Editing Shetland pony

{{Short description|Scottish breed of traditional pony}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox horse breed
| name            = Shetland Pony
| image           = File:289-o-Galant-SWE-71-SH-03.jpg
| image2          = File:BMW Polo Masters Megève - 20140126 - Démonstration de polo-poney 7.jpg
| country         = [[Shetland Islands]], Scotland
| group1          = Shetland Pony Studbook Society 
| std1            = https://www.shetlandponystudbooksociety.co.uk/about-the-breed/breed-standard/
| features        = Intelligent, small size, sturdy build, thick coat, compact and strong
}}

The '''Shetland pony''' or '''Sheltie''' is a Scottish [[list of horse breeds|breed]] of [[pony]] originating in the [[Shetland Islands]] in the north of Scotland. It may stand up to {{convert|107|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} at the [[withers]].{{r|spss}} It has a heavy [[Coat (animal)|coat]] and short legs, is strong for its size, and is used for [[riding horse|riding]], [[driving horse|driving]], and [[pack animal|pack]] purposes.

== History ==
[[File:Shetland ponies ca 1900.jpg|thumb|Two women of the Shetland Isles with ponies: photograph taken about 1900]]
Shetland ponies originated in the [[Shetland Isles|Shetland Islands]], located northeast of mainland Scotland. Small horses have been kept in the Shetland Islands since the [[Bronze Age]]. People who lived on the islands probably later crossed the native stock with ponies imported by [[Norsemen|Norse]] settlers. Shetland ponies were probably also influenced by the [[Celtic pony]], brought to the islands by settlers between 2000 and 1000 BC.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hovens|first1=Hans|last2=Rijkers|first2=Toon|date=2013|title=On the origins of the Exmoor pony: did the wild horse survive in Britain?|url=https://www.exmoorpony.nl/pdf/Lutra_dec2013_Hovens_Rijkers_lowres.pdf|journal=Lutra|volume=56|issue=2|page=134|access-date=17 December 2017}}</ref> The harsh climate and scarce food developed the ponies into extremely hardy animals.

Shetland ponies were first used for pulling carts and for carrying [[peat]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=Reid|first=C|title=Women unloading peats from kishie|url=https://photos.shetlandmuseumandarchives.org.uk/index.php?a=ViewItem&key=SXsiTiI6MTUsIlAiOnsidmFsdWUiOiJwb255IHBlYXQiLCJvcGVyYXRvciI6IjEiLCJmdXp6eVByZWZpeExlbmd0aCI6IjMiLCJmdXp6eU1pblNpbWlsYXJpdHkiOjAuNjUsIm1heFN1Z2dlc3Rpb25zIjoiNSIsImFsd2F5c1N1Z2dlc3QiOm51bGx9fQ&pg=1|access-date=2020-07-16|website=Shetland Museum and Archives}}</ref> seaweed,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Breed History |url=https://www.shetlandponystudbooksociety.co.uk/about-the-breed/breed-history/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Shetland Pony Stud Book Society |language=en-GB}}</ref> and ploughing land.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Storey|first=B|date=1958–1960|title=Pony|url=https://photos.shetlandmuseumandarchives.org.uk/index.php?a=ViewItem&key=SXsiTiI6ODUsIlAiOnsidmFsdWUiOiJwbG91Z2giLCJvcGVyYXRvciI6IjEiLCJmdXp6eVByZWZpeExlbmd0aCI6IjMiLCJmdXp6eU1pblNpbWlsYXJpdHkiOjAuNjUsIm1heFN1Z2dlc3Rpb25zIjoiNSIsImFsd2F5c1N1Z2dlc3QiOm51bGx9fQ&pg=48|access-date=2020-07-15|website=Shetland Museum and Archives}}</ref> Then, as the [[Industrial Revolution]] increased the need for coal in the mid-nineteenth century, thousands of Shetland ponies were taken to mainland Britain to be [[Pit pony|pit ponies]], working underground hauling coal, often for their entire (frequently shortened) lives. Coal mines in the eastern United States also imported some of these animals. The last mine that used Shetland ponies in the United States closed in 1971.<ref>''The Last Pony Mine'', a documentary film, Les Benedict, director, Steve Knudston, producer, 1972. Available on Youtube in 3 parts [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0NZRSDoqCk part 1][https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsbS4y8vIFU part 2][https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t80NFheqwfo part 3]</ref>

The Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society is the [[breed society]] for the traditional Shetland throughout the world.<ref name=SPSBS>{{cite web|url=http://www.shetlandponystudbooksociety.co.uk/ |title=Shetland Pony Stud Book Society |publisher=Shetland Pony Stud Book Society |access-date=16 December 2011}}</ref> It was started in 1890 to maintain purity and encourage high-quality animals.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} In 1957, the Shetland Islands Premium Stallion Scheme was formed to subsidise high-quality registered stallions to improve the breeding stock.{{cn|date=March 2022}}

A number of pony breeds derive from the traditional Shetland. These include the [[American Shetland Pony]] and [[Pony of the Americas]] in the United States,{{r|edwards|page=243}} and the [[Deutsches Classic Pony]] in Germany.{{r|classic}}

== Characteristics ==
[[Image:Shetland pony 1.jpg|thumb|A classic image of an ideal Shetland pony, ''[[Nordisk familjebok]]'' (Swedish encyclopaedia), c. 1904–1926.]]
The Shetland Pony is hardy and strong, in part because it developed in the harsh conditions of the Shetland Islands.<ref name=":0" /> It has a small head, widely spaced eyes and small and alert ears. It has a short muscular neck, a compact stocky body, short strong legs and a shorter-than-normal [[cannon-bone]] in relation to its size. A short broad back and deep girth are universal characteristics, as is a springy stride. It has a long thick mane and tail, and a dense double winter coat to withstand harsh weather.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} It may be of any known [[equine coat color|horse coat colour]] other than [[Leopard complex|spotted]].{{r|spss|cabi|page2=502|elise|page3=34}}

It is not unusual for a Shetland pony to live more than 30 years.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

==Uses==
[[File:Paarden tandem.jpg|thumb|Shetlands being driven from a cart]]
[[File:Shetland Pony Grand National, Somerley Park - geograph.org.uk - 1143202.jpg|thumb|Shetland pony "Grand National" in the UK]]
Today, Shetlands are ridden by children and are shown by both children and adults at [[horse show]]s in [[Driving (horse)|harness driving]] classes as well as for pleasure driving outside of the show ring. Shetlands are ridden by small children at horse shows, in riding schools and stables as well as for pleasure. They are seen working in commercial settings such as [[fair]]s or [[traveling carnival|carnival]]s to provide short rides for visitors. They are also seen at petting zoos and sometimes are used for [[therapeutic horseback riding]] purposes. In the United Kingdom, Shetlands are also featured in the Shetland Pony Grand National, galloping around a racecourse with young jockeys. A few Shetland ponies still fulfil traditional working roles on the islands, and can be seen carrying peat (which is abundant and used as a fuel source in Shetland) cut from the hillsides in large saddlebags. Their strong physique and ability to cross a variety of difficult terrain types means they are still a viable choice for the job, even in an age of mechanised agriculture.

Junior Harness Racing was founded in [[Queensland]] by a group of breeders to give young people aged 6–16 an opportunity to obtain a practical introduction to the harness racing industry. The children have the opportunity to drive Shetland ponies in harness under race conditions. No prize money is payable on pony races, although winners and place-getters receive medallions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.justracing.com.au/harness.php?catid=4 |title=Just Racing |publisher=Just Racing |access-date=16 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120035222/http://www.justracing.com.au/harness.php?catid=4 |archive-date=20 January 2012 }}</ref>

Miniature Shetlands have been trained as [[guide horse]]s to take the same role as [[guide dogs]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/2954170.stm |title=Ponies to guide the blind |work=BBC News |date=1 June 2003 |access-date=16 December 2011}}</ref> This task is also performed by other [[miniature horse]] breeds.

==See also==
* [[American Shetland Pony]]
* [[Shetland animal breeds]]
* [[List of domesticated Scottish breeds]]
* [[Mountain and moorland pony breeds]]
* [[Pony ride]]

==References==

{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=cabi>{{Cite book |first1=Valerie |last1=Porter |first2=Lawrence |last2=Alderson |first3=Stephen J.G. |last3=Hall |first4=D. Phillip |last4=Sponenberg |year=2016 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Mason_s_World_Encyclopedia_of_Livestock/2UEJDAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA502 |page=502 |title=Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding |edition=Sixth |publisher=[[CAB International]] |isbn=9781780647944 |quote=}} </ref>

<ref name=classic>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131105012730/http://classic-pony.npage.de/how-did-the-germann-classic-pony-come-about.html How did the German Classic Pony come about]. German Classic Pony Society. Archived 5 November 2013.</ref>

<ref name=edwards>Elwyn Hartley Edwards (1994). ''The Encyclopedia of the Horse''. London; New York; Stuttgart; Moscow: Dorling Kindersley. {{ISBN|0751301159}}.</ref>

<ref name=elise>Élise Rousseau, Yann Le Bris, Teresa Lavender Fagan (2017). [https://books.google.com/books?id=Eus9DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA176 ''Horses of the World'']. Princeton: Princeton University Press. {{ISBN|9780691167206}}.</ref>

<ref name=spss>[http://www.shetlandponystudbooksociety.co.uk/about-the-breed/breed-standard Breed Standard]. The Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society. Accessed July 2020.</ref>

}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://www.shetlandponystudbooksociety.co.uk/ Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society]

{{British horses}}
{{Scottish animal breeds}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Horse breeds originating in Scotland]]
[[Category:Horse breeds]]
[[Category:Shetland animal breeds]]
[[Category:Ponies]]