I was wondering what the traditional vehicle for Shetland ponies would be. I am thinking of the original Scottish pony (the ‘Thelwell Pony’) not the American Shetland. Does anyone know?
I do believe it may have been a Governess Cart. I heard it mentioned on Downton Abbey last night. One daughter was going driving and wanted the governess cart hooked to a pony. Images on the net show a wicker basket body on light duty high wheels, and the two images i found of it hitched, was to a pony.
I guess it would make sense to have a smaller equine put to a Governess Cart. For some reason it does not sound very Shetland Islands to me, I was thinking something more rustic, but I have nothing to go by than my own bias!
Wouldn’t that be a coal car, since they were known for being pit ponies?
I have never heard of them having a “special Shetland Isle” vehicle. Just home made things in tiny sizes, cart style, for moving goods on the islands. Those Island people were fisher folk, sheep herders, very poor.
There are no pits on the Shetlands.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pencille/3598023947/
They hauled peat in and did general farm work.
Old newsreel film; http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=46729
The Shetlands were probably not suitable terrain for carriages/carts etc.
I suppose you need to explain your definition of “traditional”. As in “traditional in the US and Britain in the 1880’s when Thelwell type Shetlands were used for the children” or “traditional for farm work on the islands”, or “traditional for the royal families”, etc.
If for children, sk_pacer would be correct - it would be the wickersided, rear entry Governess Cart. Walbourne and Riker (midwest US) made them especially for the Shetland. These were, however, used when more than one child was in attendance. Or one child and a dog. Generally driven by an adult.
Shetlands were also used quite extensively for the so-called “donkey cart” - a small 2-person road cart type vehicle, when a child was driving, or when driven by a groom with a child in attendance.
A bit fancier, and for the adult, a pair would also go with a small phaeton - Queen Victoria was partial to the tiny “low to the ground with a wide sweep to enter” 4 wheeled phaetons, and was often seen (in her younger, and then much older days) tootling around with Shetlands put to these small vehicles.
So…you have quite a choice!
I knew there were no mines on the islands, figured the ponies got exported to other areas for use in mines. Husband mentioned he thought the small ponies were used in tin mines as well as coal mines. For as small as the Shetlands are, they can handle a good size load in straight pulling like mines have. Smaller size allows them into smaller mine shafts. Less cost for construction to the mine owners.
Thanks for the old film link. Always interesting to see how things used to be done.
[QUOTE=Equibrit;6030557]
There are no pits on the Shetlands.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pencille/3598023947/
They hauled peat in and did general farm work.
Old newsreel film; http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=46729
The Shetlands were probably not suitable terrain for carriages/carts etc.[/QUOTE]
To be honest, I did not give much thought to the term traditional. I was just looking at the pictures from a Shetland pony show and noticed that many were driving a road cart and was wondering what kind of cart people in the Shetland Islands would actually put them to.
Omg those photos are lovely Equibrit.
This one, though not a shetland, had me in stitches for hours
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pencille/5461731720/in/photostream/
Hamish the dude !
Thank you Equibrit for all those wonderful pictures and websites. Reinforces my desire to go visit the Shetland Islands. For such remote islands, they do quite well: great ponies, really good wool producing sheeps and nice dogs!
I heard you had to be a short person to visit the Islands. They don’t want tall people because they step on all the little creatures!! Ha Ha
I agree that the ponies, sheep and sheepdogs are all the cutest things, and all hairier than one person deserves to own. All that grooming!!!
The grinning pony was hysterical, thanks for his photo. What a spokesman for a Dental Service!
Shetland wool is the itchiest thing on earth.
I finally found what is the ‘traditional’ vehicle for Shetland!
I got the book ‘Shetland Ponies’ by Valerie Russell for Christmas and it shows a very old picture of a woman doing her errands with a Shetland pony. The caption says that she was coming back from doing her grocery. So I guess that the 'proper vehicle for a Shetland is: The Grocery Cart! 
At one time there were virtually no roads as such on Shetland so most transport was either riding (usually on Shetlands!) or the ponies were led with panniers on each side.
Governess carts, dog carts, Ralli Cars and even small Spring Carts were more an English/Scottish thing.
I will try to find some photos I have ‘somewhere’ on my computer. We used to often compete in Historical Turnout classes with a friend’s Shetland gelding.
