Should you rescue a Shetland Pony?

by Shetland Pony Club | Jun 22, 2022

Should you rescue a Shetland Pony?

Join Rosemary in this week’s video where she looks at some of the joys and problems of rescuing Shetland Ponies.

Today our ponies at Shetland Pony Club are not rescue ponies. They are pedigree (registered)  ponies and some of them have come from the Shetland Isles.However, if you’ve been following us for many years, you’ll know years ago we had the most wonderful rescue Shetland Pony called Cupcake.

Cupcake came from a home that wasn’t particularly good, they didn’t know how to look after him properly. We acquired him and he came to live at The Ranch for many happy years.

What are the problems with a rescue Shetland Pony?

Cupcake had not been feed correctly. This effected his:

• Coat
• Weight
• Feet
• Teeth

As a result rescue ponies often need a lot more medical attention. They need to see a vet more regularly and this costs more.

Most rescue ponies won’t have been to a dentist before, so the dentist bills are higher.

They need to see the farrier more as their hooves are often neglected and causes problems. They may even need remedial, specialist shoes which is also an added cost.

The cost of keeping a rescue Shetland Pony can be higher than a normal Shetland.

You also need to consider what experience your pony has had and if he is going to be a suitable pony to be around children. They can be frightened of certain situations. We wouldn’t recommend starting out with a rescue Shetland pony for riding for your children.

Cupcake brought a lot of joy, love and a lot of bills!

Although rescue ponies are often free to acquire they have bigger costs to keeping them than a regular Shetland Pony. Find out more about Cupcake here.

Watch the video to find out more: Should you rescue a Shetland Pony?

From Rosemary, the Shetland Pony Club Team and all the Shetland ponies

Booking update:

Starter Rides – back on for 3 year olds! 45 minutes long and are specially designed as first riding experiences for children. £45/ child. New Availability Sunday 26th June 12:15

Own a Pony Experiences – are two hours long and are delightful early riding and learning experiences for children from age 4 years old. £65/ child. New Availability Sunday 26th June 14:15-16:15, Sunday 10th July 14:15-16:15, Saturday 16th July 14:15-16:15. 

Shetland Pony Parties – back on for 3 year olds! Amazing pony parties for children aged 3 -10 years old. Use of a private facility with 6 ponies, creating magical memories for your child’s birthday. One and a half hours – £650 for 10 children. Extra riding children (up to 18), £25 each. Very popular- Availability from July

Summer pony camp days and weeks – enjoy the whole day with your favourite Shetland pony. Learn to ride him, look after him and enjoy being with him all day long. 9:30am – 4pm, Summer holidays only. Age 5+. £135/day or £540/ week. Please note that camp spaces are filling up fast! Please reserve your space to avoid disappointment. 

Shetland Pony Walking is the perfect way for older children, teenagers and grown-ups to enjoy Shetland ponies in the lovely Surrey countryside. Come and spend time, enjoying and leading your very own Shetland pony. £45/ person. Saturday 30th July 2:15pm, Saturday 17th September 3:15pm