my aim.

There is no reason why a Shetland should not be a good kids pony, but if a Miniature I breed is not good with kids I figure I am going badly wrong.

Until more Shetland breeders on both sides of the pond, take this attitude the prejudice will continue.

Oh and I changed everyones attitudes to Arabs by sending a few out there to do everything- once I had the Pony Club people contradicting all the prejudice I had just about won the argument, so basically you just need to get a few good pony's in children's ridden classes and ideas will soon change.

Lead by example.


----------



## chandab (Mar 18, 2006)

rabbitsfizz said:


> OK, for me Shetland is a different animal, and I KNOW Wally will jump up and down on my head for saying this , and hope she can add to it...BUT...Shetlands were not bred as Children's ponies. They were bred to pull sleds and carry baskets and live on NOTHING- thin air. They were bred with broad backs and independent natures.
> 
> Why would you blame a Jack Russel Terrier for killing a rat?? Would you also blame it if it failed to discriminate between a newborn kitten and a rat??
> 
> ...


Jane,

Very well said. :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:


----------



## Leeana (Mar 18, 2006)

Okay after spending 1 week at the fair sitting infront of one of the three total mini's stalls there were in that barn that week ...i can not begin to tell you how many times i heard 'arnt they terriably mean' and 'what are they good for'.

I recently purchased a shetland, Royal (in avatar), and there is not a bad bone in his body. I dont think he has even had a bad thought go through his mind. He is ASPC registered and bred to be in the show ring. You can tell that this breed was not physically bred to be kids ponies ...they are very refined and with that leg action how can you expect to find a kid under 50 pounds with enouph expirence or one that able to stay on that trot. I dont think that its that there 'mean' bc god knows there not ...just physically there not kids ponies.

They are nothing like many people think they are either, i agree. I think they have great dispositions for what i like. I really like horses/shetlands/minis with a little bit of attitude, gives that little edge in the ring i think. Royal has that presence, but i would trust him with my nephew lead, lunging and show him as well. I know tanner could not stay on that big trot he has though, thats the only thing.

Riding wize, i think shetlands are better suited for showing and driving. If you can find a kid that is light enouph and can ride that big trot, then sure. I just dont think they were bred to be kids horses, thats pretty apparenty by looking at them, agian i beleive this has nothing to do with Disposition.

Just my Opinion and obstervation

Leeana H.


----------



## Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis (Mar 25, 2006)

Ok I dont own any papered shetlands however I do own minis so really I guess technically I own shetlands



:

I find it comes more from "mini" people then even horse people that shetlands are to fine boned to carry a rider (not true) that shetlands are wild and hot and ill mannered-(no more then many ill mannered minis I have seen both at farms and at in-gates at shows, which is a owner issue not a breed of any kind issue) I find they seem to feel the need to justify the difference and are so busy insisting "minis are a breed of there own a true blood breed" that they need to point out how minis are calm and wonderful and shetlands are not without truly seeing the big picture there



:


----------

