Posts Tagged ‘shetland ponies’

Horses have been one of the most popular domesticated animals for hundreds of years. In the past, before the automobile and the airplane, horses were on of the most commonly used ways of transportation. However today we see horses primarily used for hobby riding and racing while one very few use them as actual transportation.

Horses were not just owned by a geographically small group of people but by people from all over the world. Horses have not been used for the same kind of labor all around the world and that, together with the different climates, resulted into many different types of breeds. There is however only three main categories in which all horses can be grouped: Pony, Light and Heavy classes. If you don’t know anything at all about horse breeds then this will be a good place to start.

Besides these three main categories you will find that horses can be grouped into a much larger amount of sub categories. To name a few examples you will find sub groups such as Warmbloods, Gaited horses and Draft horses. But in order not to confuse you if you are new at this will stick to just the three main categories I mentioned earlier.

When I now go into the three different types of horses I hope to give you a better idea of what kind of horse will suit your situation and you will know what type will be good for children to ride, what will be an all family horse for riding, what you need if you want a racing horse and last but not least what type of horse will assist you the best if you need a working horse.

The Pony Category

A pony is a very popular horse and one of the best known and also one of the smallest is the Shetland pony. Because of its minimal size this is a great horse for children. Shetland ponies are normally peaceful and calm animals and because of that they are great with children. Unfortunately it can become feisty occasionally and it is recommended that children are always supervised by adults.

If you have teenagers or fast growing younger children you might want to go for the Connemara pony instead. The pony is a bit larger than the Shetland and this together with the Welsh pony (somewhat larger than the Shetland pony) will be perfect for young children.

The Light Horse Category

If you don’t know that much about horses you might make the mistake of believing that a miniature horse and a pony is the same thing but they’re not. The Miniature horse doesn’t share the same characteristics as the pony but I won’t go into all the specific details here. You will often find miniature horses around children and disabled humans.

The most commonly known horse is an Arabian and it actually falls into the category of light horses. The characteristics of the Arabian horse are that it is sweet, graceful and very loving but it is also extremely fast and very attractive. There really isn’t anything negative to say about the Arabian because what more could you want from a horse? Because of its speed and endurance it is often used for racing.

The Heavy Category

In the heavy category there are only two types of horses. One is called the battle horse and the other is called a draft horse. Battle horses were normally used in warlike situations and were trained to be a part of battle.

The draft horse on the other hand was trained to work on farms pulling wagons and carts. You can call them the typical work horse.

You might have heard about the Clydesdale horse and it is probably one of the most popular draft horses there is. Not only will you find it very attractive but it has also been bread to work hard, while maintaining its friendly nature and therefore it’s also a good horse for riding.

Other popular draft horses are the Belgian, the Shire and the Suffolk Punch horses.

To mention one of the horses used for war the Lipizzaner is probably the one that were used most often. But the horse breeds that I have mentioned above is just a very few of the many different types and breeds there are.

I hope to have given you some inspiration as to what category horse you are looking for but I would also encourage you to meet with any horse you are thinking of purchasing. Interaction will the horse is what really counts and you and your family needs to visit the potential new horse before you can make a good decision.

Author: Hank Westwood
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable pressure cooker

Shetland ponies, one the UK’s native horse breeds, are those gorgeous tiny horses you see in pantomimes like Cinderella. They provide rides to children on farms and in zoos, and with their shaggy faces and stocky legs, are an ideal animal for children to share their first interaction with the equine world. In fact, a Shetland pony is perfect for children as they are usually kind-natured and brave – behaviour required when dealing with youngsters. Care needs to be taken, though, that the pony is not spoiled either by the children or their parents. As with many animals, it’s the human input that shapes a pony’s behaviour, and care needs to be taken with how a pony is treated. Also, as with many animals that are thought to be ‘intelligent’, this can be construed as being ‘stubborn’. And a Shetland pony is considered ‘intelligent’. Facts to bear in mind when combining a Shetland and children; they appear to have a lot in common!

Believed to originate from the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland (although this is debated) the Shetland pony has to be smaller than 10.2 hands at the withers. Don’t let the height bother you – the Shetland pony is the most powerful for its size of all the horse and pony breeds. This makes it ideal for pulling loads, as it can lug an incredible two times its own body weight, compared to a draught horse, which can only pull half its weight. A Shetland is also great for (as mentioned above) children’s rides, and as a pet. It has been used on settlements on the Shetland Islands to plough fields and haul loads.

The Shetland pony was the first pony with its own organisation (the Shetland Pony Stud Book Society), formed in 1890, to encourage a strong breeding line. The first mention in writing of the pony was in 1603, although it is thought their origins go back as far as 8000BC when Scandinavia was connected to the islands. The environment of the Shetland Islands shaped the personality and appearance of the pony – hardy and hardworking, compact, muscled and thick-furred (Shetlands have a double coat for winter). Shetlands are usually black, different variations of brown or grey but rarely ‘Appaloosa’.

Interestingly, miniature Shetlands are used as guide horses, in the same way that guide dogs aid vision-impaired people. Their intuitive nature and intelligence makes for an ideal helping animal.

Shetlands have a multitude of uses, from children’s pony to show pony and work pony. Their bright personality and intellect means they are adaptable – but whatever their job, it’s guaranteed that they’ll bring more to your life than you can give them.