I have officially given up trying to show the sloths, aka my Shetland ponies where the grass is in their field.

They are all determined to spend their days standing on their rock.

So I have decided to leave them there.

Enjoy it, I told them, as I walked away to take the dogs on their walk.

See if I care.

I, tried, I failed and I now give up.  I can do no more.

Maybe the Old Ladies will take pity on the boys and take them on a wander of the huge field that is their home.

To be perfectly honest, when I was walking the dogs this morning, I found evidence of pony poo around, so I think they are actually leaving their rock when I have gone home.  I just don’t see them move.

And, as I want them to lose weight, I guess they will all slim down very quickly just staying where they are.

When the other sheep decide they want to go into the “middle” field, ‘Ster just can’t work out how they get there (btw, they go under the fence).

So he comes and finds me in the hope that I will sort it out for him.

He always asks very politely and of course I don’t mind leaving whatever I am doing to help him.  It’s my job.

‘Ster knows the drill. He has to follow me.

And I have to take him through the garden (without OH knowing).  We have to leave no trace.

And ‘Ster knows The Rules (no eating or touching absolutely anything) and, surprisingly, he is very good about this, never lingering to eat a tree or flower.

I open the gate from the garden to the field and ‘Ster dutifully goes out, happy to be rejoining his flock.

So of course they all see me and come running.

However, if I am lucky, they usually stay in their field, not coming straight out to beg at the front door.

Anywho, this is the method of getting through the fence. Big enough for a sheep, but not a horse or pony.  I like it that the sheep have a way to “escape” if anyone is being mean and chasing.

It’s not pretty, but it’s effective, apart for ‘Ster who can come home but, for some reason, can never go the other way, ie, out.

Even Lambie can work it out.

And he really is not the brightest star in our firmament!

No, Lambie, you’re not ❤️.

After buckets, I decided that I wanted the Shetland ponies to explore their field more. I could see they just mostly stay in the same places not realising they have a whole 40 acres at their disposal.  This time I kept Vitamin’s headcollar on and took her for a walk to try and get the others to follow.  She is the herd leader.

Storm came trotting along behind us. He knew what I wanted and was very enthusiastic, happily keeping up.

Eventually the others got the plot and decided to follow, if slowly.

But when they cantered past, giggling, I knew the herd were going to stay in the hill part of the field for the rest of the day and that was exactly what I wanted.  No more hanging around the gate looking wistfully at a field of grass they can’t have.  There is plenty of grass in their field if they just go and look for it.

I had let Vitamin go, and she stopped, looked back and was waiting for Fivla to catch up, which I thought was very kind of her.

And off they all went further up the hill to the very top…..

….nwhich is where I left them and got on with my dog-walk instead.  Mission accomplised!

To town today for my annual eye test but, en route, I stopped off to feed Vitamin and Fivla.

Dressed in my clean clothes, I was freezing to near-death as I had ditched my usual uniform of Norwegian sweater and revolting hi-viz padded jacket, going with tidier but thinner clothes.  A rookie mistake.

Obviously, I had to go into the minion field, rather than stand on the other side of the fence, to dish out my carrot collection as well as spraying hooves and swilling mouths.

I was so clean and tidy.  I couldn’t be “minioned”.  I didn’t want to go to town covered in the usual mud smelling of ponies….

I don’t know why I was particularly bothered about what I looked or smelled like even – the place was deserted.

I delivered a flock of sheep to Jamieson’s Knitwear, chatted to some friends, had my eye test (all fine there) …

And then lunch (chips)  sat in my car with a good view and a hungry seagull.  Sorry, mate, chips are sacred.

Tomorrow I will be back to normal but it was a change to be clean and tidy even just for a few hours!