Today started off with me thinking I would learn to knit (here is one I prepared earlier she writes lying through her teeth).

Barbara, my knitting teacher and old friend, and I were talking while laughing at the dogs’ stand-off so much that we ran out of time – don’t worry, my friends on Ravelry, we have rearranged for next Thursday.

In the meantime, BeAnne learned to crochet, ….

Nellie watched…

…and Beeble did his best Mother Teresa impression.

Then, after a good lunch of laughing and soup, I thought “you know what? What the hell”.  I can get little or no sense from the NHS so I made a decision for myself.

It was absolutely wonderful, beyond words.

I had my freedom back – my legs (ok, his legs).

Haakon happily tölted along.  He galloped like the wind up the track getting faster and faster as I urged him on, always listening and instantly slowing down when asked. It was cold, snowing on and off and I didn’t care one bit.  I keep telling them (the NHS) that riding is the only time of the day or night when I don’t hurt.  They don’t believe me but it is true.  I didn’t think “ouch” once, just “wow” all the time.

And then Daisy was mugged.  Oh well.

I had the most brilliant idea this morning – Fiona and Daisy could teach Bozz-Bozz and Arcturus some simple lessons, like being caught….

…..standing quietly while the gate was secured,….

…and leading nicely (well two out of three ain’t bad).

They took the little lads into the indoor school and walked about a bit with them.  They mostly liked to go together so I asked Fiona and Daisy to work with each colt separately.

There were a few resulting issues…

…but Daisy tried a new method of training, explaining to Bozz-Bozz what it was she wanted him to do.

After that, it seemed to work fine…..

….and they became the bestest of friends

(she even let him have her hat).

Fiona had a different task.  I wanted Arcturus to stand nicely for a photo….

… and then to trot up for me.  There was a small difference of opinion…..

… and then he did it beautifully.  He is a lovely little mover once he gets the plot.

They are both dear little boys with huge potential.

I think it has done them the power of good being here this winter in my herd.  All the boys have enjoyed their baby-sitting duties without complaining.

I will admit I was howling with laughter while Daisy and Fiona tied themselves up in knots.  Personally, I blame the parent!

Bjørn came round to ride and train Taktur.  That trot is incredible.

Taktur is learning to tölt and his training has to be just right. I love watching them both together and learn a great deal which, one day, if I ever get back to riding again (thank you, Mr Surgeon), I will try out on my horse.  This is one of Taktur’s first steps of tölt – work-in-progress – so proud ** sniff **

Daisy waited patiently with a “creepy neighbour” ….

…and then had a shot herself under Bjørn’s expert tutelage.

To shut me up, Daisy then had a lesson on Haakon.

I worry that being old, Haakon will start to sieze up because I am not riding him regularly.  She did very well and got so much out of him.

Haakon is not the most helpful with a new rider but I think they quickly reached an agreement of both being in the same boat as my “siblings” so understood the concept of me nagging! Being the eldest together, apparently they can “relate”. Hmmmm….

Now, if you can walk past this schnozzer without giving it a snog, I don’t believe you.  Dear little Bozz-Bozz, is guaranteed to make you smile.

Dad, PingPong, is very happy too. I think this has been his best winter. He is content and very easy to talk to.  The perfect gentleman.

So, have a flooffy bottom and a silly frilly on me.

Now do you see what makes me smile every day?

When the girls were small, we had a great book called Six Dinner Sid.

Amazon’s description – “Sid is a cat who is addicted to having six meals a day and glories in this lifestyle. Manipulative, persuasive and a charmer he has wrapped everybody round his little paw – each owner believes that Sid belongs to them only . . . until the day he is found out!”

Well, we were sitting at the dinner table last night, like families do, making idle conversation (erratum: an intellectual debate) when it was discovered that Wussums had conned each and every one of us at every meal time.  We worked out he was fed ten times yesterday!

A fat lump and it is all our fault.  Not good.

Now he knows we are onto him, there is a list on the fridge and each and every time he is fed, it is written down, like when they check the ladies’ loo in supermarkets!  That’ll larn ‘im.

This afternoon we took BeAnne out for a walk and Wussums followed us. I thought he would stay off the road and go and play in my neighbour’s sheds at the end of our track but he was determined to follow us no matter what.

His dogged determination (see what I did there, geddit?!) was very evident and so we made a point of going off-road as some folk drive very fast and he wouldn’t stand a chance.  He understood this and followed us happily into the hill.

BeAnne was unimpressed with this feline company so decided to sulkily ignore him.

We went for miles, all the way to Watsness and back – that is slightly over 2 miles and Wussums plodded along happily with us, keeping up no problem.

Cattlegrids? Yer, bring em on!

You can play “Spot the BeAnne” – Daisy says she is a grassy tussock now!

It was a beautiful perfect day and we laughed while we watched out for our charges and walked in the glorious Shetland, dare I use the word Spring, sunshine.

Wussums was not keen on the streams and bogs but he did his best.

I just sent Daisy on ahead with the theory that if she sank, I wouldn’t walk there.  (I’ve seen the horse in The Neverending Story. I know what can happen – sob)

When we got home, Wussums collapsed in a heap.

BeAnne is now in therapy (again) to get over having to go on a dog walk with a flabby lying cat!

I almost prepared to forgive his scamming ways if he is happy to walk it off with us.

More news of Milday Socks, the moonwalking Shetland pony from his owner, Mari Williamson, from the Benston Stud.

“Well, it’s been utterly manic since the Three Mobile advert went live on 1st March.

My 32½” skewbald stallion, Milday Socks, (under the expert training & handling of Elaine Tait) is the star of the advert.  His antics have registered well over 5 million hits on YouTube.  I have to admit I’ve always been very proud of him but even more so now.  

I was delighted when my riding pony Hughie (the horse behind the wall in the advert and Socks’ best pal in real life) was included so they got a scene together.  In fact all our mares & fillies were used as background extras along with George and Barbara Tait’s beautiful Merkisayre Shetland Stud ponies.  My piebald stallion Merrylees Nuggett was the only pony at home – poor peerie man got left out! 

Bjørn Roar Larsen did a tremendous job at keeping Socks’ untamed mane and tail in check and the extensions in place – not a task to undertake lightly.  I love the part in the ad when George drives past on his tractor and Socks makes out as if nothing was going on but quickly resumes this fancy footwork as soon as he’s gone.

The PonyMixer app allows you to select a style of music and dress Socks in attire ranging from a punk rocker to a boyband, yip headset and all.  Have you tried it out yet?  Even my retained foal from last year, Benston Rhianna (by Hermits Pedlar, out of Benston Eva), got to star with Socks in the ‘Love’ option.  Dance Pony Dance!!

From a media point of view it’s been crazy.  We’ve done interviews for TV, magazines and daily papers.  Photo shoots with photographers from south and locally and not forgetting the happy snapper who wants their photo taken with the moonwalking pony!  He even got a red nose for Comic Relief Day!!

The advert is magical, light-hearted and encourages you to smile and ‘share’ with your family and friends.  It shows some magnificent Shetland scenery.  How lucky are we to have such breathtaking beauty on our doorstep?  We so often take it for granted.

We’ve had the most incredible response.  We’ve received emails, texts, phone calls and messages through social media websites from all over the world.  It’s at times like these that you realise that the world isn’t such a big place after all and that a 1 minute advertisement can bring millions to chat, laugh, giggle, discuss and share a moment with someone else.

As you can see from the photos below and on our Stallions Page, Socks is a real Shetland pony who loves to roll, get muddy and caper with his friends yet he has a gentle side when he puts his head on my shoulder or nuzzles up alongside me for a cuddle.

I sincerely hope that the advert has a positive effect on Shetland and everyone’s Shetland ponies.

Thank you all for your support.

Mari
Benston Stud“

Why not visit their website and others at Shetland Ponies From Shetland.

And the best bit?  I get to do a photoshoot of little Himself as soon as I can walk, travel, drive….  Can’t wait to see him sparkle! (insert cheesey grin!)