Despite being below freezing, the light, this morning was stunning.

The horses glowed in the early sunlight.  A very yellowy glow.

Last night, there had been a dusting of snow with a hard frost.  Ice was everywhere and just hard enough to step on while wondering if it would hold your weight against the mud below.

It didn’t but everywhere and mostly everyone looked drier and cleaner.

The horses were dry (except Hjalti who obviously had a little sit last night somewhere soggy) and the snow stayed on their backs acting as a layer of insulation.

This is a horse’s coat at work.  No one was shivering or miserable.  Just nice and toasty and the ponies recharged their fuel batteries with a hard feed and last night’s leftover silage.

As the air was dry, although cold, I left Delia’s rug off for the day and she could have the sun on her back.  She likes this weather and mooched about the silage bale – Les Grandes Dames have free access to this bale 24/7.  The rest don’t and I pile up their supplies in the evening.

I was out most of the day helping out a friend so when I got back, I sat on my special rock and watched the sunset with Lambie and Ster.  The only sound I could hear was the ponies munching their silage while the sun went quietly down.

Shetland in winter, on days like these, is magical.

My friend and trainer, Bjørn Roar Larsen of Bergli Stud, has got a poorly owie foot and was finding driving difficult so I volunteered my taxiing services.  I honestly didn’t mind.  I had done all my chores – everywhere was mucked out and everyone was fed huge amounts of hard feed and silage.

So, we went to feed some hay to his youngstock Shetland ponies who live in a huge (possibly 50 acre) field.  It is an incredible field.  Just huge.

I didn’t so much as “help” as stand in the way taking photos, because that is my idea of helping and my back is not up to lugging bales of hay.

I do like Bjørn’s youngstock.  There was even a few nose kisseys from those that wanted to see people more than hay and that is always lovely.

I wandered about taking photos in the winter sunlight.  Bliss.

They are happy little fat Shetland ponies in winter looking all hairy and perfect – my idea of good day.

This is how Shetland ponies should be. Living outside but pleased to see the hay but more pleased to see the people!

I do ❤ Shetland ponies.  I hope you do, too.  So important.

Up and at ’em this morning only to find there had been snow last night…..

and a large quantity of rain too.  Everywhere is soaked, saturated, sodden and revolting.

I am not sure what the official meterological term for this is – sludge comes to mind.

The horses were all looking hopeful and waiting by the gate and their feed bowls.  Everyone was shivering except for Haakon, Iacs, Hetja and Hjalti.

I hate seeing horses shiver.  It worries me.  They looked so depressed, wet-through and miserable.  The weather had got to them and, after giving them a nice hard feed, I opened up the stable, put out some hay and also let them finish off the remains of the silage bale outside.

They soon perked up and the shivering quickly stopped.

Lambie and Ster are not too keen on this weather either.  On the dog walk, Lambie and I met a dying hill sheep. Lambie didn’t understand at all.  He was trying to make it react but it wouldn’t so I called him away.  Poor thing had laid down to die – it was beyond help.  Horrid.  This kind of weather kills animals.  Snow is fine – it lies on the tops of coats and is insulating but sleet and a north wind (with a high wind chill factor) is the killer – soaks right down to the skin.

Tonight the horses have access to their stable and the field if they want.

(Taktur has the Wug of Wugs (Rambo high neck) and Kappi has a waterproof rug.  They also have 3 bags of silage, endless carrots and lots of buildings to shelter behind.  They were not shivering this morning and seemed oblivious of the weather when I lugged their food over.)

BeAnne now sits outside with her two woolly minders.  They go everywhere together – my flock. Ok, it is odd, but, still, it is my little flock of weirdos! (I may take a while to get over being called “odd” – just sayin’).

But better odd than ordinary in my book.  I hate ordinary. So boring.

This afternoon, I brought Taktur over as he was going to be ridden later on.  I tied him up by the silage bale and left him with Haakon and Iacs for company.

They were all pleased to see each other.

Haakon and Iacs were determined to “be the bale”.

Taktur has better manners.

I had left Kappi alone in his field with a feedbag full of silage (all I can carry in one go over my back).  It was interesting watching Kappi decide if he was lonely or whether it was the best food opportunity ever!  He went with the latter and dug in trying to leave nothing behind by the time Taktur returned.

Meanwhile, in the bit around the house, Delia and Vitamin were also lurking.  Vitamin can be a bit of a hussy when she wants to.

I did stay and ride shotgun in case Vitamin was thinking of giving Taktur her “come hither” look.

In retrospect, I think I was there as Taktur’s chaperone!

“Chaperone (social) or chaperon, a person who accompanies or supervises young people on social occasions”

Veterinary (said in a “James Herriot” Yorkshire accent, please) came to Thordale for Esja’s vet inspection as she is sold.

While he was here, I asked him to look at Delia because, you know me, I worry.

Apart from being a bit stiff in her legs (old laminitis many years back before her time at Thordale), he said she was doing well.  I was very relieved as I had asked Floss yesterday whether now was the time and she emphatically shouted at me “no”.

Lambie and Ster showed off by bouncing around the shed – Veterinary (NB: the Herriot voice, please), said they were very funny and good entertainment.  He then said the media would love to hear about an odd woman who kept tame sheep like dogs.

Ahem!  (who is he calling odd?)

I think it is perfectly normal.  More people should have tame dog-like sheep.  Best fun ever.

Btw, this is a true all-four-feet off the ground bounce by Ster.  He can boing along like this with sheer happiness for yards!

As today was a beautiful calm Shetland winter day,  I mooched around the croft taking photos of everyone up round the house.

These days are rare but it was nice to see everyone chillaxing (did I seriously just write that cringeworthy word?)

(look at Hjalti’s little k-nobbly k-nees – he is such a darling).

We tend to wear our food here.

I am still in shock at being called “odd”.  Me?  Who knew?!