Shetland pony

Overview

The Shetland pony comes from the Shetland Isles, off the north coast of Scotland. Registered Shetlands stand no taller than 42 inches (107 cm). The breed society says that for their size they are the strongest of all horse breeds, and names the breed's essential feature as "its general air of vitality (presence), stamina and robustness". The UK Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society sets the breed standard for registered Shetlands worldwide.

History

Small ponies have lived in the Shetland Isles for more than 2,000 years, and probably much longer. Excavations have found the bones of small ponies from the Bronze Age. Living on islands, the ponies evolved with few imports, and the harsh winters with little fodder meant only the toughest survived to breed. The breed society notes that the ponies are not small because of poor living: the small pony was the one that could survive, where larger horses did not. Shetlands bred in milder places with plenty of food do not grow any bigger.

For centuries the ponies cultivated the land, carried peat and seaweed, and carried their owners. They were not used as draught animals until the mid-19th century, because until then Shetland had no proper roads. After an 1847 law banned children from working in coal pits, Shetland colts were in great demand as pit ponies. Studs were formed to breed ponies with the bone and substance the pits needed. The most important was the Marquis of Londonderry's stud on Bressay and Noss, founded in the 1870s to supply his collieries in County Durham. The Shetland was also popular for children to ride and for driving, and in the last twenty years of the 19th century thousands of ponies left the islands, many for North America.

The Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society was formed in 1890. Its stud book was the first for any native pony breed in Britain, and many registered ponies today trace their pedigrees back to its first volumes.

Breed standard

• Height: registered stock must not exceed 42 inches (107 cm), measured from the withers to the ground with a measuring stick, on a level surface.
• Colour: any colour known in horses, except spotted.
• Coat: in winter, a double coat with guard hairs that shed rain and keep the skin dry; in summer, a short, silky coat. The mane and tail should always be long, straight and profuse.
• Head: small and in proportion, with small, erect ears set wide apart, a broad forehead, bold, dark eyes, and a broad muzzle with wide, open nostrils.
• Body: a sloping shoulder ending in a well-defined wither; a strong body with plenty of heart room, well-sprung ribs and a strong, muscular loin; broad, long quarters with the tail set well up.
• Legs and feet: good flat bone, a strong forearm and a short cannon bone in front; strong, muscular thighs and well-shaped hocks behind. Feet tough, round and well shaped.
• Action: straight and free, using every joint and tracking up well.

Temperament and uses

The breed society credits Shetlands with a docile, willing nature. Today they are ridden by children, driven and shown, and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust notes their use in riding schools and equine-assisted therapy.

Health and management

Native ponies evolved to live on sparse grazing. Research at the Royal Veterinary College notes that ponies tend to be more insulin resistant than horses, which makes them more prone to equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). This trait is genetic, probably an adaptation to harsh environments, and on richer grazing it leads to obesity, EMS and a higher risk of laminitis. World Horse Welfare names obesity as the biggest risk factor for EMS, and says insulin testing is a valuable way to assess the risk of laminitis and EMS in native breeds. Keep an eye on weight and body condition, and ask your vet about testing.