Here is Sheltie, at three years old, standing like a really sensible pony. This was taken at the farm on Hartshead Pike. Do you like his wonky love heart patch?!

My first post was really long because I wanted to give the background, I will just do bits as I have time now. Sheltie was unwanted because he was unplanned, the previous owners had a paddock and decided a couple of goats would be useful to keep the grass down. They asked a local horse dealer to fetch a pair back from the horse sales for them. When the dealer returned he had a pair of Shetland ponies in tow.. As the size was pretty similar to a goat(?) the ponies were taken on a trial basis and then kept and called John and Jewel. A year later a foal was born ,though initially the owner thought one of the ponies had had a leg drop off when she saw a white thing lying in the grass. One of the ponies was a stallion but I guess with his fluffy coat and his underparts being below the line of vision it had not been noticed. John was castrated pretty quickly, but not quick enough as a year later our Sheltie arrived. The first foal was found dead one morning, presumably a tragic case of colic, about eighteen months later. The owners decided to part with the remaining colt, it is one thing to have two quiet mature ponies grazing but the youngster would need work etc. and the decision was made to ask around for a new home, which is how I got my hands on him.