Shetland Pony

Best of British Breyer® is proud to celebrate the heritage and beauty of Britain's most iconic native breeds. Shaped by the country's natural meadows, moors and mountains over many centuries, Britain's native breeds - hardy ponies, sleek Thoroughbreds and powerful draughts - are renowned worldwide for their intelligence, toughness and conformation. Anyone who's grown up with horses has spent time in the saddle of a Shetland Pony! These reliable mounts hail from Scotland's Shetland Islands, and are thought to be the oldest breed native to Britain. Throughout history, Shetlands were commonly used for transportation and packing, and in the late 1800s they went to work in England's coal mines. For their size, the Shetland Pony is actually the strongest of all horse breeds. Shetlands that stand between 34 and 42 inches are called Standard and those less than 34 inches are known as Miniatures. Highly intelligent, they are excellent driving ponies and treasured mounts for children.