Storm Desmond seems reluctant to leave us but everyone needs fresh air after a night indoors. This afternoon I only happened to say “Do you….” and whoosh, the whole lot zoomed up the hill.

This morning I put Delia in her lovely new rug.  It is perfect for her – fits beautifully and she is much happier in it.  She didn’t even argue when I put it on – usually we go round and round a bit first.  This rug has given Delia new life.

I can still see the sparkle in her eyes and she is walking, trotting and cantering with the others and is very much part of the herd, bossing the youngsters about.  It makes me very happy.  She is a dear old girl.

Her friend, Vitamin, is the complete opposite.  She is the most determined Shetland pony I know.  The word “No” does not feature in her vocabulary.  She barges past to where she wants to go and God help anyone who gets in her way.

Hetja is still the boss, though.  She leads the herd and they follow.  Very much Queen Hetja.

“Bring ’em home, Hetja” is what I shout and home they all go.

I then went to the back field where Kappi and Taktur were perfecting their psychic messaging to me – they wanted to come in too.  So I shouted for the stragglers and whoosh, there they were!

The boys are all in the big indoor school with hay and silage out.  I also moved the Minions in there as they miss their big guys and are getting rather bored of being bossed around by the girls.

A  mega-mucking out tomorrow.  Yay (said with no enthusiasm)

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I moved everyone around again this morning – round and round they go, where they stop nobody knows!

The boys went into the field over the hill.  I moved 15 horses/ponies using two head collars (I am very proud of this achievement).  I put headcollars on Haakon and Taktur and warned Iacs, Klaengur and Kappi that if they strayed into the hill, I would shut the gate and leave them to it.

Surprisingly, they all followed nicely and happily galloped into their field – success!

The girls were moved by opening the gate, shouting and they all went straight in.

I then spent the next 3 hours mucking out while managing to fall into the muck-heap!  It took forever because there was a gale going on which makes everything take twice as long.

This was me.

My youngest daughter, Flossie, came home for Christmas from university.  Last night her flight was cancelled because of the storm so I was mightily relieved to see her today.

I immediately put her to work.  I have a terrible habit of just throwing stuff into my shed, rather than find it a place and keeping it tidy there.  So “stuff” needed sorting.

We tried a small quilted dressing gown on Lambie (well, we told him that is what it was).  He loved it and happily wandered about wearing it.

Purple suits him.

You can do pretty much anything with Lambie and he thinks he is more special.

Flossie spent time renewing her friendship with Lambie and introducing herself to Lambster, who we may rename Lambikins as his name does not suit him.  He is not a tough boy.

So one down, one to go and then drawbridge up!

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Well, as you can see Lambie is doing very well now.  He would like to rule the world and get his own way.

His new love of carrots means he has to mug everyone in case they might be in possession of this magical vegetable.

Carrots are good for sheep.

I am sure they make his eyelashes curl and even more beautiful (he does have the loveliest eyes in the world and I am not just saying that as his mother).

Lambster is also doing very well.  He is nearly tame and understands most sheepie-like things.

Although, perhaps, not a huge love of carrots, Lambie does feign interest.

I took the dogs out before the latest storm started and Lambie and Lambster (Lambert was down the pub with his mates) diligently followed us all the way along the road and back.  Lambster has never been on a dog walk before but, because Lambie is a regular, then Lambster came along too.  I am sure it will help his back legs which are horribly crooked.  The boys both came running when they were called to catch up – they like to snack along the way and Lambster even managed two happy bounces as he ran to us.  I have never seen him happy-bounce before, so that was a lovely first.  He is now a normal sheep – he baa’s, he bounces and he gives nose kisseys.

And here are a few snaps of The Minions, just in case you were having withdrawal symptoms.

Waffle looking, well, “odd” really.

Silver looking, cough, fat!

And Storm not looking like Storm at all.

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(Tiddles was hiding, I think – probably just as well).

 

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When I first purchased Hetja from Iceland, I was told by her owner not to stable her as she would hate it.  I listened to this advice.

How come, then is Hetja addicted to, and has made her own, the Minions’ Shed?

The only person allowed in is obviously Hjalti and Hetja stands guard dragon-like protecting her most precious possession.  None shall pass and they are not coming in ……. ever.

Everyone left Hetja to it and Esja is integrated into the herd.

I stupidly thought Esja would be thrilled to see Hetja, as they were joined at the hip last year.

How wrong I was.  They have split into separate herds now.

There are herd dynamics going on and I am not very sure what they are.  Sometimes Delia and Vitamin are friends with Storm and Tiddles (the needy babies) and then they are all off together with Waffle lording it over everyone (in a very small way).

Delia is looking very well, though lame.  She is on regular painkillers and ant-inflammatories and I hope we can sort this.  I don’t like animal living with constant pain.  She will be on box-rest for a few days to try and sort it out. I don’t want to call the vet to do The Deed.  I really don’t.  She looks so good (apart from the hopping).

Esja introduced herself to everyone.  For every pony, she met she squealed like a pig, but that was all – no argy-bargey.

  

I want everyone to go out and explore and eat.  Hetja and Hajlti need to leave the Minion Boudoir and stop being quite so precious.

At night, Vitamin, Delia (with painkillers) plus Storm and Tiddles came rushing in.  Storm says he will still melt.  I do believe him.

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Les Cadeaux du jour!

 

I made an executive decision to put all the girls and Minions together in one field.

It would make my life much easier.

I think because there was space (20 acres), everyone felt more at ease this time.

However, there was one huge bum kicking match between Vitamin and Hetja – both dominant mares (oooh, Vitamin does look like her son, Indy when she is herrumphing).

Vitamin was incensed that she was not the boss anymore and did not relinquish her role graciously.

But Hetja won hands down for having a foal at foot, plus a bigger bottom and being younger.  I was a bit nervous to start with and umm-ed and ahh-ed as to whether I should take Hetja and Hjalti out.  In the end I decided to leave them to it.

Big Himself could hear the shouting and was offering his help, which didn’t make anything easier either.

We came home from Lerwick (beautiful sunset) and I wondered how everyone would be,

I needn’t have worried – they were all fine.

Much more settled.  The field is big enough to support two different herds or at least give those that want it, space.

Hetja disowned the whole lot!  Fine.

With the sun almost gone, I shouted for those that wanted to come in.  Les Grandes Dames and Storm shot into the stable without being asked twice.  The others elected to stay outside so that was a perfect arrangement.  I was only really wanting Les Grandes Dames in (and Storm obviously because if it rained, he says he will melt!)

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Today’s Advent prezzie – this was the one of the first times Tiddles started to play so it is an important milestone photo!

(I am beginning to hate Zazzle)