The Shetland Pony in Scotland | CUTENESS OVERLOAD!

Leading a pony parade. I'm Alyssa from Discover the Horse and I'm on a quest to ride every breed. There are hundreds of different horse breeds and each one has their own unique story. So saddle up and join me on a ride to Discover the Horse. In this episode we're going to meet up with one of Scotland's most recognizable breeds, the Shetland Pony. There have been ponies in the Shetland Islands for over 2,000 years and those ponies have developed into the breed that is now well loved around the world. First stop is Haybreak Shetlands. My mom started it in 1965 up in Shetland and in 2002 I think it was I took over the stud with 12 ponies I think it was and we're now up to 65-ish plus foals this year. Just keep it going because mum started it and I just love the breed so much and I just love the character. They try and be stubborn but there's that competition between them and me. Who is more stubborn? And who wins most of the time? Me. I love it. If you want to come and meet the newest addition you can go this way. You start the tour this way. She was born at quarter past 11 last night. Are you going to show us your baby? Let's see your baby. Oh my gosh that little trot. I know they are just absolutely adorable. They really are. Oh wow look at how brave she's been. So yes we're not 12 hours old yet. Oh my gosh. Now you should speak to us shouldn't you? Yes. All right can you let us in? Come on. Hi sweetheart. You've got a visitor. Yeah you've got a visitor. You have. You've got a visitor. You have so. Oh look at you. I see you. You're just adorable aren't you? You are. You're adorable. You are so cute. Yes you are. You're so tiny. I just love looking around and seeing ponies everywhere. Yeah yes this is just this is heaven. Yeah. Pony heaven. Yeah it really is. And they're ready and waiting. Hello girls. Hello everybody. Right then babies. Come on then. Let's get a mugging. Will we get a mugging? Will we? Will we get a mugging? Hello. Hello. No that's my phone. That's my phone. Do have a seat. All right. Don't mind if I do. We have. Who do we have? Razzle Matazzo. Razzle Matazzo. And this is little Ojo. This is Cassie. I've never visited my ponies before. This is like a little girl's dream come true right here. Maybe a big girl's too because we never grow out of this. Oh you literally have my hair in your mouth. I'll tell you you get mugged. You were not joking. So you grew up with Shetland ponies? I grew up with Shetland ponies, thoroughbreds, hunters, the works. Awesome. Mom used to breed eventers. The Shetlands were more a hobby to her. This is the best therapy ever. Oh my gosh I can imagine. You have a bad day you come out here. Yes yes. And they just cheer you up. Having so many they've all got their different attitudes. They are they're just adorable. I don't know they've got a brain and they use it. They're very smart. Yes you are very smart. And I just I love them. Yeah. That's just the character I love. Naughtiness at this age. Naughty stubbornness. You're sitting on my lap. There's just like so many of them. Shetland ponies get a very bad rap in life of being bad tempered. I think a lot of it is that because somebody buys a very cute cuddly foal they then let it away with it. And at the moment they're allowed to because they're still coming in and getting tamed. And the only way they can investigate things is through their front, through their feet, through their mouth. So they can kind of get away with blue murder at the moment. But as the summer goes on and they're not scared they will get a tap on the nose if they sink their teeth in. Because that's not allowed. It's all in the training. Just because it is cute and cuddly do not let it away with murder. Because they've got a brain and they will use it. That makes a lot of sense. And if they want to get out of something they'll find a way to do it. Because they are a very smart little animal. I think it's interesting with the breed. The Shetland Islands are remote and they are kind of way out in the middle of nowhere and yet the Shetland pony is now known worldwide. There are so many of them in the United States and I think it's so interesting how you can have these ponies that have been bred in this one location and then just because of various things that happened they ended up all over the place. Yeah and I think some of it was they're small, cute, adorable so they get transported left, right and center. But then people have gotten to know the breed and they are a lovely breed to know. I have pony slobber all over my face. And I've got nothing but pony hair. Yeah you're just all pony at this point. It's really hard to tell actually between your hair and their hair. Right can I get out please? Great and I mean we have a lot of friends that come and just sit in the park. Yeah. I'm not quite sure if they come to see us or the horses. They do say they're coming to see us but I do wonder. You guys are more of like the bonus whereas there's a primary. Now that we know how completely adorable the ponies are it's time to see this small breed in action. Eleanor is the founder of the stud. She was born in the Shetland Islands so the ponies have always been a part of her life. She's got a talented young team ready to showcase the breed. Oh my gosh look at them. So I think what I'm finding out here is the requirement is you have to have as many children as ponies. Absolutely. But they're quite good they do share. So the main thing I want with my ponies is that they're all different temperaments. Yes. They've got to be good with kids or they won't have them. Yeah. That's it. So the stallions are all ridden. They're all driven. There's so much happening here now. We have five Shetland ponies and they're all getting ready for today. I'm just so impressed with all of the things going on right now. Everyone's just doing their job. Absolutely. Well oiled machine. Yeah it really is. Strong ponies. They like they don't even care. There's three people in the carriage and this is how much do you say this weighs? 225 kilos. 225 kilos and they're just raring to go. Good lads. Come on. Good boys. Good boys. Go right. Go right. Go right. Go right. Go right. Good lads. Steady. Go right. Go right. You want to go? Yeah. Oh my gosh I just love it when they know their job so well. Pony's truck. When did you start driving? Did you drive right away? Nine started. I suppose when you have ponies like this it allows you to be such a versatile horse person right away. These are all homebred. Yeah. So I watched them being born. The halter broke them and we've done all the training all the way through. So whatever they do then it's your work. Right. I've never put them away anywhere to be broken. That must make you so proud. Hunt down the girls and you'll get something to sit on. All right. So fun. When I did my quest ride for the British Appaloosa at the Royal Windsor Horse Show I got to watch a unique race called the Shetland Pony Grand National. Little did I know that a few years later my quest horse for the breed would be one that has raced three times. I love this first moment of getting on a new breed. It's just such an interesting feeling every time. You know every one is so different. They're the strongest breed for size to weight ratio. Good boy. Throughout history the Shetland Pony has been used to carry peat and seaweed, as pit ponies in the mines, for transportation, and fishermen even used hair from their tails for fishing lines. They have taught countless generations of young horse lovers what it means to be an equestrian. A job that they continue to perform today. Thank you all so much for watching. I hope you enjoyed discovering this Shetland Pony. Make sure to give the video a thumbs up and subscribe to the channel if you haven't already and I'll see you all at the next breed.