Monthly Archives: February 2014

Bebbie Visiting

I had a wonderful morning visiting the rescue bebbies who are staying with Jo at the moment.

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They have changed, not hugely, but they are happier and very engaging.  I was investigated, snogged and nibbled by three very pleased-to-see-us little colts.  They like people and see them as the food factory, which is fine.  I am very happy to oblige.

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There is no need for any head collars as they just follow like dogs, coming when they are called and easily bribed with a bucket.

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Still no muscle or change in shape.  They remain pitifully thin.

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Their fur has buffed up more.  I thought about buying rugs but that will just flatten their coat and stop it naturally coming back to health.  It was nice to see them grooming each other.

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They have their stable which they can pop in and out of.   Jo has placed a strategic sheep hurdle to stop any investigations.  They do sleep in there lying down during the day.  All three together.  They are very much a group.  No one has an independent thought.

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Storm (InATeaCup) has come out more. He is very chatty and loves being stroked or scritched.  He was leaning up against me and suddenly lost his balance almost going over.   We want to trim their feet but they are not strong enough for this yet.

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The bebbies have three meals a day and now have their own separate buckets for this as they all need their own ration. I think Storm would lose out if it came down to a competition.

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The darling bebbies are changing in character and that is the first step forwards.  They are like little shaggy dogs with enquiring minds always offering the benefit of their experience!

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And I’m Back!

Hello everyone.  Did you miss me?

Well, after a few adventures, I am now back in my beloved Shetland.

The trip south was fairly uneventful.  I saw my parents for five days and then went to Oxford for the weekend to stay with my daughter who is in her second term (they call this one Hilary).  Oxford is beautiful and I enjoyed taking photos and bringing my credit card to its knees sobbing with exhaustion.  Suffice it to say WE SHOPPED!

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I realise I should’ve been writing this blog by Monday telling you tales of how the bebbies et al were getting on but I had an enforced excursion to hospital.

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Just before my return north, I was struck down with some southern plague and had to crawl home via every lavatory from Oxford – Heathrow – Aberdeen – Shetland.  I was not well by this time and ended up as a guest of the NHS these past three days.

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Anywho, everything is getting back to normal now and I will recuperate fully.  Jo still has the bebbies living with her and, from what I can see on Facebook, they seem to be coming out of themselves and have more energy, even bucking.  They are often found lying down asleep in their stable or  “helping” everyone with any task.  Some might call it “getting in the way”.

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So tomorrow I fully intend to go over and snog some little noseys.  I will report back.

(here are my Oxford photos)

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Puppy love

Hi all – Frances is returning home tomorrow after a trip down South, so it’s Nick here again to keep you entertained.

Just an update on Danny’s progress for you.

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He is an absolute joy to have around. He learns really quickly and is now starting to be trusted off the lead when out on walks. This discipline is sorely tested when we meet a dog coming the other way however, and I often find myself standing alone on a path, looking backwards, calling his name and trying not to show the desperation behind my feigned enthusiasm, before giving up and going to collect him in person.

He loves the company of other dogs, and we have met loads in our local walking park. He’s also one of the fastest dogs in the pack too, and is quite a sight when he’s in full flow. We’ve not met any greyhounds yet, but when we do it would be interesting to see how he compares…

Anyway, he does need a LOT of exercise, so we try to take him out at least twice a day, so that when he’s back home he’ll just chill in his crate rather than trying to rip to shreds anything we accidentally leave lying around. Frances has been great in giving advice on how to make him behave, and it’s paying dividends.

So to leave you, here he is doing his best cute face:

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How could anyone resist those eyes?

 

 

Going Outside

Off tomorrow at the crack of sparrows, so I went over to check that Jo was looking after my bebbies properly.

I found the colts outside having a breath of fresh air in a small paddock behind her old croft house.  It is fairly well sheltered and the grass hasn’t been eaten for a while.  They were out not  so much for the nutrition but to let them stretch their wobbly legs, breathe some fresh air and allow their coats to fluff up a bit naturally.

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I took a short film.

And with that the heavens started to threaten so we caught them all up and I led them, feeling like Miss Lovelace, the Trumpton milliner with her trio of Pekingese dogs (Mitzi, Daphne and Lulu), back to their stable.

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The lads trundled very slowly inside, still wobbly and unsure and they were given some chopped up apple for elevenses.

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The wind has fluffed up their fur nicely but they remain in themselves subdued and shut down.

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I am worried about their urine.  They pee in very small amounts and it is still an opaque yellow.  I hope their kidneys are not damaged.

Sitting for a while with them, while Jo went to look for BeAnne who had vanished (she was found in the chicken shed eating scraps), the ponies remained aloof and cautious of me.  I gave them all a snuggle and kiss goodbye. We talked about the “what if” scenario and I trust Jo to make the right decision immediately, no questions, no suffering.

Anyway, I told my bebbies that I expected them all to be here upon my return and I trust they listened.

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Daily updates will be on the Thordale Stud Facebook page and I will try to post them as well if I am able.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Thordale-Shetland-Stud/158532937506465?ref=ts&fref=ts

 

Moving House

OH fed them this morning at 09.00.  Everyone was standing up and fine.  I went in at 10.30 to find Torbjørn cast.  He was lying with his legs up against the wall and his head at right angles to his body.  He looked like his neck was broken, his eyes were shut and he wasn’t moving at all.  Feeling sick with fear, I rolled him over onto his legs and belly, he immediately opened his eyes, stood up, gave himself a shake and wandered off for some food.

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So that was a terrible shock.  I was shaking with relief.  Only with me a few days and I totally adore my bebbie boys.

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Jo came over this afternoon.  She wanted to steal my bebbies away from me!

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I threatened to chain myself to their shed, but it did no good.  They have to go because I am going south on Monday for a week.  The bebbies need constant attention and I won’t be there. I can’t expect my OH to look to them constantly.  As there was a lull in the weather today, Jo had to come over immediately (*** sulk ***).

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I packed their spotted hankies, put the rest in the back of the car – special bowls, foal milk powder, mineral lick, etc…. Gave strict instructions on how to chop the apples properly, etc.

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We caught the lads easily, put on head collars and led them into the trailer.

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The loaded like pros.

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And off she drove. (**** sniff ****)

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So I decided to follow to supervise (or annoy).  This is their new bedroom.

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Whilst being unloaded, the Icelandic horses came up to have a look.  It was very funny watching them trying to introduce themselves to these tiny ponies.

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Then we put them all in their new stable, which I will grudgingly admit is very nice, airy and spacious.

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You can see just how thin they are, poor little loves.  Yes, that is his back bone.

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I have been doing a little brushing.  I don’t want to annoy them but it needs to be done.  They need their fluff back before they can ever go outside.  Storm, the smallest of the three, the black and white one, has had the skitters (diarrhoea) and the underside of his tail, the dock, is bald from the hard crusts of shit that remain on his tail.  He hates me trying to clean it so we slathered Sudocream on the bald bit and Jo will work away at it slowly over the next few days.

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The boys are very subdued still and I sit with them often.  They are very wobbly and weak on their back legs too.  BeAnne sits with me.  They are curious about her and she is very good, never reacting and tolerating their sniffs.  She knows that she can’t nip or bark so she doesn’t.  I am very proud of her.

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