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Glite Dictionary
Shetland pony

Shetland pony

2 3.4
A very small, sturdy horse with thick shaggy fur from the Shetland Islands
  • noun
  • /ˈʃɛt.lənd ˈpoʊ.ni/
translation icon : poni de Shetland
  • What was that—a Shetland pony?
  • ride a Shetland pony
  • pulled by a Shetland pony
  • two Shetland ponies

Katt Williams came by and with a Shetland pony.

Examples

  • Little kids enjoyed riding Shetland ponies at the petting zoo while their parents watched.

  • At just five years old, Ashlee's parents bought her a Shetland pony to teach her how to ride.

  • With news like this, I hope you got her a Shetland pony.

    Enchanted (2007)

  • In England, we have something called a Shetland pony, which is just a little bit smaller than your idea of a pony.

    Diana: Life in Fashion (2022)

  • We rode Shetland ponies instead of horses.

    A Mighty Wind (2003)

  • I'd be scared if I didn't have a Shetland pony!

    The Swan Princess Christmas (2012)

  • Little kids rode Shetland ponies; bigger ones rode the roller coaster, the Ferris wheel, and the Kamikaze.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • They kept some saddle horses, goats, and two Shetland ponies for their grandkids to ride during summer.

Synonyms

pony
vsShetland pony
148 1.0

A small horse often under five feet tall at the shoulder and gentle

is a single very small breed from specific islands rather than a general type
Shetlander
vsShetland pony
6.1

A small strong pony from the Shetland Islands with a thick coat

focuses on long shaggy mane and tail rather than overall thick coat

How Big

draft horse
  • US
1 3.8
riding horse
1 2.3
cow pony
  • US
1 7.5
Shetland pony
2 3.4

Surface Forms

Shetland pony singular
Shetland ponies plural

Morphology

Shetland + pony

The term is a transparent place-name + animal compound: 'Shetland' (the islands) + 'pony' (a small horse) directly yields a pony breed from Shetland. This compositional naming pattern is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Shetland pony comes from the 'Shetland Islands', where tiny, strong ponies lived. Living in cold, rough places with little food made them short and grow thick hair, so today Shetland pony means a very small, sturdy pony.