Who’s the leader of the club
That’s made for you and me
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Hey! there, Hi! there, Ho! there
You’re as welcome as can be
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Mickey Mouse!
Mickey Mouse!

Forever let us hold our banner
High! High! High! High!

Come along and sing a song
And join the jamboree!
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Mickey Mouse club
We’ll have fun
We’ll be new faces
High! High! High! High!

We’ll do things and
We’ll go places
All around the world
We’ll go marching

Who’s the leader of the club
That’s made for you and me
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
Hey! there, Hi! there, Ho! there
You’re as welcome as can be
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Mickey Mouse!
Mickey Mouse!

Forever let us hold our banner
High! High! High! High!

Come along and sing a song
And join the jamboree!
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

So, how is Hjalti, (pronounced He-yalti), I hear you ask?

He is doing well and is now ginormous (that is an official equine term, by the way).

I am not small (5′ 8 1/2″ tall), and Hetja (pronounced Het-ya) is a fair size too (about 14hh), so you can see just how large Hjalti is.

I gave Hetja a good brush of her mane and tail.  She deserved it and I keep meaning to do it every time I visit her but obviously forget to bring the kit with me. Henceforth, I am going to keep the Beauty Box in the car so I can spring out at any given time to brush my horses or ponies!

While I was brushing, Hjalti was intrigued.  He refused to talk to me but examined his Mum’s discarded mane with great interest.

Flossie was then investigated. She has got used to this – it is her role in life at the moment.  She agreed with me that Hjalti’s little nose is made of the softest material ever.  It probably has magical properties too.

Reluctantly we left them, having achieved our aim – to bring beauty to the herd.

When we got home, Lambie and Lambert took up residence in the car.  It is not quite the same now.

(This is for Daisy – she didn’t believe me!)

Lots done today.

Floss and I went for a ride.  This time it was different – Floss rode Haakon while I rode Klaengur.

Floss wanted to experience speed.

And so she did.  Haakon looked after Floss very well but he has his own opinions. This was a good thing because she actually had to have some input.  She described him as “not easy, but it was fun.  You get somewhere”.

(This is Haakon’s dinosaur face as Klaengur is in front and he hates that).

But we went for a spin down the road and back again – it was educational for everyone.

After lunch, we went out for our daily “dog” walk.  I decided we should take a couple of Minions with us.  Floss led Silver.

And I led Tiddles.  Storm was with Taktur being a Big Boy that has to eat, while Waffle was in everyone’s bad books for chasing Lambie.  He was in a bad mood as he wanted to join Storm to stuff his face but I wouldn’t let him because he is so very fat.  So Waffle took it out on Lambie, got his arse kicked for his troubles and returned swiftly to his field.

Off we went.  Loki was over the horizon trying to disown us and the intrepid Lambie was therefore leading. Lambert was the tail end Charlie and, in the end, Lambie stopped to eat a thistle and stayed with him.

Silver and Floss went on ahead.

And Tiddles went very very slowly, grinding to a halt at the slightest opportunity!

But it was a good thing to show the boys The World.  They met a car, an oil tanker lorry and generally behaved as best they could (we may have to work on their leading skills in the future – a winter project, methinks).

After Lyra yesterday, we went on to see Esja in her field which is almost next door.  Esja shares it with a friend’s Shetland pony mares.

Esja was first up and very keen to see us.  I popped a headcollar on her and she had a quick brush.

Flossie was a thing of mystery to the Shetland mares with the bright grooming box.

Meanwhile, I did some leading in-hand work with Esja on the other side of the field.  Esja was a good girl and remembered everything from last week.  I asked her to leave the herd and walk with me round her field.  Some horses can get very arsy about leaving their friends but Esja poddled after me, listening, caring and doing as I asked – just to walk nicely with me, stand quietly and instantly when I stopped walking and to tune into my body language.

It was not a long training session.  Ten minutes, if that, and then I took off her headcollar, told her she was a very good girl and gave her a small reward (those large pony nuts that have a funny smell of Dolmio bolognese sauce).

In the distance, Flossie was getting along well with a little grey mare who is the spit of Flossie’s Fivla.

They were very drawn to each other.  I think they are about to form a Mutual Appreciation Society.

I thought I would go and cut some tails that are dragging on the ground so Floss and I drove to Sandness to the girls’ field.

Lyra came racing up to Flossie.  I think she thought she might be Her Daisy, although Floss is taller.

This is her “But, but, but….. you’re not My Daisy” face.

She sniffed Flossie all over, determined to find out who this interloper was – she has met Flossie before but I think I had Daisy with me.  Lyra has never displayed such purposeful behaviour towards anyone other than Her Daisy.

Lyra was not deterred in her intense investigations but let Floss kiss her.

But we could see that Lyra was utterly bemused by this person who sort of smelled like Her Daisy but obviously wasn’t.

It was very sweet.  She was determined to find out what Flossie was if she wasn’t going to be Her Daisy.

She was very gentle and puzzled.

I gave Lyra a brush as well as cutting her long dragging tail while she took an interest in Flossie.

Having finished, we walked away and Lyra never took her eyes of us (probably Flossie) while the other two continued to eat.

As we got into the car, Lyra left the others and trotted up to the fence.

Then she whinnied.  Most odd.  She so wanted Flossie to be Her Daisy.