We check the herd in Sandness every day.  They are a seven miles down the road.  It is a nice drive and one I have done often – my daughters went to primary school in Sandness and I used to drive them to and from school.  I bought us an old Land Rover Defender for the job.  Any weathers and we were all safe.

Anywho, en route we spied three hill ponies.

I haven’t seen them recently and I think they have just been put out for the winter.

The wind was blowing through their manes and tails and the Autumn light made them look very special.

These are not unloved wild ponies.

They all belong to someone who has rights to put Shetland ponies on the scattald (common grazing or open hill).

It is a long-standing law – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crofting

This is their scattald – they can roam for miles but they don’t actually.

They tend to stay around an area of a couple of square miles.

They share the hill with sheep.  The sheep have to be the Shetland breed and they have similar behaviour – they have their own routes and areas that they stick to.

I did try and talk to the scattald ponies, but they didn’t know me and ran away.

And as I drove home,  the last of the sun (I use the term loosely) was going behind Foula.

Shetland is a beautiful place and today I feel particularly blessed that I live here.

Some little horses do not want to believe me about the newly-erected electric fence.

And all I can say is more fool them!

Yesterday, when we were in town, I bought a new 9v dry battery to replace the one in the energiser.  I was not sure whether last year’s battery was still doing quite the job it should be.  Between us, Daisy and I managed to put the new one in and attach it accordingly.  Hardly rocket science but we struggled to open the energiser.  Luckily OH had sent us off with Daisy’s little toolbox that he had packed for her when she was at university.  The screwdriver did it.  We forced it open, removed the old battery, and replaced it with a new extra-zappy one!

No one was impressed.

Daisy spent some time afterwards telling them not to touch the fence ever again, let alone jump over it (Waffle).

And I sent them off with a flea in their collective pony ears and told them to stop loitering with intent.  I know what they are thinking.  Yes, I do!

Suddenly Waffle decided he was going to annoy someone and he chose Vitamin.

Vitamin is not known for her huge sense of humour.

So she reversed into him instead!

That’s my girl.  Large and in charge!

A day in Lerwick after the flute lesson, but I managed to get out and take some photos after the morning chores before we left.

Tomorrow is promising some “delightful” weather.

In Floss’ absence, I am riding Klængur.  It is fun and we go out and about at least twice a week.  He works very hard and his powerful tölt is wonderful fun.

The little ones tend to stick together.  It makes my heart warm to see Albie just being “one of the guys”.

It was meant to be.

We have kept Albie in his rug as he needs the extra layer at the moment.

Despite what Storm says, he is not getting his rug.

Tiddles has made, I think, a complete recovery from his ordeal. I still shudder when I think about it and can’t get the image of seeing only his nostrils, eyes and little ears sticking out of the water.

This morning we found Delia without her rug on.  It was trashed in another part of the field and I think irrepairable, though we will know more when it has dried properly.  Meanwhile, she has her thicker rug on and I hope she can manage to keep it in place this time. She seemed a bit wary of us when we approached with the rug so probably had a “gluff” (scare) when she lost the other one.  The leg strap clips were broken so it must’ve blown over her head which is horrid for a horse.

Haakon and Iacs are looking fabularse with the emphasis on the word arse!  Not bad for old men.  They are ridden two or three times a week.

We just really need to get Fivla slimmer.  Work-in-progress, I think.  Possibly forever.

This morning, I rode Klængur and then Iacs (because Haakon was miles away chatting up the girls).  Riding Klængur was a joy.  Riding Iacs was, err, well, sort of, kind of, like, erm, um…… different!  He tries his best and it is his best but I am not used to his way of going.

My back hurts when he trots and canters. It isn’t his fault.  It is all me.

So, this afternoon, I stayed indoors nursing my aches and pains and did some autumn paperwork that has been looming Sword of Damoclesesque over me.

Paperwork is boring but, luckily enough, I have the brain of a butterfly and so I was very quickly and easily distracted.

It really doesn’t take much.

First it was Wu.

He covets my chair.  It is war with manners.

Suddenly, overnight he has turned into a family cat which has taken us all by surprise, including himself.

This is Wu trying to include himself in the Family Tree – every winter I delve deeper to find out about my ancestors.  The Shetland nights are long and dark and I find it fascinating.

A laptop cat?

Loki is a fabulous dog, now – communicative, clever and a darling to have around the house.

This is his “is-it-nearly-supper-time?” face!

“It-isn’t-is-it?” face

“Now-considering-therapy” face.

Since the clocks went back the other week, Loki peaks too early by about an hour.

*** sigh ***, it will be like this for the next six months

BeAnne, of course, is permanent enchantment.

She has us all at her beck and call forever.

And we are all her servants.

Happily.  It is my role in life.

This is our morning routine.

09:00.  Make a litre of warm Multimilk for Albie

Go outside and meet the sheep who are always waiting. At night, they come out of their field so they can go to bed in a variety of sheds.

They are always pleased to see me, or Daisy – whoever has drawn the short-straw!

They are good boys and wait patiently outside the feed shed.

‘Bert is looking much better.

Then they all follow me to their field, some being more irritating than others, and I feed them in their individual buckets. They are not very good at sharing.

So that’s the Boyzens sorted for the day.

Next, I go back to the feed shed and mix up some Lite Balancer with Golden Paste.

Daisy gets Albie’s hard feed ready – 1/2 mug of foal creep and 1/2 mug of mare/youngstock feed.

This is my bucket.

Delia is always first up and waiting.

She is very enthusiastic about her food.

The others follow.

Albie has his food in another field so he can eat in peace.

Once I think Delia has had enough of the turmeric mixture, I fight the bucket off her.

I let Tiddles have a turn as he fell in the sinkhole.

Fivla has a turn too.  She has stiff shoulders.  She doesn’t get much.

The mixture is very hot and strong – lots of black pepper and turmeric.

They love it.  Storm makes it his mission to get some.

 

I usually give in and let him lick out the bucket.

I think it does good.

The day when Delia doesn’t come running up and kick everyone else in the teeth for her bucket, then that is the day I put her to sleep.

Meanwhile BeAnne has her duties.

She is very busy.

Once finished, Albie is led back to the field.

And he goes back to being a regular Minion.

Albie is fed just Multimilk in the afternoon.

So that’s what we do.