Surprised at how smart...not crazy

[Sandee]

Maybe this will get moved to the pony page but since my boy is double registered (ASPC/AMHR)I'm going to start here.

I bought a 5 yr old ASPC horse last spring and put him with a trainer and we drove and showed this year. It was fun as he can really trot big. BUT....I just didn't have any bonding with him and frankly with his "get up and go" or I should say "jump starting" I never felt comfortable with him. So we brought him home for the winter. [my sister later explained his "shot out of the gate" type of driving training is the way Saddlebreds are trained -although I know my trainer didn't train him like that.] I wonder if this, jump start when he drives, is what makes many people say that the Modern Shetlands are "crazy"?

He's only been here a week and I see so much change and progress from him every DAY that I'm bowled over. He didn't want the halter on (I mean I could go corner him but..)- that took 3-4 days and lots of time and patience but now he's eager to put it on just like my minis. Now he comes to the gate and waits for it. Then I started him over poles. WOW- I've seen horses jump like that over "scary" objects but it was just a wooden pole. 1-day and he was over that! Now he will front pivot and is starting to "get" the hind pivot. It took the length of one pole for his light bulb to turn on and start to learn side passing. At 5, he had been driven twice before my trainer got him but nothing else - I guess.

I'm having so much fun watching him "understand" what's ask. Are all ponies this smart or is it just he happens to be the right age? He's at least as smart as my favorite mini mare who does everything and never questions what is ask of her. (See my mini stallion stepped on his own feet until he was 5 before he started to learn.)

 

[~Lisa~]

My ponies are pretty smart although I am not one to believe that any one breed is smarter then any other. I am sure there are plenty of well slow Shetlands just as their are some very willing to please smart minis and some not so much LOL

My ponies are more high strung as a general rule although I do have a couple high strung minis as well.

the yearling pony is pretty close to actually cribbing - the 2 yr old is somewhat starting but does not have it down yet and the aged gelding well he just pretends to crib but is not actually sucking air and no the yearling is not even in the same barn as the other two he is just a always into everything- need to be doing something all the time lots of energy kinda guy

Glad you are enjoying your pony and having so much fun training him!

 

[ohmt]

I love the smart ones!! My appy colt has one of those modern shetland personalities (no, he's not one) and I just love working with him. He is so aware of things at all times and learns so incredibly fast. He's not a lap baby, but he's great to work with even if he is a little 'spooky' here and there.

 

[midnight star stables]

My "shetland" is the QUIETEST horse in the barn! Both this shetland weanling and my 1/2 shetland gelding were the quietest and most "sane" horses I have ever worked with. I have "pure" miniatures that at times, are grumpy, pushy and jumpy(three different horses). I adore all my horses as they all have personality plus

.

fftopic

I too have a gelding who "jump starts" nearly every time, to the point where I am uncomfortable to drive him without someone at his head when I get in. This horse is one of my favorite and safest to drive and has tons of miles, and solid training. My main barn help loves this horse and would often offer to warm him up and help me work with him. This barn help has tons of driving experience so I had never questioned them, but they had Standardbred horse background, where they would start a horse moving before they would get in the cart. It is HARD to break old habits and I now just ask this help to not drive. I appreciate their offer but they are more valuable on the sidelines.

Anyways, I find that my shetlands are anything but crazy. They are sweet and I would trust them with children over most of my "pure" miniatures. I find it a shame that ponies get such a bad name.

I'd love to hear about your new guy! I've been meaning to ask!

 

[kaykay]

Im so glad you are enjoying your pony!

I think once people get past the myth they see what a wonderful animal they are.

I adore the little bit higher strung ones as they are usually the ones that have so much presence and draw your eye. They are usually the really smart ones too and are a pleasure to work with.

Lisa Im kinda shocked that all 3 of your ponies are cribbers or almost cribbers. I have never had one do that in almost 10 years. But then I have never had a mini do it either. But we dont stall horses except when they are foaling or showing so not sure if that makes a difference.

 

[~Lisa~]

Yep the Sr gelding just pretends he really does not do more then lick the railing a bit obsessively but both of the Hackney bred ponies are cribbers one is almost to the point of sucking air, he will grip the rail and even start to pull back he has just not figured out the important step in between and the other one (stalled in a different part of the property) is not quite as close but is getting there.

They are out 12 hours a day with the exception of bad weather (today we had tons of rain- they went out for an hour in the morning and about an hour this afternoon)and when stalled one is in a 15x20 stall in the barn

the other is in a 16x16 run in with a large attached pen

The Sr pony is in a 16x16 box stall (in and out) with a large attached pen both pens are about 30x20 maybe? without going to look at them to guess.

I have had one mini although it was years ago who cribbed and know SEVERAL who have ponies/minis that crib despite turn out and work time.

I think many do not talk about it or discuss it often due to fear of people assuming their horses are bored and miserable animals

I personally having had other cribbers before (large horses) do not assume it is a boredom thing some horses just like people are a bit more high strung then others - some people bite nails or chew gum-or tap their fingers of shake their knee or smoke or whatever

They are all willing and smart and safe ponies - they get plenty of play time at least 12 hours a day- in the barn or in the stalls they can see and get nose to nose with their neighbors ( I have open sided stalls all the way around) Would I hand the 2 younger ones off to inexperienced kids Nope they can be a bit silly sometimes but I have a mini like that as well. Again just different personalities.

 

[disneyhorse]

I've never had a cribber (and personally that's a vice that I couldn't deal with, I can't stand it) and I've owned six Shetlands or Hackneys so far.

All of my horses live in stalls with about an hour of turnout or work per day. So if they were going to do it, I'm sure they would!

Current stallion is the MOST busy-minded of all, but he's got NO bad stall habits despite living in a box stall for the past four years.

Shetlands are pretty quick-thinking... if you can channel it, you call it "smart." If you mishandle them, you call it "crazy." It's the same with other quick-thinking/hot breeds.

Andrea

 

[~Lisa~]

LOL Andrea yes Quake sure sounds like he is an energetic guythe way he plays with his ball is pretty cute bet it will be weird to not have a Shetland anymore

I again do not think smart or quick thinking or willing is a attribute only a few breeds have I think that is pretty common among all horses of all sizes

We can all tolerate different things me I cant stand a screamer or a pawer they drive me totally nuts thankfully I do not have a screamer anymore of course not having a stallion around makes it a bit easier to acheive LOL

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I trained several ponies and they all were pretty smart. I even trained one that was pretty crazy when I got him and at the end shoot you could have a kid ride him. I even jumped all over him and fell off and he would just stand there (ponies aren't very wide lol). I would love to do it again.

Its like with any horse if someone just takes the time to train them they make great partners.

 

[dannigirl]

I have both minis and ponies. Sometimes the younger ones get a little rowdy, but they usually settle down with age. It really doesn't matter if they are ponies or minis. I have had a couple of each that were really hard to handle as younger geldings, but the older they got, the more sense they got and we were able to do most anything we want with them.

As for jumping in the cart on the run, that would not be a way of training here. We always use a header until the horse stands by himself until the driver allows movement. If someone in my barn tried the running start approach, they would be corrected and do it our way or they would not be driving our horses. Too scary for this old lady to watch.

 

[OhHorsePee]

I am very excited for you that you have a great pony!

You are going to have so much fun. To me they are like all equine. The more you work with them the better they get and the more comfortable you get with them. I do believe breeding plays a role into the mentality of offspring. But I also believe that any pony left not handled or are mishandled then that is when people end up with that "crazy pony" thought.

 

[Sandee]

Ok, I might have given a wrong idea about Magic, aka Hugh (or we've started calling him Stew as in the old song Stewball Was a Racehorse or Stewie on the Family Guy for those not old enough for the Peter, Paul and Mary song).

He doesn't "jump off" with the cart UNLESS the overcheck is on. He will drive very nicely without it. He will walk and do as he's asked even with it but just Starting off - he jumps. Maybe it's the way the bit sets when the overcheck is on. Maybe his mouth is very soft. Maybe when he was first started (that 1st time or 2) there are bad memories. I don't know. I just know that he worried me until I could "up close and personal" with him. He comes off as big and blustery but he's more like a big puppy that wants and needs attention.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Sounds like the time you are spending with him is really paying off - for both of you!

I'm so glad you're enjoying him so much and he's obviously bonding really well with you. Congrats! But more pictures please

 

[Coventry Lane Farm]

We have Modern, Modern Pleasure, Foundation and Classic ponies here and they all have a different personality and quirks, nothing like a bad habit either. Just some ponies are HOTTER that some of the others but Scott likes showing a HOT pony and he has tons of fun showing them even that there is more work showing them on the rail.

The Moderns & Modern Pleasures are really neat to play with and ours are super sweet and way too friendly. Story our Classic Shetland is way too smart for his own good, he can read your mind and that is sometimes pretty amusing and he notices if something is moved in the yard, ect. Alot of the way of the breedings of the ponies has alot to to with the ponies being HOT not crazy.

I know that Dr. Tom Taylor had mentioned to us on how to handle a shetland in the beginning of us having shetlands years back... and his way is absolutley correct and true. You cannot handle them like a miniature, they have a different brain and have a total different way of thinking and if you don't handle them right, you could put yourself back 6 months and possibly ruin a good pony and its in all how you handle and train them having tons of patience and move slow and that all makes a hugh difference for training them in what you want them to do and them to understand what is asked of them to do as well.

Since we have started with the shetland ponies here, I think we have over half our herd now being Shetlands plus having the dual purpose shetland/miniatures. The hotter pony ...the better to show !

 

[Sandee]

Sounds like the time you are spending with him is really paying off - for both of you!

I'm so glad you're enjoying him so much and he's obviously bonding really well with you. Congrats! But more pictures please

Here's one that's a bit grainy from Nationals. The dreaded overcheck is being taken off. LOL