Relaxtion means lying back in the bebbies’ field, thinking happy thoughts and watching the boys (no, not those kind of boys but my equine version).  It is almost relaxing until you open your eyes!

Yup, that relaxation session finished very quickly so I sat up to see what else was going on.  When the boys are in a playful giggling mood, it is perhaps not wise to be a potential target.  I stood up sharpish.

It would be nice with all this playing if their teeth could pull some of their fur out.  It is still very much work-in-progress for me. I do a little at a time and am collecting it all up too.

They are all starting to look rather tatty. It is that time of year and hopefully as it gets warmer, their summer coats will make better progress.

By the way, Happy Birthday today to Iacs, aka Mr Bimble – Daisy’s much loved Icelandic horse.  He has lived with us all his life and he is 19 years old.  Only one person has ever fallen off him, that I can remember, and he is safe, funny and very very frilly (his brain loves him too)!

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

Iacs was one of the horses used in Himmelblå – a Norwegian drama series which aired in Norway, Sweden and Iceland.  He naturally took to potential stardom with all the alacrity of a professional.  You can wave anything at him – I have honestly never seen him spook.  He is not that type of guy.

(the black horse is Fákur frá Stóra-Vatnsskarði)

I called the boys up for their silage.  This is the last bale, I think – they are going off it rapidly in favour of the green grass.

Iacs is always last to arrive and miserable.  He has recently taken to standing by himself looking very dejected and I feel sorry for him.

He is not even interested in stuffing his face.  He is bored.

After yesterday’s ride of failure on Fakur, I have been thinking about riding Iacs but I had to firstly ride Taktur in a brisk walk for 20 minutes round the school as per his trainer’s instructions.

Afterwards, Taktur had his hard food in a bucket outside without the help of chickens and Loki (who I discovered head first in the bucket – hmmm).

So next was Iacs.  He was so surprised when I took him out of the field.  Pleased it was his turn.  Firstly, I gave him a huge brush and he lost about half his body weight in winter fur.  I even clipped his claggy ears which, if bad, can make him into a head-shaker.

Iacs worked hard in a good outline, with impulsion and some basic dressage moves.  I could also see he was on the brink of tölt.  Iacs was happy and enthusiastic in the school.  When I asked him to halt, he instantly offered turn on the forehand in case I wanted it (bless him).

This is Iacs’ happy face and his mood had lifted now.  Note the frilly has life and reason to live.

Next was Haakon’s turn.  We just stretched, bending and then tölted circles, figures of eight and round the school, trying to establish a good rhythm rather than outline.

I am exhausted now.  So that was one razor blade and two barrels!  My poor legs.

Everyone is shedding their winter coat.  I do what I can brushing it out a bit at a time but it is beginning to get everywhere and travel with me.

Today, for lunch, I had cheese on toast with at least 10 horse hairs in it.  I tried to pick them out and then gave up and ate the whole thing, hair and all.

I brushed Fakur this morning.  I wanted to ride him in the school as I thought he was looking rather dejected and unloved in the field.  I rode him briefly in the school.  He felt like an unexploded bomb getting more and more tense so I bailed on the basis that “He who fights and runs away, may live to fight another day”.  I am not stupid.  If my waters churn, they are usually right

So I gave him some silage and put BeAnne on his back.  He just stood there while I rode Haakon instead.

The bebbies were on sleepy form. We had completed another module in their education and they were zizzing in their field afterwards.

More and more hair is coming out and I do my best to groom them, a little at a time while they stand and chat to me.  This is all from Storm who is full of bits that just ask to be pulled out.

They were all very good in the school earlier – they led nicely individually, no teeth at all and picked up their feet without an argument.

So I am feeling quite smug at my industrious day – oh  yes, and we had another bonfire and I rode Taktur on my own in the school.  He was the perfect gentleman.

Theory – If I stop, I will seize up.

Today, I decided to burn the wood in my derelict croft house at Clothie.  I want to turn one of the houses or sheds into a shelter for the Bebbies.  Clothie, all 5 acres, is going to be their new home.  It is close by and just perfect for them.  We need a roof though on one of the houses/sheds.  So we had a bonfire of all the brick (rubbish).  The original house had been left by its inhabitants with all the furniture, etc about 20-30 years ago.

Apparently Clothie had been a school as well.  This room is attached but completely separate from the main house.  They both have front doors.

This is one of the byres (sheds).

We found many bits and pieces.  All intriguing.

So I made a big bonfire to burn the rotten wood.   OH kept back anything he might use.

BeAnne and Loki came with us and were very unhelpful by having a fight over a rabbit.  This photo was taken after everyone had been shouted at.

Next, I :-

• dished out the silage to my Icelandics
• fed Taktur and put him back
• cleaned out the bebbies’ bedroom and put in new straw
• rode Haakon outside taking BeAnne with me for walk
• cleared up the silage that was blowing about and covering any spring grass
• dished out more silage as the first portion was fairly mean
• caught Taktur, tacked him up and, and, and…..

….. rode him!  I have to ride Taktur every day (Mon-Fri) for 20 minutes asking him to walk out, stretch and bend.  I am just getting used to his huge stride and we are getting to know each other too.

Let’s just say I have an enormous grin on my face.

(I might be feeling a tad exhausted now)

We had some visitors today to meet the Bebbies.  As there were now three of us, I caught each pony and handed a rope to my new assistants.  We brought the boys into the indoor school as it was pissing down outside with no chance of stopping.

Silver found a new friend (as did BeAnne).  It always best to make friends on their level. Standing up scares them but kneeling to chat gives them a chance to investigate.

BeAnne was very keen on sitting on my visitors’ feet in case they thought about escaping.  Luckily we had made them prisoners.

Waffle was revolting.  He decided to roll as much as possible in the sand until no one would go near him.  Ugh!  I loathe wet sand. It makes my skin crawl and Waffle was no exception.  Repellant little boy.

I have worked out now (only taken me a few months) that the Bebbies are all better tied up as far away as possible from each other.  So this is Storm standing in a pile of his mess because he thinks he is “all alone” (his friends are opposite) and is also bored.  They all want my attention all the time. I need three hands most of the time.

My new helper was happy to work with Silver and I will admit that this was good otherwise it can be like an international Rugby match for me on my own, trying to get three mischievous Shetland ponies into my indoor school at the same time.

So the Bebbies did good (so proud, sniff) and showed off their best behaviour.  I was proud of them.  They all led well, had their feet picked up and tried their very best.