Shetland | Facts & Information

# Shetland | Facts & Information

Shetland | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About Shetland

Origin

Origin: United Kingdom

Height: 100cm

Weight: 200-225kg

Used for: light traction, competitions

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Shetland

Shetland

Shetland is one of the most beautiful and versatile horse breeds in the world. Originating from the Shetland Islands in Scotland, it is known for its small size, adorable appearance, and friendly personality. With an average height of about 1 meter, this small horse is appreciated and loved by people from all walks of life and is often used in events, children's farms, and recreational riding activities.

The history of the Shetland breed stretches over a long period of time and has deep roots in the cultures of the Vikings and Celts. These ancestors of Shetland were accustomed to bringing small horses to these islands during their expeditions, and thus it gradually evolved, adapting to the harsh conditions and rugged terrain of the area. Over time, the breed developed and largely survived as a semi-wild species, living in an environment with limited resources.

One of the most notable features of the Shetland breed is their small size. With an average height of only 1 meter, these horses are usually smaller than most horse breeds. This characteristic makes Shetland easy to care for and handle, especially for children. Many parents choose to introduce their children to the world of horse riding with a Shetland, as they are calm and less imposing than larger horses.

Although they are known for their small size, Shetland horses have nothing to do with their performance. These small horses are powerful and robust and can perform a variety of activities. Many animal lovers and horse owners use Shetland in riding competitions, as well as in shows and demonstrations. With proper training and care, these small animals can achieve remarkable performances.

The gentle personality and friendly temperament make Shetland a wonderful pet. These horses are known for their loyalty to humans and their loving nature. Children adore them because they can be understood and trained quickly, without too much difficulty. Additionally, Shetland is an ideal partner for recreational riding and nature walks.

Caring for a Shetland animal requires attention and responsibility. These small horses need to be fed quality food and groomed regularly to ensure they remain healthy and happy. Since they are very active horses, it is important to provide them with adequate exercise and a full range of activities to maintain their physical and mental health.

As the popularity of the Shetland breed has grown in recent years, efforts have been made to protect and promote this wonderful breed. There are organizations and associations that focus on breeding and improving the Shetland breed, ensuring that these adorable horses continue to exist and bring joy to people of all ages.

In conclusion, Shetland is an extraordinary animal with a rich history and a wonderful personality. With its small size, this adorable horse is perfect for a wide range of activities and events. If you are looking for a loving pet and a reliable partner for horse riding, Shetland is the perfect choice for you.

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Facts

Colors: black, madder, Gray, murg, gray, dark murg, tarcat

Today, much is known and heard about Shetland ponies through the media. If they are well trained, they are ideal for young children. Thanks to the Shetland pony genealogical register and the pony management schemes and rules society, Shetland ponies have come to compete and compete against other larger breeds of ponies.

The history of Shetland ponies is perhaps the best documented of the histories of current horse breeds. It was basically written with the history of the Shetland Islands. At least 200 years ago, there was a pony similar to the current one that lived in the area of these islands.

Like Icelandic horses, ponies were formed by mixing British and Viking blood, giving rise to the Shetland type of pony. Most likely, the Shetland breed is a hybrid breed, containing blood from the British type of ponies that lived on the hills of Great Britain , such as the Highland pony called Fell or the Scottish pony called Dale, and the Scandinavian breed of horses, which in turn contained influences of the blood of Oriental breeds.

The pony resulting from these mixes , in the nineteenth century was one with a very small waist, adapted to the rough relief of the island of Bressay. Based on archaeological finds in these areas, it has been concluded that the Shetland pony has been domesticated for many centuries.

It remains a mystery how these horses arrived on these islands, supposedly brought by the first natives who settled on these lands, or by Knights returning from the Crusades, or even by Vikings.

The natural conditions on these islands were very varied and harsh, however, they led to the formation of a uniform race with strong hereditary characters. It has been assumed that due to its natural isolation from other horse populations, the Shetland pony is as uniform as the breed.

The training environment of the breed was therefore extremely harsh, as the grass was of poor quality, the soil was wet and rough, the winds were continuous and strong. Due to the cold climate, the conformation of ponies has become one that favors the preservation of body temperature, that is: short legs, short back, thick neck, small ears.

Larger specimens were doomed to starvation, while those too small were too fragile to survive, so only small, robust and intelligent specimens survived. The first genealogical record of the breed states that Shetland ponies are fathered in the field, live in the field and die in the field, and are still seen today in the fields on which they were formed as a breed. The vaporous Mane and tail, together with the thick robe they have for the winter are not accidental, they represent the life insurance of these Shetland ponies.

Due to the Rocky and rugged hills, ponies have formed an uneven and very fast, but at the same time very safe step, which allows them to make very long daily trips in search of food, which is scarce and of poor quality.

The mines decree of 1847 exempted children from much of the hard work in mines throughout Britain. Arriving here, the short stature of the Shetland ponies made them very valuable for mine work, so many hundreds of castrated ponies were sold to mining companies in southern England. They entered the mine at the age of 4 and came out after years of work, when they were left on special pastures for retired ponies.

Although several types of ponies were used in the mining industry, the Shetland pony was a vital component, due to the fact that only they could fit in the narrowest galleries of the mine, being able to transport coal from those levels.

Due to the intense use of Shetland ponies in the mines and the sale of the most valuable stallions of the breed for work, there was a decline in the breed, and also a decrease in the waist, also due to the alienation of the most suitable stallions as waist and the acceptance of smaller than standard Stallions to mount.

Ponies remained at work in the mines, it is true, in smaller numbers, even until the years when the mechanization of mining occurred. Thus, even in the 1970s, ponies could still be found in the mines.

Shetland Layout

Shetland ponies show a wide variety of robe colours, such as black, madder, grey, murg, grey, dark murg, tarred, but balted robes are not allowed. Their waist is 100 cm, with a lateral body format of 103%, with the thorax very lowered.

Also, the hair cover is very abundant, and the forehead is covered by a rich mot. The head is proportional to the body development, being expressive, with a straight or slightly concave profile, very wide forehead, large, expressive, intelligent, lively eyes, large nostrils.

The neck is short, strong, well grasped , the withers are erased, the back and Salas are strong, well dressed in musculature, the croup is muscular. The limbs are very strong, with short Bony rays, the hooves are small and Hardy.

The productive longevity of individuals of the breed is 25 years, on average.

Shetland Behaviour

Shetland ponies are animals with a lively temperament, very intelligent, with a strong and voluntary personality, quite difficult to master if they are not properly educated and trained at a young age.

However, with proper training, they are excellent companions for children, can be used in the traction of small workshops, can participate in dressage competitions or special obstacles for ponies.

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