A random post (there will be a few like this from now on while I am stuck) – Flossie brought me an old pile of photos to look at and this pony’s folder of pictures jumped out at me.

This is what we used to do.  We used to take untrained Shetland ponies and train them to harness.  Let me introduce Chappie – probably one of the nicest dearest little chaps we ever worked with.

The day he arrived

We got him used to wearing the harness…..

A spot of long-reining with learning and listening to voice commands…..

…. then pulling the plank.

It was not all plain sailing.  There was the odd tantrum – I can’t remember what this one was about.

Anyway, back on track, we introduced the cart.  My little Floss in shafts and Alexandra (working student) rattling the swingletree so Chappie was used to the noise.

They walked behind him so he could get used to the sound of the cart behind him.

Then Jo put the cart to, ie up behind Chappie.  He became used to the feeling of the shafts coming and going by his sides.  At this stage a headcollar was put on over his driving bridle so he could be led.

Once he was relaxed with this, the shafts were put through the tugs but the traces and breeching were not attached yet.  This gave Jo and Alexandra a quick release if Chappie objected and nothing is tied on or done up.

Jo then did the last straps up, ie the breeching straps and the traces and off they cautiously went for their first drive.

Lots of rewards, no speed, much encouragement and everything is kept very calm.  The slightest hint of trouble and it was nipped in the bud.

This is their first solo drive together.

And more positive reinforcement and ending on a good note.

First trip out and of course they met the scariest tractor/trailer combo but Chappie was unphased.

So now it was just a case of getting the miles under his belt and to see as much as Shetland can offer.

Chappie was a darling boy.  A real treasure.  I hope whoever has him loves him as much as we did.  I wish all ponies were this easy to train to harness.

(Ahem, Hammy I hope you are reading this Blog!)

I can’t walk much (to the loo and back but only if really necessary) so I sent Flossie out with my phone camera to be my eyes.

In Shetland, the open hill is known as the scattald.  Every croft that has not taken in its apportionment (ie given up the right) has shares in the scattald. This takes the form of grazing for Shetland sheep, Shetland ponies and used to, I think, include cows too but I have never seen a cow on the hill.

With the croft also comes peat rights on the hill and this is an area marked out for you where you take in your winter peats from.  We do not dig for peat as it is back breaking.

With my croft, I still have some of my hill rights though I do not have animals on the hill as the single track roads twist through and in the dark, few stop when they run something over in their cars.  A dead sheep on the road, and sometimes even a pony, is always the result of a driving accident.  You hear things.

Floss obviously walked for miles this afternoon and here are some of her photos.  They are very good and even lying on my bed, I can get the feeling and smell of the scattald in autumn.

Floss eventually found some horses as was part of her remit.  They seem very spread out in their field of 20 acres and apparently no one was very keen to talk.

Haakon only brought his head up to pause for breath.  Winter is coming, he said and went back to stuffing.

Taktur just stands and waits by the gate.  He often leaves everyone – this is his spot.  He wants to do things, like work, but he is still on his holidays, until at least October, according to his trainer.

Seeing my boys only in photos is all I have.  It is not easy this and I haven’t even done a week.  My back is not liking it much either.

I have to live my life now through other people’s eyes as I am stuck on bedrest with my ankle threatening an ulcer *** sigh ***.  I could really do without an ulcer at the moment.  They take forever to heal.

Fiona and her two girls, Amber and Arwen, popped over to ride Iacs today.  I asked them to take photos for me so I could see my boys and the outside world.  This is the only way I will be able to see them and beggars can’t be choosers.

  

Once they had ridden, everyone came up to my bedroom to give me the photos and let me ask them questions as to how it went…..

This is the info that I gleaned….

Fiona caught him

Arwen led him

Arwen and Amber brushed him, Amber put his bridle on, Fiona put his saddle on and they forgot to do his feet (tut, tut – orders have been issued for next time). 

Arwen – started on lead rein and then was let go.  She did walk, trot, sitting trot, trotting circles and stop.  There was steering round the cones, around-the-world and riding without stirrups – in circles and trotting.  Great stuff!

   

Amber who is not on the lead rein managed walk, trot and stop. There was even a very credible rein-back too, steering around cones and circles.  Amber learned to balance without using her hands so Iacs walked and she rode without stirrups (always wobbly imho).  Well done.

    

Amber and Arwen untacked – Amber did the saddle and Arwen, the bridle.

Arwen led him back to field and took his headcollar off in the field.   There was much mud.

I asked the girls for two words to describe Iacs :-
Arwen – safe and secure
Amber – slow but fun
Flossie – silly frilly

I lay on my bed and watched some crap-awful film doing potential shopping on Fleabay.    I even have a Watch List now.  Whatever it takes – just no ulcer, please.

Floss has really taken to this riding thing.  She had a lesson from Jo yesterday in the indoor school.  I think walk and rising trot were involved.

   

with perhaps some steering too.  All good and now I have to look for jodphurs, a hat and some boots for Floss, if she wants to continue.   They went out for a ride too and Mr Bimble didn’t have another independent thought again.  He tried it once and didn’t like it!  Far too much energy involved so they pottered along together happily at the back.

Now I need to find Flossie a horse.  I am sure I can find one lying around doing nothing!

While Floss was having her lesson, everyone came in.

I love Klængur’s guilty face as he stands surrounded by debris of his fidgeting.  He was not popular for shitting on the broom either.

Meanwhile Dog Wars has commenced.  There has been a nervous truce about my bed and neither Loki nor BeAnne will back down.

Apparently there was a dog fight at the end of the walk, according to OH.  This is not good.  Jo had taken out BeAnne’s stitches a few hours before, as requested by the vet.  The wound looked clean and dry.  After the fight, it was open and BeAnne also has two cuts above her eye.  Luckily, I have a staple gun for just these occasions so I managed to pop one staple in, took a photo and sent it to them that know.

Poor BeAnne was very miserable – her teeth were chattering so I brushed her while we waited for our second opinion to arrive.  Beauty at all times.

It was decided that another staple would be beneficial and we managed to examine her thoroughly too for more damage.  I also gave her a slug of Rescue Remedy.  She was more offended by that than the stapling.

My poor baby.  Everyone is furious at Loki.  He knows this and will not be allowed upstairs for a while.  To be fair, though, this has been rumbling on for a while and BeAnne does not help by growling and making rude faces when Loki asks to jump on the bed.

Bloomin’ hell.  Why does everyone want stitches?  We don’t all have to match.

 

I was admitted to my hospital room first thing Monday morning (forgive the photography, I was shaking with fear).  This is my room with a lovely view of the River Clyde.  There was an accompanying soundtrack from Glasgow airport – a stone’s throw away.

The surgeon visited to write his name on my leg along with some other hieroglyphics.

Theatre was actually not that bad. I had no pre-med and a very nice man held my hand while I went to sleep.  I remember my last words were “please God let everything go alright” and off I snoozed to wake up to this….

(before you ask, no that is not nail varnish on my big toe but a bruise from where I had stubbed it a few weeks back)

The pain was beyond excruciating and no analgesia made any difference.  The night was very long and miserable so the Pain Team gave me morphine which helped hugely.  I slept most of the next day and everyone avoided me.

Another plaster cast but this time it was a full one as opposed to the previous back slab.  They then cut it both sides for the flight as thems are the airline rules.  I am held together with velcro.

  

With muchos morphine, I flew home to my bed.  Everyone involved was wonderful, caring and helpful.  There was a very happy face waiting for me, smiling and squeaking with happiness.

She took up her position and has not left the bed since.

Sometimes Loki comes up to see me, much to BeAnne’s rage.  She doesn’t really do sharing.  Loki only appears when there is food potential.  Wuss made a brief appearance and it was lovely to see him, if briefly.

So this is me stuck for 6 weeks with brief excursions to the bathroom.  I managed to wash my hair today. It was bliss.

A huge thank you to Floss for her wonderful Blog writing.  Bless her, she did very well and I will tell you about her riding experiences tomorrow.  I am so proud of all her efforts and she makes a great companion.

Not a fair-weather friend, like Loki!