Ok, well not quite on my own and this was a few days ago. Floss came too as my support, walking along, but Klængur and I felt confident to leave her behind, which is encouraging.

We had some good tölts together and it was fun. Klængur is desperately unfit so it will be a slow process for him.

Today, as I was on my own, I caught and tacked up Dreki.  This was our first “solo flight”. I had just mounted when Floss came in.  I asked her to stay but not to be in the school itself and Dreki and I went around by ourselves.  We have never done this before. Usually someone walks alongside.

I did not realise Floss was taking photos.

What can I say?  Dreki was hoof-perfect. He listened. He tried his hardest. He was calm. He walked, turned, stopped, started….. everything, all in walk.

We even did the cones!

(Cones were rather an issue when long-reining and we usually give up calling it bad job).

But no, cones are now our thing.

I loved riding Dreki. He is just like his Dad but more solid and bigger.  I dismounted with a huge grin on my face.  Dreki is teaching me just as much as I am teaching him.

About once a year, I take a really good photo.  So here it is.  Fivla at her most beautiful.  She is truly a fairy-tale pony.

Fivla of Finnister © Frances Taylor 2022

When I went up to see the Minions, I took Vitamin her daily bucket of food.  She needs the calories.

The Minions know they can’t have it. I have always made this perfectly clear.

Today’s hopefuls were Storm and his cousin, Newt – yes, they are related and sometimes I can really see the similarity. Those genes don’t stray far.

Storm was persistent.

He said he just happened to be in the area.

And could Vitamin please give him her bucket.

Asking for a starving friend.

I let Vitamin tell Storm what she thought of that idea.

And then, from another approach, Newt came to join in.  Poor Vitamin. I will have to be a better guard for her.

Ponies. They are very irritating. Both Vitamin and I agree on that point.

It was the perfect day to do it.  So we moved all the Minions and Old Ladies to their summer residence – the hill park in Sandness.

We fed Vitamin and Fivla first and then moved Tiddles, Newt and Silver who were fairly unhelpful to lead.

They galloped off, once they realised where they where they had landed.

Then we drove back and collected Waffle, Storm and Albie who were slightly more enthusiastic.

And then lastly the old ladies – Vitamin and Fivla who were waiting for us looking rather forlorn.  I wish animals could understand that I would never abandon them and that we would be back within the hour.  I did try to explain.

You can see in the far, far distance everyone was waiting by the gate for the ladies.

Lots of shouting from both sides.

It was a good walk for everyone (for Floss and I it was three times).

The boys all crowded around the gate while we opened it.

And the band are back together…. again.  Just splitting them up for a couple of hours for transportation worries them all.  They are a very close herd.  Hopefully the grass is not good enough for anyone to get laminitis.  It is not re-seeded or particularly lush or green. I will go on feeding Vitamin unless she balloons, which I doubt.  This should do them for the summer.