I woke up this morning and my first thought was that I wanted to ride my horse today.

This thought gnawed away at my heart all morning, no matter how I tried to ignore it, and I was putting horseshoes away in the shed, when I looked up to see they had all heard my heart screaming and arrived, ready to be chosen.

I took Haakon into the school and brushed him for a while. He was covered in bird poop (they sit on his back while he grazes, like a giant hippo).

I am not very good at this grooming thing. In fact it bores me and I was “this” far from tacking him up and going out for a ride hoping no one would notice but I have to respect my surgeon’s wishes (January at the earliest).  So I bunged BeAnne on instead.

OH was around so I suggested he came too and we went en famille for a walk down the road with Loki.  I haven’t taken Loki on this route for ages and wanted OH to be around just in case. Muchos bribery in the form of biscuits and everyone was listening.

Loki practiced his close lead work on the road.

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The local tarts called to Haakon. They could see he was a potential Handsome Prince.

In turn, he was intrigued by the ladies.  As a serving stallion in his youth, Haakon thought they were both a bit nice and kept stopping to gaze.

For the dogs, more walking to heel without a lead.  Very successful.  Well done chaps.

More bird-watching

and we grudgingly went home.

As a reward for his good behaviour, we gave Loki his first bone.

Bless him, he had no idea what to do with it but soon learned from the experts.

Continuing on from yesterday with Santa in Lerwick, I made a short film so you can see just how well behaved Fivla and Vitamin were as they paraded through the street – the balloons, the ringing bell, the noise, the crowds – so proud of my girls.

Today we decided to put them back in their winter field, having finished with fame for the time being.  Back to being normal Shetland ponies again.

Jo caught Vitamin and Fivla went all silly.  So I put my camera down and was went to put a headcollar on her because when Fivla has one of her diva moments, only her Mum understands – ie, me!

I called Fivla and showed her “the tissue of lies” (a slightly used tissue I found in my pocket), told her it was made of carrots and it worked like a charm.  Fivla and I know each other very well.  She has been part of our family for 17 years.  I know what makes her tick.

We left Velvereta to keep Velia, her half sister with the abscess, company.

She is happy to take on her nursing job and she is very pregnant too.

The girls were walked down the road to the waiting trailer.

Thank the Gods that both ponies load without any fuss. We can’t be doing with difficult ponies or horses anymore.  No more arguments.  Just in and done.

We put them into the field and they instantly spied their friends eating in the distance.

This is a huge field where they will stay for the winter or until the grass has gone.

And off Fivla and Vitamin rushed to tell everyone how they spent an afternoon with some man in red shouting and ringing a bell and it was all very strange.  I wonder what they thought of it all.

We have just got home from taking Fivla and Vitamin to lead the Winter Festival Family Parade in Lerwick with Santa Clause turning on the Christmas lights with the nursery children.

Those two ponies are completely bomb-proof (not that a bomb went off but you know what I mean).  A bell being rung, brass band playing, a swarm of people and Vikings (Jarl Squad), tractor, wheelchairs, balloons….. you name it, Fivla and Vitamin have seen it, met it and they calmly strolled through the town like Her Majesty The Queen herself on a meet-and-greet.  I was so proud of these two little Shetland ponies wearing their sweaters and jingle bells.  They walked behind Santa and his ringing bell, stopping to say hello to any small child who wanted a chat.  Nothing worried them and they took it all in their stride.

Everyone is exhausted now.  Here are the pics.  Mince pies for the girls tomorrow.  They deserve it.  Double whiskey for Jo, Fiona and Robert.  We deserve it!

Getting ready

Walking from the stable to the trailer

Into the trailer

Getting dressed

All going to the starting point, taking the pooper-scooper with us, aka Robert.

Down by the boat harbour.

Ready for the off

First fan

Jarl Squad arrives

And off we go!

Off to Lerwick today in our new-to-us little car that we bought on Monday.  It ran beautifully and it has the missing 6th gear that I always previously looked for.  I took my big camera with me just in case those Eiders appeared again.  I don’t think they did.

I saw a Graculus type bird – definition here – our family are keen Noggin the Nog fans.

I pootled about with my camera for a while being (f)artistic.

And saw this little thing again.

And Graculus (?) closer up.

Then suddenly, they all disappeared and a seal hove into view.

Then off to see my “hoodie” who was still having fun at the same beach.

Now, question, are these birds the same as the original birdie with the orange legs?  My guess it that they are.  They are much prettier flying than standing.

Having done with the bird-watching and, realising Shetland only has about 5 hours camera-worthy daylight this time of year, I drove back to Sandness to see if the girls are preparing themselves for tomorrow’s Big Event.  I found them getting their beauty sleep.  They are going to need it because everyone will be taking photos of them in their best bib and tucker.  As you can see it is hard work being a media internet sensation.

Tomorrow we will be attending the Family Parade Day in Lerwick – full details here – with pooper scoop in one hand and camera in the other.  Jo has made Vitamin and Fivla a lovely set of jingle bells on red leather to go round their necks.  I am toying with purchasing some tinsel.

I wonder if they will be allowed into Santa’s Grott?  Probably not. He really wouldn’t want Fivla and Vitamin sitting on his knee but yes, they have been very good girls all year.

I am enjoying my new found freedom so I drove over to Sandness to see how the boys were getting on.  Upon opening the car door at home, Loki hopped in leaving BeAnne speechless with rage.  She went back indoors and sulked.  So I left her there and off we drove together.

There is a good pile of grass in the new field and the ponies are all doing their level best to make a clean plate.

This is Charles Buttons Esq’s mad face.

Andy, his older brother, is more sardonic.  This is his “been there, seen it, but my little brother is an idiot” sort of face.

IndyPingPong and Hammy are at the other end of the field. There are still obvious factions.

I think Hammy is as tall as Indy is wide.  I need to measure them.

So, having seen the boys, I made a very rash decision – to go to the beach to for a potter.  I love Sandness beach.  Loki and I were the only ones there and it was cold, the sea was roaring and the light magical.

Loki’s behaviour was surprisingly exemplary.  This is not his first time on the beach and we usually resort to putting him on a lead when he tests all the boundaries and our nerves.  Everytime he looked towards the sand dunes, I called him down and that was all we needed.  He even came back to me when asked.  He seemed far more connected and focussed.

On the way back, he left the beach before me and I wondered whether that was him gone, but no, there he was waiting for me by my little car.

I am sure we were being watched.

I feel we have turned a corner.  Next, to work on Her Maj’s Olympic style sulking.  She is not the forgiving type and no doubt I will be sulked at until formal apologies have been made.  At present, she is lying under my desk sleeping resentfully at me.

(some photos on the way home)