THE SHETLAND PONY

The pony familiar to most of us, the Shetland Pony, is often recognizable because of its short legs, short back, thick neck, small ears, and furry winter coat. In the cold, windy, wet climate of Great Britain's Shetland Islands, these characteristics made it possible for the pony to survive while hauling heavy loads of peat or coal, both used to heat island homes, or pulling the cart of a local doctor or laborer.

Ponies that worked in the coal mines were required to stay underground all the time. Many of these ponies were born in the coal mines and never ever saw the light of day. When they died, they were buried in the coal mine where they had been born. Shetland Ponies worked in Shetland Island coal mines until the late 1970s.

The Shetland Pony is measured by inches, not hands(4 inches), at the withers and ranges from 28 to 42 inches. Although the Shetland Pony can make a very good first mount for a child, its small size has made it lose popularity to the Welsh Pony. The spotted Shetland Pony drawing the cart in the drawing would be called piebald or skewbald, not pinto. Notice that this pony is wearing its sleek summer coat so it does not look as short and stocky as it might during a cold winter.

Diane Jones
Windt im Wald Farm