Ok, I have a dilemma, well nine horse or pony ones really.

Storm and Taktur need to eat.  They want to be with their friends, but I want to them to put on weight.  Storm lost too much last winter and Taktur will be in work.

As you can see, I let Taktur and Storm into the big grass field today to see if they would eat any better as they usually just stand by the gate wanting to join their friends.  It seems to be working and they are off eating.

Meanwhile, in the biggest field (20 acres?), the fatties are looking on enviously at Storm and Taktur.

With the best will in the world, I just cannot bring myself to put the heffalumps into a field with long thick green grass.

It would be wrong.  They have enough where they are anyway.

The Minions are not small either.

Waffle was called obese by his breeder but I am keenly watching El Niño in the Pacific Ocean and the knock-on effect in the UK may be immense this winter – BBC News .  As you already know, I am obsessed with the weather.

Tiddles is not small either.

Silver may show me his most handsome face but I will not be swayed.  I would be doing none of them any favours

(Note-to-self, I must add some more string to that gate to keep it SHUT!)

My riding buddy is back.  Ok, not for long, but she is back.

This is my elder daughter, Daisy, who is home from Norway. She has come back to pack up her things and return to a job working at Kise Islandshestgård.  She had been out there for two weeks previously on trial and they offered her the job (so proud, sniff – it is a great opportunity).

Iacs, her original Icelandic horse that she has had since she was 8 years old, was very pleased to see her and we went out for a bimble.

Her Maj followed sulkily at the back.  She is having trouble keeping up these days and tends to go home.

I rode Haakon, who had a mad hair day but was very happy and forward-going.  He is getting old but he still loves going out.

Iacs, or Mr Bimble, is a haynet-half-full kinda guy and was enthusiastic to relieve me of any potential carrots I may be carrying about my person!  I was regularly frisked and brought in for questioning!

That was yesterday.  This is today.  The weather changed and a very soggy mist kept rolling in from the sea.

But that was not going to put us off and Daisy and I tacked up Klængur and Kappi and off we went for a completely different ride from yesterday.

These guys go fast and it was the good fun – a different kind of fun.

We try to match our ponies – yesterday two buckskin duns, today, two firey chestnuts.  That’s how we roll in this Shire!

I will make the most of Daisy being home.  It is wonderful and I have both my girls here – I am very happy.

The daily attack on Hetja’s sunburned nosey is beginning to work now.

She looks much better and comes rushing up (probably thinking we have carrots but we don’t).  We have to be sneaky and the cream has to be put on quickly as we only get one chance before she takes herself off again.

There are always offers of help.

Hjalti is looking good.  He won’t be weaned until after winter as he was a late foal but he is growing fast and Hetja is a fantastic mum.

He remains curious but wary of folk.  He will find his bravery soon.  It is not for us to force ourselves upon him – we have to wait for our invitation.

Hjalti is very fond of his Nuncle Fákur (pronounced Fow-ker).  Fákur frá Stóra-Vatnsskarði is a 24 year old gelding from Iceland.  We has lived with us for many years and was the stalwart of our trekking centre when it was in existence. He a dear boy who is in much deserved semi-retirement now.

Fákur will look after little Hjalti and teach him all he needs to know about being an all round (quite literally) jolly good bloke.

I think all the grown-ups in the herd are in charge of looking after the little squirt really.  Thank goodness Hetja has finally seen sense and given up the over-protective dragon behaviour.

Daisy was off the boat this morning (Aberdeen to Lerwick).  She has travelled home from Norway.

We went to see her favourite girl (after BeAnne).

Lyra

As ever, they were very pleased to see each other.

BeAnne was less enthusiastic than Daisy to see Lyra but, to be fair, she didn’t snap and had perfect manners, for a change.

Sometimes BeAnne has a huge sense of humour failure.

Flossie spent her time talking to Vitamin, Lyra’s Mum.

Like I often say, there is nothing better than a Shetland pony nosey kiss!  I am sure it has  magical, if not healing, powers and is considered the best therapy in the world.

(though BeAnne may well disagree)

My weekly flute lesson was this morning.  Afterwards Flossie and I went into town to do some messages.

I visited a lovely little shop that sells my photos as cards amongst many other gorgeous Shetland gifts.

It is always great to see my work in print and apparently the cards are selling very well.

And then we spotted Fivla as a jigsaw puzzle (and I think they have other ones too but they were on re-order due to their huge popularity).

This afternoon, once home, I went to Sandness for my other task I had been meaning to do but keep forgetting – to put Sudocrem on Hetja’s poor sunburned nose.  Every time I see her I remember and then instantly forget to do anything about it.

Hetja and her friends were at the top of a 130m hill called The Spinner (so that was my exercise for the day – here is the view).

I lugged my camera with the pot of cream in my pocket.

Hetja was not very impressed with her cream and rushed off in a rage but I intend to treat her daily until her sunburn calms down.  I hope she comes down the hill occasionally.

I had brought her a carrot but she had left before I could give it to her.  Funnily enough, a friendly little Shetland pony arrived so I wiped my hands on him and gave him the carrot to say thank you.

Once Hetja and Hjalti had calmed down, I managed to take some photos of them.

Hjalti is very gorgeous and his nosey looks unscathed by the sun.  I doubt I would get cream near that.