The War between Monster and Ted continues, but in a passive-aggressive sort of way….

He’s not a brave dragon, is Dreki.  We are our working on this speshul skill.

Today, I showed him around the croft.  When we reached my shed, and the chairs outside, there was snorting and some fire breathing.

So I sat on one chair and put a carrot on the other one.

“Oh. My. Word, you want me to do what?” I could hear him say.

I wanted Dreki to believe me and himself that everything would be fine.  I wanted to remove any “Drama Llama” from this scenario.

Wonderful!

And hopefully that problem has now been sold.

Dreki looks superb this summer but he has quite an attitude (drama llama) at the moment.  I am following Michael Peace’s method of training – Think Equus – natural horsemanship combined with sensible explanations, ie think like your horse and hopefully this will bring understanding as to his behaviour and I can approach this from his angle of the world.

Anywho, we moved onto the van next.  Dreki was fine about that.

Inside, and we renegotiated terms about the sheet and two poles I had put down on the ground yesterday, which he would just walk over but refused to be long-reined near.

Today was a new day and Dreki didn’t even think about it and I managed some lovely long-reining (sadly no camera as two hands on the steering!)

Then we went outside with the long-reins and it all turned to manure again!  Ho hum, tomorrow is another day….. work-in-progress.

Ye Olde Sheep stuffing her Face!  Edna comes to the front door every morning and shouts until someone comes out to feed her the 3rd breakfast!  We are very well trained. That’s all I am saying.

Meanwhile, if you can see the black dot in the distance, well that is Vitamin waiting for her daily bucket.

The rest of the herd know not to bother Vitamin.

Vitamin stands miles away happily munching.

Yes, we have mud. No, we are not having Summer and no, Vitamin doesn’t mind. She gets her food. That’s all she wants.

Afterwards, Vitamin realised that I hadn’t bothered to catch her (I missed my opportunity), so she happily walked back to the herd thinking I had forgotten.

I deliberated and watched Vitamin thinking “shall I go and rinse her mouth out or shall I leave her” but then I saw her do that yawny thing with her mouth and my mind was made up. I went back, caught her and rinsed out her mouth.  She wasn’t that happy with me and I had to lie through my teeth with a rustly old carrot bag to catch her, but there was something in me that just could’t walk away knowing she was finding it difficult to eat.

Once caught, Vitamin accepted her fate graciously and I quickly rinsed her mouth out with fresh clean water.  She knows the drill and we both wish we didn’t have to do it but hey ho. It must be done daily.

I am pleased with the weight Vitamin is, for an old lady of 28 who had a tough winter.

I just want her to be happy and comfortable. That’s all.

Last night it was Simmer Dim, (Shetland dialect for the Summer twilight on the longest day of the year).  A perfect evening.

So, Klængur and I went for a lovely ride together.  We didn’t go all that far because someone is feeling a little sluggish having consumed 2kg of whole wheat a few days’ back, but we did manage some creditable tölts and good conversation.

We enjoyed ourselves and both came home smiling, which is my definition of a good ride out.  I think Klængur would agree. Forgive me, but I don’t take photos onboard as I need both my hands on the steering wheel!

Today, I rode Dreki – or as he is now known Twitface (bloody autocorrect – go figure!)

We are working our way through some fairly basic training issues and hopefully will come out the other side, realising that walking forward is what I want and trying to scrape me off on the boards is not.  Yesterday we did join-up and today we were a bit nicer.

I feel this training lark is going to be a long haul. I am not sure I am up for the challenge on my own but I am still standing so that has to be a plus.

Gah!  “Why can’t I have two nice horses?” – she wails!

and

“Is there enough gin in the world for this?” – she also wails!

“Nice things happen to nice people” is a motto (one of many) in our house.

And so, as these two “people” behaved nicely this afternoon, ie went to sleep on my chaise longue while I made a sheeple, I took them over to Clothie after their supper for a run.

Ted went on a lead as he lacks directional skills.

And behind me I could hear this incessant yowling.

Monster was coming too.  I have no idea why but he was.

So we walked around Clothie, some of us enjoying the bunnies, some of us yowling for the sake of it and some of us taking photos.

We haven’t been to Clothie for a while because of nesting birds and trying to keep everyone away from the newborn lambs in the hill so it was nice to wander around.

The dogs loved it.  They explored and had the greatest time.

Monster was very much a token dog too….

….. if a slightly complainy one.

The flowers were good too.

And then we went home.

Monster stopped off en route to check my car.

Apparently the brakes are fine and in good working order!