Oz Horses

Shetlands

9th November, 2007

“Mini Haven”

“Look out for trains” well that’s what the sign said as I drove up the driveway of Minihaven stud, in Kabra (outside Gracemere). Not a train in sight, but a band of Shetland Ponies who make up Minihaven Stud. Dulcie Hewerdine is their proud owner.

Dulcie first registered her stud in 1972. She wanted to breed a small pony, rideable, quiet in temperament and therefore suitable for children. She turned to the Shetland Pony. The Shetland Pony breed is a very well known breed that has spread to all corners of the globe. The breed began in the Shetland Islands, a group of more than 100 islands, of which only 15 are inhabited. These islands lie off the coast of northern Scotland. They are just 643km south of the Artic Circle, however these islands are bathed in a warm sea current that helps to keep temperatures up. The average summer maximum is 14 degrees Celsius and the average winter maximum 4.9 degrees. Throughout the winter the islands receives frequent snow. These factors contribute what the Shetland Pony is today.

The Shetland Pony is thought to be a descendant from Scandinavian horses who were brought across by the Vikings who made regular plundering trips to Great Britain during the eighth and ninth centuries AD. The Shetland Islands has a cultural mix of Norwegian and Scottish.

The ponies adapted to the harsh environment, the small stature of the pony is thought to be from poor diet, during the winter months were pasture was covered with snow and ponies were forced to dig at the edges of lakes and the sea and eat seaweed. The Shetland Ponies were also put to use by the local “Crofters”(farmers) to plough ground. Other ponies were used to cart baskets of peat mined from the peat hills. Peat was a valuable commodity in the Shetlands as it was burnt for warmth, cooking etc.

The Shetland was exported from the island to the mainland and put to work in the coal mines. The pony was so useful in this situation it reduced the need for child labour in the mines. These days the Shetland pony enjoys a more pampered life, used for pleasure riding and showing and just companions. The Shetland pony maximum height is 10.2hh (42 inches), it can be any colour except Palouse, however there is a popularity for the black in the show ring. In Australia the Shetland is shown with full clip or a ‘rugged’ smooth coat, full mane and tail. The Shetland does really well on pasture providing there is some.

The Shetland pony is one of the breeds able to be registered with the APSB (Australian Pony Stud Book). The Shetland breed register is closed, meaning that only ponies bred from registered stallions and mares, are eligible for registration (pure bred on parentage on both sides). The first register of the breed occurred in 1890 in Great Britian. In Australia, the first Shetland was imported in the 1850’s, the breed was one of nine breeds forming the foundation of the APSB, in 1931 when the register was commenced.

Dulice loves the Shetland pony, and has brought all her children up on Shetlands, mustering and going to pony club. She has not found fault with the breed, but warns that Shetlands are horses, and must be treated with the same respect, training and attention that you would treat other larger horses. Shetlands often, due to their size, find themselves treated like pets, or placed in compromising/stressful situations like fair grounds, managing children who poke, pet and unintentionally mishandle animals. To Dulcie Shetlands have proven their reliability with children, she has never seen one intentionally kick at a person and has always found them able to be broken in.

Mustering one day with her husband and small children, all mounted on Shetlands, They pulled up at a dam to let the cattle drink and rest. The children rode down to the waters edge to give the ponies a drink and next thing Dulcie heard her young, 4 year old boy laughing and giggling, she looked up to see her son on the pony swimming laps of the dam with her son on board, thinking it was the best fun he had ever had. You can imagine any parents reaction, But all Dulcie could do was wait and watch as they both casually left the water, son still in saddle.

Dulice grew up in Tiaro, her father had a cattle and timber business, Dulcie recalls always getting into trouble as a kid spending too much time with her ponies/horses. Dulcie married a country bloke, they spent a lot of their working life as property managers around central queensland. Dulcie made sure that the employees knew she wasn’t there to be the station cook. She earned their respect working alongside her husband out in the bush.

Dulcie today has put herself out to pasture, ending her job of 27 years with Noel Booth at the Gracemere Horse Sale. Yep! Dulcie was the one out the back that you took your horse to prior to the sale. She has decided to down size her breeding operations at Mini Haven mainly due to drought, however the workload of any stud is enormous. Dulcie has a real heart for horses, her house is filled with horse memorabilia. As I reflect on this remarkable lady I can see her rusty figure perched up on her quad bike surrounded by her faithful companions, chatting away to each of them as they move in for her attention.