When you read fairy stories, it always ends “and they all lived happily after”.  It never reads “and then Cindarella decided Prince Charming was a spoilt brat who liked his own way and they had to resort to relationship counselling to make their marriage work”.

***** sigh *****

It started well.  Storm and Stardust were obviously friends, well so I thought as they came cantering up to me this morning.

I brought food, in two bowls and watched Storm being rude, aggressive and generally very nippy.  He had a go at nipping me (bad idea) and Stardust.  Then he decided Stardust’s food was obviously much nicer than his so swung his bum and kicked him off his food.  Of course Stardust never retaliated and I split the bowls up to be further away.  Stardust is not the brightest and once Storm had stolen his food, he didn’t have the wit to go and look for Storm’s bowl.

Storm was furious with me for taking away the others who suddenly had become his bestest friends ever.

Storm does not want to be a nanny.  He has told Stardust that he rules The World.

And Stardust needs a friend right now, not Pol Pot.

But despite this shameful behaviour, Stardust does worship his new friend.

I decided to let Waffle out to see if he could temper the situation a little and he did his best.

He wanted to play with Stardust but could see there was no reaction.

I left them eating together.  Silver had gone off and I will see about introducing him tomorrow, all being well.

It is very early days, I know, but I wanted an instant happy ending.  Not a despot showing me up.

On a plus side, I did catch Stardust, had a long tickly conversation with him and he began to groom me back.  When I asked him to walk, he bucked about an inch off the ground so that shows there might be a spark of spirit deep deep down.

Recently, I have noticed that Storm is not really one of the boys.  It worries me.  Silver and Waffle have perfected the art of leaving Storm behind with the boring big boys.  He doesn’t say anything but I can tell, as his mother, that he minds.  Also, Storm would like to live in his shed, but the other two want to go and play with the others.

Storm is the Tiny Tim (Dickens’ Christmas Carol) of the Shetland pony world and that makes me worry even more.

I was thinking about finding Storm a friend, when I was offered Stardust – one of this year’s foal who was given away by his breeders as he had a blue eye and was due to be put to sleep.

Stardust is a mini.  Apparently, he has always been very subdued and never plays.  So who better than Storm for company?  Storm plays a little but usually falls over when it gets too rough.  He prefers a quiet life and no one really gives him that.

So, today, they were introduced to each other for the first time.

Suddenly Storm stopped looking like Tiny Tim and instantly appeared bigger, fitter and healthier both mentally and physically.

I led Storm to his shed and Stardust automatically followed without being asked.

It was interesting to watch them together.  Storm shot into his shed where a huge pile of hay was waiting and vanished from Stardust’s view.  Stardust whinnied, as if lost, and Storm came out of the shed, buffed Stardust on the side and shot back indoors.  Stardust followed and I left them both eating hay together.

We will see what happens.  I want Stardust to start trusting people through watching Storm, who would follow me to the ends of the earth.

Early days, I know, but Stardust is very cute!  A new recruit and a project for me this winter.  I want him to look up to Storm and I want Storm to rise to the challenge.

OH was on the roof of the shed doing stuff.

The front door just happened to be open.

Storm is looking good, isn’t he?

Look, Waffle fits beautifully through the door.

A little bit of a pile up in the porch.

But BeAnne gently showed them the door.

I think the boys are rather pleased with their achievement.  Silver was somewhere else and not interested in this escapade!

Always worth another shot.

This time I did say no, thank you to the double grazing sales pony.

But how could I resist this little face?

and this?  They are such darlings.  And no, there were no presents left behind.

(Is it wrong that I wish they could live in my house?)

OH is going to have a fit when, or if, he sees this blog!  I must start practising my sorry face.

On our left, ladies and gentlemen, we have the aged Fákur and on our right, we have Esja who has been making friends with Jo’s newly white-washed stable walls.

This is a chrysanthemum bottom in the making.

And here are the ladies who lunch (very often if they had their way).

Darling Esja, all growed up but still a baby in her head.

You can see her relationship with the whitewashed walls.  I still haven’t forgiven her for unpicking the knot, opening the gate, taking a bite out of each silage bale and then, to add insult to injury, she opened and ate the 25kg bag of build-you-up food bought and reserved for Delia, who actually needs it.

There is no excuse.  Just pure greed.  It is not as if she is a waif.

And, worse of all, she is still waiting for any opportunity to do it all over again.

That is not going to happen.  Not on my watch.

Essa is going through her “Kevin” phase at the moment (see video below).   Ho hum, hopefully, like all other horses, she will grow out of it.

Jo’s been shopping.  He arrived today off this morning’s boat.  As he is a foreigner, he is in sort-of quarantine with Delia and Minnie.  The others are keen to meet him but realise that he is very shell-shocked.

So, ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to Tór frá Velli II.  He is my Taktur’s little half-brother.  They share the same Mum, the gorgeous Tíbrá frá Hafnarfirði and his Sire is Flipi frá Litlu-Sandvík.

Poor Tór has run up light after the long trip south and was very upset coming off the ferry, poor love.

Tór is 3 years old and has been lightly backed.  He has all winter to relax and get to know Jo.  There is no rush for anything and it will all be done at his own speed.  The trip was stressful and draining especially if a horse is travelling on his own – Flight, 2 boats, endless lorries – it all takes its toll.

Minnie and Delia will look after him as well.  He can relax and eat.

Minnie is quite taken with Tór and thinks he is very handsome!  There is lots of gazing dreamily in his direction.

We will give him time.

He has all the time he needs now in his new home with Jo.

So welcome to Tór, Jo’s new horse.  I wonder what Taktur will think to meet his half-bro.  They have never met before.