Where can I see Shetland ponies on Unst?
I will be spending a couple days on Unst on the Shetland Islands next year. My wife is very keen on seeing some Shetland ponies, and I am wondering how to go about this.
My research seems to indicate that Unst is a good place for this. Furthermore it seems that they are roaming freely and one can find them grazing at the roadsides. Now, by randomly looking through some Google Streetview, all I can find is a lot of sheep.
So my question is, how do I go about to find Shetland ponies on Unst? Is there a high probability of us finding them at the roadside without looking for them or are there specific places (farms, parks) where one would have to go to find them?
Best Answer
I am now back from Shetland and wanted to write up my own answer to provide some first hand experience for whoever else wants to go see some Shetland ponies.
As it turns out (and as the other answer correctly stated), it is really not hard at all to find them. We found some already before arriving on Unst while driving towards the ferry on Yell. On Unst itself they are pretty common, we found them at Muness, along the A968 (the main road) between Uyeasound and Baltasound, near Westing and at a small side road in Haroldswick right after the exit of the village when driving towards Saxavord. (I refer to the place names as on this tourist map). We didn't have to look for them, we just happened to drive past them while touring the island, so even if those places change, it would be pretty much impossible to drive around the island for more than a couple kilometres without seeing any ponies.
In most spots outside the main road (and most of the time even on the main road), it was no problem at all just to stop at the roadside (or at a passing place) and to get out to take some pictures. Most of the ponies were not very interested in us, but we did find some which were curious and came to the fence.
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Where can I see a Shetland pony?
They can generally be seen in the West Mainland, Scalloway, Tingwall, Dunrossness and the island of Unst. During August, the local agricultural shows take place, providing excellent opportunities for visitors to see these wonderful ponies in action.Where are Shetland ponies wild?
The Shetland pony is a Scottish breed of pony originating in the Shetland Isles in the north of Scotland. It may stand up to 107 cm (42 in) at the withers.What is the average price of a Shetland pony?
The average price for a Shetland pony ranges from around $500 to $1,500. The price typically increases for breeder ponies, especially when they can trace their purebred lineage. There are many rescue groups that have Shetland ponies for adoption.Can u ride Shetland ponies?
From the age of 2\xbd years old most children have the core strength to sit upright and enjoy a ride on a miniature Shetland pony, on the lead rein. Children can keep riding the larger Standards Shetland ponies until they are about 12 years old.Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Olga Lioncat, Helena Jankovičová Kováčová, alleksana, Guto Macedo