So OH has gone south and I am all on my own.

I thought today would be wonderful.

On the way home from my weekly flute lesson, there was a rainbow on my house.

Surely, that means good things? (don’t call me Shirley)  Good Karma.

I got home, had lunch and then went out to talk to little Himself, aka Hjalti (the Man from the North).  Ok, he was easy to catch but a complete berk to work with.  I was very disappointed with my little foalio.  Hjalti refused to listen or cooperate. I put it down to the fact the indoor school was very noisy with the northerly wind making it shake and rattle.  A Hjalti tantrum consists of rearing about 4″ off the ground and stamping his feet. Quite funny the first time but irksome after a while.

At the end of Hjalti’s short training session (leading nicely, picking up each hoof without an issue) I led him to the gate to put him back with his mother.

Nope, Hjalti does not walk through gates.   He planted and was obtuse to the point of irritation.   So, after some words, we worked on this special skill.  Walking in and out of the gate until it was achieved without a silly fuss.

The words we had, however, meant Hjalti sulked.  This is his father’s temperament coming out.

So Hetja (his mother) and I told him to stop being so silly.

And I hope we finished as friends.

I will keep working with Hjalti on a daily basis and I may have a t-shirt printed that says “THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!) to remind me that leading nicely and picking up each hoof is entirely possible.

Hjalti was not put on this earth to be an ornament despite what he might think.

Poor old Iacs.  It has been confirmed.  He has done something to his shoulder and is now on Danilon (anti-inflammatory painkiller) for a month and minimal exercise – that should be easy – he barely  moves on a good day!  I think it was during the ice period in our lives a few weeks back.  He may have hurt himself.  Everyone found it torturous to walk on.

Iacs feels that healing will only take place if he lives on, in and by the bale of silage.

This is Iacs using the Power of his Mind.  I can hear every word.

(I am also ignoring every word and he is sticking his tongue out in revenge)

So, as poor Iacs is suffering, he has to eat the gate.

Iacs stands for I Am Completely Stupid, by the way.

❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾 ❤ 🐾

Anywho, today, I am not talking to Lambie.

I found him bouncing around the house with sheer joy and happiness.  Stupidly, and it is all my fault, I left the front door open by a miniscule and he managed to squoze himself in.   He was so happy, I felt mean evicting him but evict him I did.  OH has a serious sense of humour failure when it comes to Lambie’s idea of living arrangements.

Ster was a good boy and remained outside, but telling tales!

Oh well, tomorrow, OH goes south for a few days so bring on the coriander, cheese, fish and salad!  I will miss him, of course, desperately as it is bin-day on Thursday!   Why, hello Lambie!

After their breakfast, I let The Minions and Brá out of the field to eat some of the silage bale.  This is my new method of regulating who gets what.

Somehow little Hjalti slipped through as well (probably on his knees pretending to be a Minion).  I wondered if he would suddenly panic and remember that his long-suffering mother, Hetja, was the other side of the fence.

Hjalti didn’t care at all and happily tucked into the bale, went round exploring with Storm and generally got in the way.  He is particularly good at that as he is very inquisitive but Mum never lets him stay behind to “help”.  This was Hjalti’s first taste of independence and Hetja was suprisingly unfussed as well.

(there is always one photobomber – I never noticed until now!)

The whole herd have been very good for Hjalti.  He is a lovely boy who is now easy to catch and today I decided, as he was on his own, I would teach him how to lead nicely.  We walked up and down the track in the yard with Hetja keeping her beady eye on him.

He tried to evade the issue but I was adamant that now was the time and leading nicely was not exactly rocket science.  I think this is something we will be practicing regularly from now on, with Hetja’s permission.

I also spent my morning taking some photos of Brá.  She is beautiful and very special.  She now nuzzles me when I talk to her.

Brá is gradually coming out of her shell.  She comes up to talk to me and waits for me to let her out into the yard to eat the silage.  I think she is beginning to put on weight as well, which is good as she ran up a bit thin after her long trip.  If it is cold, Brá wears a rug as her coat is now coming out thick and fast.  Mostly I can take the rug off and on without having to catch her first though I do have to constantly remind her that no one has actually died having a rug put on.

I like this mare – she wants to be my friend and she is quickly getting used to our little ways or “oddness”!

Brá has two hard feeds a day (morning and evening) and then unlimited silage all day.  She rejoins the herd at night and is far more accepting of them.  In the morning, I find her stood in a group with everyone and she seems to be less aloof.

Here is one “oddness” who came running when I shouted his name.   I have had dogs who are not nearly as well trained as Lambie!

OH spent the morning mending the wheelbarrow (with helpers of both the Minion and sheep variety) and then set off with it to sort out the craters on our track (his constant Nemesis).

As well as Brá, The Minions are allowed out en masse to eat the bale during the day while the big ones get given piles of silage in the afternoon.

So my day is spent feeding, moving, switching horses and ponies about.  It is like a nightmare restaurant.

There are two things Minions want.

The First – to come into the house.  This is Storm’s biggest wish.  He loves the idea of living in the house and is determined to achieve his dream  (just like two other woolly beasts).  He thinks nothing of wandering in.

I kissed the nosey and used the No word.  Storm could not believe I could be quite so mean and negative.

(OH is going south next week.  I will say no more……)

The Second – carrots, lots and lots of lovely carrots, please.

All for themselves.

With no sharing with the Big Ones.  All for The Minions.

I was feeling kind and threw them half a sack of carrots and the little boys were in heaven.

I was told that carrots are good for “digestive support”.  I just think it makes everyone smile and love me very much.

Silver’s Best Behaviour Face!

Tiddles asking if there are anymore sacks left that need finishing or using up.

And Waffle feeling a bit over-carrotted, I think (note Storm’s bottom in the background.  He had kindly volunteered to stay behind and do the washing up).

So now you know.  Two things.