Shetland Ponies and the Grand National - the stuff marketing dreams are made of?

There are few sights more endearing than thundering Shetland ponies tearing around a steeplechase course tackling 12 miniature "Aintree-style" fences. Shetland Ponies are fabulous, fierce competitors, and their cuteness often belies a high intelligence and well-developed sense of mischief.



The Shetland Pony Grand National qualifier from the 2011 Badminton Horse Trials, one of several qualifying events held in England as riders and their ponies vie to qualify for one of 10 spots in the Shetland Pony Grand National at Olympia, the London International Horse Show, held in December.








From an event marketing perspective, the Shetland Pony Grand National really has it all. The ponies and kids are compelling, the race is incredibly fun. It is a compellingly cute attraction that appeals to audiences young and old, and it is linked to charity and a high-profile, worthwhile cause. The Shetland Pony Grand National raises significant money for charity, draws visitors to horse shows (which means increased profile, more revenue, etc), and, in an era where a significant number of breeds are considered endangered by the http://www.rbst.org.uk, gives the Shetland Pony Registry and the breed's opportunity to do what it must: reinvent the Shetland Pony so that it stays relevant in the modern world.

About Shetland Ponies:
Shetland Ponies originated as a breed in the Shetland Isles, northeast of mainland Scotland. They are small, hardy ponies ranging in height from 7 hands (28 inches) to 10.2 hands (42 inches) at the withers. American Shetlands can be as large as 11.2 hands (46 inches).

The ponies have heavy coats, short legs and are considered very intelligent. were first recognized as a breed in 1890. They were first used for pulling carts, carrying peat, coal and other items, and for plowing farm land. When the Industrial Revolution increased the demand for coal, Shetland ponies were used as pit ponies on mainland Britain and in the United States, where the last pony mine closed in 1971.

They were officially recognized as a breed in 1890. 

Today, Shetland ponies are ridden and shown by both children and adults in harness classes, and used for pleasure driving outside the show ring. Shetland ponies remain very popular for small children, used in riding schools, for pleasure riding and at horse shows. They can also be trained as guide horses, peforming the same role as guide dogs.

 About the Shetland Pony Grand National:
The Shetland Pony Grand National stared in 1981 as the brain-child of the Late Raymond Brooks-Ward, the founder of the Olympia International Horse Show. The steeplechase is run along the same lines as its big  brother, the Grand National at Aintree. Ponies are paraded, jockeys (wearing racing silks) are mounted led to the start. The race around the course incorporates 2 1/2 laps and 12 miniature Aintree-style fences. 

The rules of the event are simple:

• Riders must compete for a year in a discipline like jumping, eventing or dressage before beginning the qualifying process at the Windsor Horse Show.
• Competitors must be between the ages of 9 and 13, and no taller than 5'1".
• Ponies must be at least 5 years old, and registered with the Shetland Pony Stud Book Society.

The purpose of the Grand National is two-fold. It raises money through race sponsorships: since its inaugural race in 1981, the Shetland Pony Grand National has raised more than £400K, with the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital being this year's charity of choice.

Great sites to visit to learn more about Shetland ponies
http://www.shetlandminiature.com/
http://www.thebritishhorse.com/ShetlandPonyBreed.html
http://www.shetlandponystudbooksociety.co.uk/
and of course, the Shetland pony wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shetland_pony

Faith and Spirit

Horses play an integral role in the history, and the present, of the Americas. In recent months, there have been a great many articles about the BLM's wild horse roundups, the treatment of retired racehorses, of neglect and cruelty. The issue of horse slaughter (which is currently banned in the United States, but allowed in both Canada and Mexico) is receiving tremendous publicity both for the inhumanity of the practices associated with it, and because of the practice itself. 

"Faith and Spirit came to the farm on April 20th 2011. We received a phone call from the local kill pen that a foal had been born in their holding pen. We worked desperately to raise funds to rescue mom and baby. Joel, one of our dedicated volunteers, donated what we needed to save these two. We estimated his birth date is April 10th 2011. This colt literally saved his mother's life. There's no doubt the slaughterhouse would have killed her, pregnant or not. Faith and Spirit will remain at Day Dreams Farm until Spirit is weaned and then Faith will be up for adoption. Spirit will continue to grow up at the farm and he will choose which direction he wants his life to go."

The inhumanity of the kill pen, and the tragedy that faces horses who find themselves there, is illustrated in a wonderful video of a foal born in a kill pen while his mother waited for slaughter (http://youtu.be/WODPAmME1e8). There is a happy ending for them both, thanks to Day Dreams Equine Rescue and Therapy (http://www.daydreamsfarm.com) but there need to be many, many more. Horses, because they have outlived their usefulness in one role, should not be thrown away. They can certainly be retrained for another purposes. Like all domesticated animals, they have an important relationship with people, and one that is mutually beneficial. The unspeakable things we do to dispose of them reflects our respect for humanity as a whole, and it is time we step up for the human race, the animal population, and the planet. 

The issues around the treatment, management and slaughter of horses are complex, but the realities seem to be simple and come down to an all too common denominator - human greed.  Horses are expensive to keep, and if they are wild, can be inconvenient to have around. Crushing economic conditions have exacerbated poor conditions for many farmers and horse owners, with more and more horses suffering from neglect as owners are unable to keep them. A reduction in horse races and purses, and an increase in irresponsible breeding, have resulted in a glut of unwanted racehorses, many of whom have earned significant money before being consigned to the kill pen because their racing careers are over.  Rescue organizations are stretched, and advocacy groups fight an uphill battle in the face of a glut of unwanted horses. And, it is important to remember that, in North America, horses are not raised for human consumption, and the sale of horse meat is prohibited by the FDA for health purposes.

Please advocate to stop horse slaughter, and to address the root causes of this issue. And please, support your local rescues, shelters and therapeutic riding centres!