Small pony, full-size contact list
A Shetland emergency plan needs the same backbone as any horse plan: your numbers, a backup decision-maker who can authorize veterinary treatment, the equine veterinarian and after-hours clinic, and the farrier. Add one important Shetland-specific instruction, which is that helpers and handlers should be adults or experienced older handlers, because a pony ridden and led by children is still strong enough to pull away, step on feet, and barge a gate. List a nearby pony-owning neighbor who can catch and stable the Shetland if you are away, and state where the headcollar in the correct small size, lead rope, and stable or shelter are, so nobody improvises with oversized horse tack that slips off a neat Shetland head.
Identity and fencing notes for a pony that tests boundaries
Identification for a Shetland should record name, height, age, sex, coat color, any white markings, and photographs from both sides and the face, plus microchip details where present. Shetlands grow a very thick winter coat that can hide condition and change their outline, so note the date of the photographs and retake them after clipping or spring shedding. Describe fencing honestly: Shetlands are celebrated escape artists who push under low rails, lean on weak netting, and find the one unlatched gate, so the plan should map the paddock, list every gate and its fastening, and say where electric fencing units are switched on and off. Add road directions for a veterinary vehicle and the field shelter location a responder should check first.
Grazing limits are the heart of a Shetland plan
Feeding details matter more in a Shetland plan than in almost any other pony plan, because this thrifty native breed gains weight readily and rich grazing can make a Shetland sore-footed and reluctant to move. Write the exact routine: hours on grass, whether a grazing muzzle is worn and where it hangs, the type and amount of hay, any soaked-hay instruction, and the small measured feed if one is given. State in bold terms that helpers and visiting children must not add treats, extra hay nets, or turnout onto lush pasture as a kindness. Record current weight-check method, such as a weigh tape reading and where the tape lives, plus dates of recent hoof trimming and dental care, so a caretaker can tell the veterinarian what normal looks like for this pony.
Shetland warning signs and the response they need
A Shetland plan should tell helpers to call the veterinarian promptly if the pony is lying down more than usual, reluctant to walk, shifting weight between front feet, standing with a rocked-back stance, off feed, or showing repeated pawing and rolling. Foot soreness after a grazing change is information to report the same day, not at the weekend. Instruct helpers to keep the pony on a soft, dry surface with hay and water within reach, remove access to grass if the veterinarian advises it, and note when signs began and what the pony ate in the previous day. For a cut, a swollen leg, or trouble breathing, the instruction is simpler: phone the veterinarian first, keep the pony still and calm, and then call you.
Post the Shetland plan at the paddock gate
A Shetland plan should be fixed at the paddock gate and stable door where daily helpers actually pass, with copies held by the backup decision-maker and the neighbor named for catching. Review it whenever grazing arrangements, field companions, veterinarian, or farrier change, and at the start of spring when grass growth makes last season's routine unsafe to repeat from memory. Show any new helper the muzzle, the weigh tape, and the correct gate fastening in person. Gathered into KinsLe's Pet Passport, a Shetland pony's grazing limits, identity, and emergency contacts can be shared as one tidy packet.