Shetland/Miniature Horse

[Marsha Cassada]

I don't have much experience with Shetlands. I've only owned one that was Foundation. Now I have one that I know for sure the dam was registered miniature, but I'm almost positive the sire was Shetland. He is not registered.

Do those of you who raise Shetlands and miniatures believe there is a difference in their temperament? In how they respond to training?

 

[Mona]

I only ever owned one ASPC/AMHA/AMHR horse/pony, and I did not like her temperament at all! She was hard to catch, would kick out towards you with her back feet. She did not last here long at all. She was beautiful to look at,and was a pure Arenosa mare. Of course, it would be unfair to judge all based on one experience, but it pretty much soured me. I much preferred the puppy-dog type personalities of my (non-purebred Shetland) minis.

 

[Minimor]

Half my herd is Shetland, so I have a few.

I find the Shetland are more observant--as someone once told me, they have a better sense of self preservation. They are smart--I find them overall smarter than the Minis. They are actually smarter than my Morgans and that's going some--Morgans are very smart. I like their temperaments--they are very good natured and try hard to please. Yes, I have some hot ones, but my Minis are not dead heads either.

As a side note to Mona--I won't have an Arenosa on the place.

My Shetlands are no more inclined to bite, kick or misbehave than the Minis are--most of mine are pocket pets. I have a couple that are hard to catch--they have their reasons for that--but I also have a couple minis who are equally hard to catch...and they do not have any reason for that. I have one colt who likes to make crabby faces at me--I laugh at him and ignore him --it is just his way and he means nothing by it.

 

[chandab]

what is it you don't like about Arenosa? I had n opportunity to get one that was Arenosa on top, but things happened and it didn't work out at the time.

 

[Minimor]

Sent you a message Chanda!

 

[Miniv]

Part of our herd is either half or full Arenosa Shetland....And yes, the minis are more docile. I agree that Shetlands are VERY smart.

One thing we've learned is you have to take the time to gain their TRUST. Once you have it, they will do anything for you.

Many folks have compared the Arenosa Shetland personality to an Arab in the big horse world (but smarter.).

Once you gain their trust, which does take some time.....Training them for other things is quick. Like an Arab, they don't understand

sudden movements, though. As Minimor posted, they have a high sense of preservation.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

I have 3 minis and one Shetland and all have very different personalities. I grew up as a child with the understanding that Shetlands were nasty, pig headed and stubborn and definitely not suited to a beginner or to a child for that matter. I was told they constantly bite, kick and can be very sneaky.

Now as an adult , I couldn't disagree more with what I was told as a kid. I purchased my first Shetland 10 years ago, the day i purchased my first Mini. The mini breeder had the one Shetland on her property that her neighbor had bred, but moved away and asked if she could find a home for him. I had my eye on a particular mini ( who I ended up buying) and next to his paddock was this Shetland ( an unbroken 3yo).

Well as we all know , its impossible to just have the one, so I agreed to purchase him too. If anything I had more problems in regards to nipping ect with my mini than I did with the Shetland. I halter trained him and put him back into the paddock so he could mature a little more. When I brought him back into work, I was shocked at how quiet he really was and the more time I spent with him, the quieter he became. I spent a good year or so , breaking him in with the saddle pad and teaching him to float ect.

Fast forward ten years or so, and he is happily leased out to an 8yo girl as a lead line pony.

I believe all horses are different and have a story to tell , some can be helped to develop and some cannot.