Shetland weather is awful! As is Scottish weather compared to down in South East England! Shetlands are more than capable od coping! He'll use is fat reserves to keep warm and stay waterproof with the mammoth coat

My boy would do ok rugless I think over the worst of the winter, but he is still ridden. I have to get him clipped as he sweats to easily and grow a mammoth coat (loose you hand and half your arm! :O ) so I have to rug him.

I am not one to rug horses unless they really need it.

Lovely pics there Kirsty Can't add anything other than what has already been said, but totally agree with Jackie there about the wet AND cold that gets to them rather than just the cold. Plenty of hay, that keeps them warm. I tried wintering out my tb one year (long story!) and not only did he have some lovely thick woodland to get out of the weather, but Dave also built me a great field shelter, but did he go in it? Nah! He used to stand there shivering in the wet and cold with a hooded rug on Horses Not the sharpest tools in the box lol!

Your little ponies will do fine living it out even up there where it gets a lot colder than down here in the South, but a bit of shelter for a nice warm sleep would be much appreciated I'm sure!

Agree both ponies look to have enough flesh on them to take them over the winter..

Re= pony nuts , just an added extra , for the odd occasion, if you feel they need it...but by the looks of them, they will be fine.


If you place their hay in the field shelter, that will encourage them to go there...

Cute as buttons, both of them!

Thanks everyone. I am going to go over later and open both gates into the second field where the shed is and make a nice bed for them in a section of it, and will feed them some hay down there (and the occasional handful of pony nuts) to encourage them to use it. Hopefully they will Thanks for all the really useful advice

I would prefer not to rug (apart from a sweet itch one in summer) and so am very happy with the replies I just wanted to make sure I was doing the best by the ponies in the inclement weather we are no doubt due (and have had some of today!). I have been down this afternoon and shut the ponies in the second field (for the timebeing) and fed them a few carrots in the shed, but left the door open, so it is now their own choice to be in or out

Would really like to see some pics of your new forests

We get some pretty harsh conditions here in winter, but I guess (as you say) he should be able to stand it. It is what he was bred for When I was considering a ridden pony/horse for myself I was told by a number of horse people that the only one I should seriously consider where I live is a Highland (if I wanted a tough, low maintenance one ). Maybe I will have one, one day

As I have said in a previous thread, I have moved them down to the second field for the timebeing, where the shed is - so hopefully they will make use of it now.

Thanks Helen. It has been really nasty here all afternoon (freezing cold and hailstorms) so I am pleased I got this advice today. I would hate to think of the ponies standing cold and wet all night, so have left them with access to the warm barn. I just hope they have a bit more brainpower than your tb obviously had

Thanks again Jackie. I am really pleased I asked on here today, as the weather has been absolutely foul all afternoon
I won't start feeding them hay yet, as there is still plenty of grass to be had, but will definitely start feeding it in the barn so they both know to go in there.
Thanks again, you have all been really helpful.

Great pics! Strom is adorable

I only had really poncy show ponies as a kid so the poor things were rugged up to their ears if out during winter, and only allowed out during the day!

As long as they have access to the shelter all the time, they'll be just fine I reackon, built for it they are, little fluffy snugglebums!

Ahhhhh, I feel much better now I like to know they have the option of staying warm and dry The times I used to go racing back up to the field, to either take the rug off, put the rug on, get him in, throw him out, oh it was a nightmare Guaranteed, as soon as you brought them in out of the cold and rain, out would come the sun At least you don't have that problem Kirsty, yours is the ideal situation, which I had eventually as I rented 7 acres with 4 stables and we left the doors of the stables open - sorted!!!