I gave Flossie a riding lesson on Iacs, aka Mr Bimble.  He was happy enough walking and trotting around the indoor school like a goldfish – every circuit was new.  We concentrated on learning to stop where we were told to stop rather than drift off into the middle in search of a biscuit.  Eventually successful and instead of taking photos of this momentous occasion, I forgot and bossed the pair of them around.

By the time I had remembered, it was too late.  Iacs was tied up and Haakon was ready to be ridden by me.

Flossie gave me the carrot she had brought specifically.  She asked why just one carrot and I demonstrated.

I have taught Haakon to stand still at all costs when I get on.  I show him the carrot.  I break it in half.

He gets the first half when he is standing by my getting-on bucket.

I get on and if he has stood like a rock while I clip my exploding air-jacket into the saddle, have my happy thought and taken my time, not his, he gets the other half.

Then I gave him a hug to show he would stand still until I told him I was ready for the off.  If he moves, I eat the carrot!

We had a nice short ride.

And a bit of a tölt for afters.

If we ride tomorrow, I will take photos of Flossie next.

For those of you asking about Jack(et-Potato), he is back to his normal belligerent self.  Here he is going out on his walk.  He loves that coat.

And here is BeAnne grumbling because I told her to go with Jack.  She wants to follow me home instead.  That is her bad-mood I-am-not-listening-to-you face.

The bebbies were fed up of living in the garden.  It was too small for them.  Eating is all well and good but if you have the energy, playing is much more fun.

Watching them queueing by the gate asking to go out was too much for me, so I opened the big gate from their paddock into the 20 acre hill field.

They didn’t wait to be asked twice and vanished galloping, bucking and farting into the distance.

I thought I would probably never see them again but found that if I shout “Bebbies”, three little sets of ears prick up and they come galloping over to me (and my three buckets of grub).

I have spent today hugging, scratching proffered bottoms and kissing noseys.  My idea of bliss and perfection.  I don’t want them to get used to being wild and not having any human input.  They are still the Bebbies, after all.

Today, they spent most of it asleep in various different places in their field.

It was lovely, sunny and warm.  We are all being lulled into a false sense of spring.

Some of you asked what happened to Velvereta.

Well, yesterday, we found her standing by herself in the field.  She was tucked up, rolling and not right at all.

Immediately we called the vet out, fetched the horse trailer, and got her to the stable 1/2 mile down the road.

The vet examined her in the stable, where she collapsed.  He said she definitely had pneumonia but something else was going on too.  He gave her an antiflammatory injection to help her breathing, and a little while later, she died.

His diagnosis was septicaemia or an abscess had burst inside.  The pneumonia was a secondary infection.  She went downhill very fast and there was absolutely nothing we could do.

We do not know what caused this and without a PM (post mortem), we will never know but we decided against further investigation as the rest of the herd seem fine.

A faecal sample for a worm count was taken- none were found.

She was in foal.

So now you know.  Just one of those beastly things.  You have livestock and then you have deadstock.

Velvereta’s time on this earth was precious.  She was an amazing mare.  The mother of some superb foals.  We were privileged to know her.

14 years old.  That is no age at all.

Rest in Peace my beautiful mare, Hetty.

24.05.2002 – 28.03.2014

You were loved and will never be forgotten.
Go with your foal and run free.

Another glorious day so I thought I would get the bebbies used to being moved into fields that needed eating. Their field is not full of grass but it does have their shed in it.

My OH has never let me put any of the equines in the garden – some miserable excuse about ruining all his hard work. I don’t know, I don’t listen.  But today, he gave in and allowed the bebbies into the old abandoned veg garden.  It needed eating down and I have three very willing helpers.

I led Torbjorn and the other two dutifully followed.  In another field across the hill, we were being watched.

The bebbies loved their new little patch of grass and and spent the day stuffing themselves or lying down in the sun.

The Icelandics were fascinated by these new arrivals so I took Haakon, the herd leader, over to introduce himself.

Everyone was interested and polite.

Taktur is the one who is most interested.  Since their arrival yesterday, he has been very keen to make their acquaintance.  After his exercise, Daisy took him over and made the introductions.

Last year, Taktur lived with our colt foals so he does know about bebbies but we won’t let them meet properly until the bebbies have been gelded.

Today was a day of new experiences for everyone and it seemed to go relatively smoothly.

They returned to their park this evening where the shelter is and everyone followed nicely.  Roll on spring.