It was lovely today.  Blue sky and not a breath of wind.  Just perfect.

Days like these are called a False Spring – The term ‘false spring’ refers to a period in late winter or early spring when temperatures become unusually warm, before suddenly growing cold again. During a false spring, the warm weather can ‘trick’ vegetation into coming out of dormancy – LawnWeedExpert.co.uk

But even so, one day is better than nothing and the snowdrops are out.  Woohoo!

Monster was around, doing his Japanese cat thing (look at the picture by Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川広重 – I gave everyone this picture for Christmas!

The daffs thinking about appearing, which makes sense because we have a Force 11 approaching fast so they will more than likely be blown to bits and probably never flower.

It’s a bit touch and go this time of year but we are all happily lulled into a false sense of security and make the most of days like these.

Ted was around too.

Monster was plotting his downfall.

Still, even if the nice weather is brief, it was very beautiful.

It was persisting with rain this morning but off I went armed with two buckets (I did promise) of food for Fivla…

… and Vitamin.

I sat on the old dry-stone wall guarding Fivla from the hoards.

Behind me Tiddles was busy trying to kiss me.

(does this mean we are now officially a couple?)

He is so happy being out and about again.  It is lovely.  My bestest friend.

An odd scenario today worth mentioning just because it was so…… well, odd!

Newt and Pepper are good friends. They always have been and she makes a point of going up to him to say hello, have a sniff and a chat.  She licks his nose sometimes.

But Silver is not one of Pepper’s fans. Instead when she ran past he tried to chase and stamp on her.  Pepper is fast on the uptake and she quickly made it into a game, where he would meanly chase her, and she was just that bit too far away for contact. She was circling him, like she does Maggie (who is also spiteful towards Pepper).  I watched on concerned but reckoned Pepper can look after herself and she wasn’t worried about being chased.

This is Silver’s cross face.

So Newt, went up to Silver, swung round in a threatening kicking manner giving a small bounce and then swung back to explain that he should now be nice to Pepper, who watched on with interest.

I could almost hear the conversation – “Be nice to Pepper please or I will kick you in the teeth!” was basically said.

So Silver made a huge effort and was nice to Pepper while Newt watched close by, touching Silver’s flank with possibly teeth.  He was not letting this behaviour go on.

Like I said, most odd.  Newt meant business, Pepper was just being Pepper and Silver was forced into being a friend.

The Shetland ponies are all very happy being together at Leradale.

I fed the old ladies and then took the dogs for a walk – this is my back view….

And my front (two dots of hi-viz = the doglets, Ted and Pepper).

The ponies were playing, galloping about, giggling and farting.

So lovely to see.

They ran one way…..

And then the other.

A wee film

I talked to Tiddles who promised me he felt completely better and he would do his best not to get laminitis again.

Waffle was thrilled to see his friends again.

Newt was not.  He has to work harder to maintain his current Reign of Terror.

 

 

 

And I left them all munching on grotty old hill grass.

And I made a promise to Fivla and Vitamin that their old-lady-buckets would still continue and, if they needed to, I would move them next door to the field with all the grass.  The others would not be joining them.

Anyway, it is so nice to have the ponies all back together again.  Seeing Albie gallop about out of sheer happiness made my heart sing.

 

 

 

This morning was just so, so much better.  Tiddles was perky and back to his “normal” (and I use this word in it’s loosest sense) self.  The happy smiley can-I-have-my-breakfast-bucket Tiddles. I  managed to get some pre and pro biotics down him and I think they really helped.

Storm was an idiot – that is his norm, too.

A complete twerp.

And you can see from the way Tiddles holds himself, he is feeling better.

Relieved muchly. I may sleep tonight.

So I took the boys on my dog walk because exercise is good, right?

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And then I took the cat just because…..

The afternoon was spent with our farrier.

Before photos (Tiddles) …..

And after (so much nicer).

It was deemed that Tiddles, Albie and Storm could rejoin their herd if (and only if) they live in the impoverished hill part of Leradale.  So they went out and I will keep my eagle eye on them all.

Albie is borderline but we will see…… (he was so pleased to see Fivla again).   So maybe we are through the colic (please God) and through the laminitis (for the time being, please God again).