THE home of the Shetland pony is the Shetland Islands, a group of about a hundred sea-girt, wind swept islands, situated in the North Sea about fifty miles northeast of the north of Scotland. These lonely islands together with the Orkneys, which are much nearer the mainland, form one of the shires, or counties, of Scotland.
These islands were inhabited many centuries ago by those little dark people called the Picts. Much has been written about them, but they have so many legends and myths surrounding them, that they belong partly to fairy-land, although they were a real people who flourished many centuries ago on these strange islands. But finally the Norsemen, who were much larger and stronger, came to the islands and drove out the Picts. The islands were also settled by the Scots, so that to-day the real Shetlander is a mixture of Pict, Norse, and Scotch.
These people are a very simple folk, who follow the sea from June until September, the herring fisheries of the islands being the most important industry.
The main island of Shetland is about fifty miles in length, but it is so indented with voes, or bays, and so irregular that nowhere is the inland farm more than three miles from the sea.
This island of Shetland is the largest of the one hundred islands that form the Shetland group. Its seacoast is as wild and weird as nature could well make it. The winds and the waves have been hammering away at the coast-line for untold ages, and their workmanship is very wonderful. Thus it is that one sees caves and grottoes along the coast. Great pillars of solid rock, called drongs, stand far out at sea, rearing their heads like the giants of old. Natural gates of solid rock often guard the narrow waterways that lead to some voe where a native town is located.
The country also abounds with strange tales of the Picts and the old Vikings, of the haunts of fairies and witches, so it is altogether an eerie place.
Twenty-seven of the islands of this group are inhabited, while there are about seventy which are used only for grazing the diminutive horses, cattle, and sheep, for all the domestic animals on these islands are very small, like the Shetland pony, so well known to us.
From very ancient times these little horses have existed on the Shetland Islands, just as the little cows and sheep have, but it is only within the last seventy years that they have been exported in large numbers. But not all Shetland ponies are so fortunate as those which find their way to America and England, to become the much-adored companions of children, for many of them find their way into the mines, where they have to work very hard down in the dark and the dampness.
When we speak of a child's pony, we usually refer to the Shetland, although there are two other kinds which are important and much in demand. But the Shetland, because he is the smallest, is the favorite. The Welsh pony, which has existed in a wild state in the mountains of Wales for the past two thousand years, is the next larger of the ponies, while the high-stepping dandy, the Hackney, is the largest of the three. He is usually about fourteen hands high, and is only one step removed from a real horse.
The true Shetland is from nine to twelve hands high, that is, from thirty-six to forty-eight inches. A hand, which is the unit of measurement for the height of a horse, be he large or small, is four inches. The weight of the Shetland pony is anywhere from two hundred and fifty pounds to four hundred, or even more if he is very fat. He is not a plaything, but a real little horse. His build is that of a dray-horse, being very blocky.
Some horse-fanciers, such as Colonel Balfour, have succeeded, by long breeding, in making a more slender Shetland. This is the type of pony usually seen in the ring, or horse show. Such a little beauty is Silver Tip, Second, who is valued at ten thousand dollars.
These little ponies are very clever and easily taught tricks, so from the early centuries old writings tell of the trick ponies which were shown at the country fairs in old England and on the Continent.
The life of the Shetland pony on his native heath is anything but the rosy path that he treads once he is imported and becomes a child's pet. Not only are these islands cold, but their vegetation is also scant. The islanders take much better care of their small sheep and cattle than of their ponies.
These little horses are very hardy, and much exposure has developed a long, thick coat, so that in Shetland they are left out all winter long and made to paw the snow away from their scant feed. This is so scarce on the moor that they usually come down to the seashore and paw in the snow for seaweed and mosses.
The little colts are foaled in the spring and allowed to run with the mares, often till they are a year old. So it is not a strange thing for a Shetland colt who is only six months old to be out in the bitter winter cold, shivering at the flank of his dam. The Shetland pony when foaled weighs only about thirty pounds, and is a very awkward little horse, all legs and head, but he shapes up rapidly.
The most common colors of Shetlands are black, gray, white, and brown, although the English breeders have produced some fine dapple bays and other fancy colors.
For his size and weight the Shetland pony is the most wonderful little animal that has ever been taught to labor for man. His strength and endurance are remarkable. His willingness also is endless. Be kind to him, and he will give you all the strength and speed there is in him. He will pull a load several times his own weight, or will travel light for hours at his steady, even, mincing trot, his head up, his heavy mane and tail floating out to the breeze, and his entire manner plainly saying, "Don't you see how important I am? I am working for my little friends."
Although the gentlest and the most lovable and loving little chap imaginable, when trained, yet the wild ponies of Shetland often take on the character of their hard environment. Among themselves the stallions often fight terrible battles, which occasionally end in the death of one of the combatants.
Is it any wonder that they become hard like their lives when we consider how they are left to shift for themselves in winter? Even if they are sometimes sheltered and fed, yet it will be in an open shed where a domestic, full-sized horse would freeze. Their feed, when they are lucky enough to be fed at all, is only what the cattle and sheep leave. But for the better part of the year they shift for themselves, and survive or perish as fate wills. They are mere shadows of their usual plump selves when the spring at last comes and the scant feed appears on the moor.
Is it not wonderful that these little horses, reared in hardship, so soon adapt themselves to the ways of civilized men? This is perhaps why they take so kindly to petting and return so much gratitude for what is done for them by their little masters.
Under the saddle, or harnessed to the phaeton, they are equally willing. Once they become attached to their small owners, they take a certain pride in their little friends, and seem to develop a great sense of responsibility.
In these days of machines, when so much is artificial, what better playmate could children have than one of these little horses? Learning to care for him and to drive him under all conditions, develops character as almost nothing else will. It teaches the child to be kind, thoughtful, and self-reliant. All that one may need to know about a large horse may be learned from driving this little animal. The child who can ride a Shetland gracefully need not fear a larger mount. The child who can guide him successfully under all conditions by the rein, can, when he is older and stronger, drive any horse.
But the Shetland's best trait is his affection for his little friends. He will watch for their coming as eagerly as a dog. He will nicker at their approach, and nuzzle their hands with genuine affection when they finally appear.
In the harness he is the very soul of fidelity. He will go and go till he drops, and even then will wish that he had more strength and horse love to give.
So if you wish to make the children happy and at the same time develop their character; if you wish to have them learn to be kind, self-reliant, and happy, give them a Shetland pony. He will show them more country and give them more perfectly safe adventures than any other investment of an equal size.
Besides all this, he will show them fidelity and patience, and will find his way into their child hearts and teach them love, which is the greatest of all human treasures.
For a perfect picture of the Shetland, in all his small horse charm, I refer you to that wonderful horse book, "Black Beauty," and the chapter on Little Merrylegs. It will do your heart good to read about him, and to know how wonderful and lovable these little horses really are.