My desire to have a sheep or two has lead me to a bit of research and I think I want a shetland. They are an unimproved breed which dates back thousands of years and was probably introduced to the Shetland Islands by the vikings. As they are unimproved they are very hardy (vital if something was going to survive in the Shetlands!) and have not been inbred for wool production or meat production at the expense of survival skills like easy lambing.
Because they were a breed that did well in harsh conditions near the arctic circle when they are in better conditions they thrive. They are good for fleece (which can sometimes be harvested without the need for shearing) and meat so are a good all round small sheep.
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