This is a little bit about how we got started with the Shetland ponies.

Emma was 12 years old and had nagged for months about getting a Shetland pony as a pet and to do a little bit of showing. We were introduced to David Kay, who has given us so much help over the years, and he had a pony that he was willing to sell us, her name was Langa Delight and we all loved her. Emma called her Dilly as a pet name and we did our first show at Chipping, Lancashire. She got loads of advice from the judge due to the fact she was the only one in the class. But it helped her immensely. We enjoyed going to the shows and getting to know more Shetland owners so we went to more and more shows. We also met Joan and Bob Headon who bred Dilly and we let them know how she is getting on when we see them at shows.

Next we went to see David's new foals in 2007, Emma went a few times when they were ready to be halter trained to learn how to handle them. We decided we wanted another Shetland and we bought Oxendale Katie, from David, in October of that year.

The next step was discussing putting Dilly in foal and after a while we decided to go ahead. In the meantime we bought a lovely Shetland, Julmar Chatterbox, in Summer 2008 after some friends decided they were selling her, we hadn't planned on buying another but they do seem to take over your lives! We put Dilly with David Kays Oxendale Benjie, he now belongs to Mr & Mrs Lowthian, and in May 2008 she foaled a gorgeous filly. The start of Landale Shetlands.

It was quite fun running out of work and taking Emma out of school quickly to try and catch the birth, sadly we just missed the foaling but my sister Janet and her husband Mick were there. Everything went really well, thankfully.

Emma was at Badminton Horse Trials on Bank Holiday Monday 3rd May when my brother in law rang to tell me that April was ready to foal. I got there just in time and again Janet and Mick were there to help. Janet has done all the night watches for me as she doesn't sleep very well and April was in the field next to the house. April had a beautiful colt and he was soon up and wobbling around. We can't wait to show them both. Dilly is going to the Allengrove stud to their stallion ready for next year, I can't believe how these animals take over your lives. We spend many an hour with the new foal again and he is going to be very friendly just like the others.

Just to let you know how we came up with our prefix:- The name Landale comes from our first Shetland Langa Delight and a gentleman, who has been fantastic with all the family, David Kay who has the prefix Oxendale. So we took Lan and dale from both and got the prefix Landale.

We hope you have enjoyed reading about how we got started with shetlands. Maybe we will see you at some shows. 

Richard, Helen and Emma Walker

P.S. Emma does all the showing in the ring and Richard goes into the ring with the foals while I horse sit and help brush them up before they go into the ring.