With the very hard ground, Batman the Shetland pony has been struggling with sore feet.
Batman the Shetland pony gets new plastic shoes
Batman the Shetland pony has thin soles on his hooves, which bruise easily and the very hard ground has made his feet sore.
Bigger horses with sore feet can be shod with metal shoes that have pads on them to help protect their hooves, but Batman’s hooves are very small, making this difficult.
Special plastic shoes for Shetland ponies
Our farrier has found some special plastic shoes which are small enough for Shetland ponies. They have been approved in a university study and are glued onto his feet, rather than put on with nails.
The shoe with the perfect fit
The special plastic shoes fit Batman’s hooves perfectly. They have a special bar at the back to protect his heal, and a triangle under his hoof to support his frog and protect his sole. They are very neat and you can hardly see them.
Very happy Shetland pony
Batman really likes his new shoes. He feels so much more comfortable and can now go riding again, thanks to our farriers.
Let’s find out how to prepare a Shetland pony for a photo shoot in this weeks’ video from Shetland Pony Club.
When is the best time for a pony photo shoot?
When the weather improves, the Shetland ponies have their summer coats and the wildflower meadows are in bloom, it’s the perfect time for a Shetland pony photo shoot. Getting the perfect photo takes time and care, and the ponies need to look their best in the pictures.
How to prepare a Shetland pony for a photo shoot
The secret is to shampoo the ponies to make them look gorgeous. We have special pony friendly shampoo and warm water for the ponies to enjoy their beauty spa.
Honeybee has had his legs washed, Sundance has a beautiful shampooed tail and Crème Brulee has had his mane washed. The ponies that need the most preparation are the white ponies (known as grey because of their skin colour), Snowdrop and Tintin.
What is the secret to a perfectly prepared pony?
Getting a Shetland pony to look show shiny and his very best is not as easy as you might think. Find out what happens to Batman?
It’s a crazy April day for Batman the Shetland pony.
Crazy April day
Who would have thought it – snow in April. What a surprise for Batman this morning. It’s the Easter holidays and children are coming to ride today.
Winter coat comes in handy
Batman is lucky that he still has his fluffy winter coat to keep him warm. There is plenty of hay for breakfast so he is warm and ready to meet the children for riding.
Pretty winter wonderland
Off we go around the snowy meadows. It’s unusual to ride in snow at Shetland Pony Club and the children and ponies love the experience. What a beautiful landscape to ride a Shetland pony in.
We are fully booked for Easter and almost full for May half term, so book now for summer and the whole season ahead so you don’t miss out on pony riding fun.
For your safety we will have strict COVID – secure procedures in place:
Only ONE adult is allowed to attend with your child.
Adults must wear a mask when signing their child in.
You are welcome to wait using our socially distanced benches and marquee.
If your child is 5+ adults may leave site provided we have your contact details.
Come and meet our new Shetland pony, Fudge, as he arrives at Shetland Pony Club. Watch Fudge arrive and find out how he spends his first few days.
Watch Fudge making new friends
The ponies at Shetland Pony Club are very keen to make friends with our new Shetland pony, Fudge; but he needs to have time to settle in and relax in his new home. Watch as he has a drink and a roll and then meets some of the ponies, Batman, Dinky and Teddy Bear. Which ponies do you think are going to be his friends?
Book your pony fun for autumn now – new dates available
We have some new pony riding dates for the first week of October Half Term on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October 2020 and another Halloween Pumpkin Ride too. Book now – we are almost fully booked.
You can enjoy:
Starter Rides – 45 minutes long and are specially designed as first riding experiences for children from age 4* years old (* until further notice for COVID-19 Safe Working Practices). £40 per child. New dates: Thursday 22 October 9am and 10am
Own a Pony Experiences – 2 hours long and are delightful early riding and learning experiences for children from age 4 years old. Children enjoy both riding and pony care. £60 per child. New dates: Wednesday 21 October 9am and 11am
Halloween Pumpkin Rides – Come and enjoy our legendary themed pony treasure hunts for pony-mad witches and wizards. Enjoy 1½ hours of pony riding fun at The Ranch. From age 4 years old. £60 per child. New date: Saturday 24 October 2.30pm
Shetland Pony Club is proud to be one of the first riding schools in the country to be awarded the Association of British Riding Schools Certification for COVID-19 Safe Working Practices. Having risk-assessed our riding in the light of the government guidelines, we have changed the age for riding to a minimum of 4 years old, until further notice. For children aged 2.5 – 4, we hope to be able to resume in the spring. Keep an eye on our weekly email, social media and the website here for more information.
Take care from
The Shetland Pony Club Team and all the Shetland ponies
This week we find out what makes a quality Shetland Pony in an information video from Rosemary.
Find out about pony passports and if they mean that a pony has good breeding.
You will learn which characteristics to look for in a quality Shetland Pony, such as a kind eye and a friendly presence.
We will also show you more features to look out for: such as a full mane; a high set tail, a fluffy coat and small ears to protect them from the poor weather in the Shetland Islands.
There’s lots more information in the video and you can find out which of our ponies are well-bred and high quality.
We are nearly fully booked for pony riding in October Half Term from Saturday 26 October to Sunday 3 November, including our famous Halloween Pumpkin Rides.
Do book ahead for:
Pony Mornings – are 2 hours long and are delightful early riding and learning experiences for children from age 4 years old. Children enjoy both riding and pony care. They cost £55 per child.
Starter Rides–are 45 minutes long and are specially designed as first riding experiences for children from age 2½ years old. They cost £40 per child.
Halloween Pumpkin Rides – Come and enjoy our legendary Halloween Pumpkin Rides, themed pony treasure hunts for pony-mad witches and wizards. Enjoy 1½ hours of pony riding fun. From 4 years old, £55 per child. 2.15pm – 3.45pm. Children can dress up if they wish (wear outdoor clothes underneath your costume).
