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SHETLANDS

	Place of Origin: Scotland (Orkney and Shetland Islands). Aptitudes: Riding pony and light draft. Qualities: Strong, hardy, steady. Temprament: Lively, not always docile. According to the Australian Shetland Stud Book Society standard of excellence the Shetland should provide a versatile hardy pony ideally suited as a child's saddle pony or a harness horse, either single harness or up to six in hand using a recognized show class vehicle. It should posses a kindly nature free of vice (kicking, biting etc.), be of tractable 'level headed' nature but still retain an alert, bright manner. It is by nature an intelligent pony and is easy to train and control.
Conformation: The shetland pony stands 9-10 hands at the withers and weighs about 150-180 kg. The coat may be any color, but the most common are piebald, skewbald, chestnut, bay or black. The head is small, but with pronounced jaw, a straight or concave profile, broad forehead, small ears, large eyes and flared nostrils. The neck is short and muscular, broad at the base, with a long, full mane; the withers are wide, not very prominent, the back short and often hollow, the loins broad and muscular, the croup short and rounded, the tail long and full, and set-on high, the chest deep, the abdomen rounded, and the shoulder long and sloping. The legs are short and strong, with broad joints, pasterns of medium length, and the hoof small, round and hard.
	History: The discovery of fossilized remains suggest that this breed dates back to the Bronze Age, altough it is cosidered by some to descend from horses brought to the islands in a sailing ship belonging to the Spanish Armada. In the nineteenth century it was used in the mines; today it is s very popular children's pony (although not always trustworthy) and is also used for drawing light carts, and for light farm work. Different breeding conditions in the United States have resulted in the development of a modified version of the breed.

Place of Origin: Scotland (Orkney and Shetland Islands).

Aptitudes: Riding pony and light draft.

Qualities: Strong, hardy, steady.

Temprament: Lively, not always docile.
According to the Australian Shetland Stud Book Society standard of excellence the Shetland should provide a versatile hardy pony ideally suited as a child's saddle pony or a harness horse, either single harness or up to six in hand using a recognized show class vehicle. It should posses a kindly nature free of vice (kicking, biting etc.), be of tractable 'level headed' nature but still retain an alert, bright manner. It is by nature an intelligent pony and is easy to train and control.

Conformation: The shetland pony stands 9-10 hands at the withers and weighs about 150-180 kg. The coat may be any color, but the most common are piebald, skewbald, chestnut, bay or black. The head is small, but with pronounced jaw, a straight or concave profile, broad forehead, small ears, large eyes and flared nostrils. The neck is short and muscular, broad at the base, with a long, full mane; the withers are wide, not very prominent, the back short and often hollow, the loins broad and muscular, the croup short and rounded, the tail long and full, and set-on high, the chest deep, the abdomen rounded, and the shoulder long and sloping. The legs are short and strong, with broad joints, pasterns of medium length, and the hoof small, round and hard.

History: The discovery of fossilized remains suggest that this breed dates back to the Bronze Age, altough it is cosidered by some to descend from horses brought to the islands in a sailing ship belonging to the Spanish Armada. In the nineteenth century it was used in the mines; today it is s very popular children's pony (although not always trustworthy) and is also used for drawing light carts, and for light farm work. Different breeding conditions in the United States have resulted in the development of a modified version of the breed.