It feels like everyone is ill or falling to bits around here.

No 1. – Silver

Symptoms: He has a nasty something growing by his left ear.  About the 1cm in size but not going away.
Diagnosis: Possibly a sarcoid (very prevalent in grey equines) or a eosinophilic granuloma.
Treatment:  Ardene vets (Aberdeen equine vets) are coming next week – he is on their list – and I kissed it better.
Problem: Silver is a bit head shy and nervous. He is not very helpful so will require sedation for anything they want to do.  Other problem – everyone else wants to “help” – so they must be removed.

There is a lot of leaving while I want to look or photograph the offending growth.

No 2. – Mrs Duckie

Symptoms: She is off her legs and can’t walk. She uses her wings to move around.
Diagnosis: Possible crush injury due to rampant sex.
Treatment:  Bedrest in a quiet shed with access to food, water and a wee house.  Wait and see.  This has happened before to other female duckies.  They usually come good.

No 3. – ‘Bert

Symptoms: Hopping lame, can barely walk.  ? front foot problem.
Diagnosis: Maybe foot rot.
Treatment:  Antibiotic injection, painkillers and I trimmed and sprayed his feet.
Problem: He wants to be with his friends but can’t keep up.

No 4. – ‘Ster

Symptoms: Roach backed, lame at times, not very happy. Not himself.
Diagnosis: Not sure.  Maybe neurological.
Treatment:  Antibiotics, painkillers, ammonium chloride treatment, cobalt bolus and I trimmed and sprayed his feet.
Problem: He wants to be with his friends but won’t go under fences.  I am at a loss as to what to do next as he is eating, drinking and is enthusiastic about food so maybe this is just ‘Ster in his later years.

I’m off to sell a kidney and my first born (sorry, Daisy).

The chaps and chapesses hadn’t been weighed for a while so Monika came over with her scales.  This is very important as we have a horse vet from south coming up to see all the old ones (Kolka, Haakon, Iacs, Fivla and Vitamin) and Iacs will be sedated.  An accurate weight = accurate anaesthetic dose.

We did the little ones first.  All were very good about being caught and leading onto the scales.  They are used to this routine now.

Then it was the other’s turn. First, I chose Vitamin and then Fivla, who was skulking in the shed hoping I wouldn’t find her.  Haakon was the only idiot (I was ashamed), walking over the scales but just missing it by one leg.  I won in the end  by pushing fourth leg on and his weight was measured so he stood there sulkily defeated.

The results were very interesting. I had been worrying for ages about everyone’s weight.  Were the Icelandics too thin?  Apparently not.  Was Tiddles looking a bit bony and emaciated – definitely not.

It is incredible how just looking and prodding doesn’t give any sense of accuracy. In fact I was totally wrong.

So, Monika’s invaluable help and use of her scales were the answer and Plan B(iv.z) was made.  No more hay when it’s raining, no matter what for the little ones, even if they are utterly miserable. Stop the fattening mash and linseed for the old Icelandics and Shetlands – they don’t need it this time of year.

Scientia ipsa potentia est (knowledge is power) as they say and now I know, I must stay strong.

It has been pouring with rain all day and I had visitors from England coming over.  We had lunch and then obviously I took them to my favourite spot, Sandness beach.

There was no one around and we had the beach to ourselves, which was lovely and apparently they saw some seabirds too (I didn’t take my glasses with me so couldn’t see a thing).

I enjoyed showing my Shetland to my friends.  I know them from my previous life in England.  They got to see my part of the world and hopefully understood why I am here.  These days, my love for Shetland is a very important part of me.  Living in England feels like another life.

We walked up and down the beach, while I looked for groatie buckies (Trivia arctica – one of the two species of cowrie shells found in Britain) – I didn’t find any – and they looked at the seabirds.

And then home for tea and cake, and of course the rain stopped.

(it was a lovely day off, even if it was raining, from making sheep)

Dahlia and Gussie are doing well.  I am trying hard to integrate them into the herd but with limited success.

While they eat separately from everyone, and I don’t blame them, it can be a rugby scrum of interchangeable bowls when the others are involved.

So after breakfast, Dahlia and Gussie join everyone else for the day in a field of someone’s choice (usually Lambie’s).  They spend the day together perfectly amicably generally staying with ‘Ster who stays around while the others go under the fence to find better grazing.

And then, when I come outside in the afternoon having finished my sheep-making, I feed the ducks/hens and then let D+G out – they ask to be put back into their big field with the horses.

They are happy with this routine.  Their days are spent with the other sheep while nights are with the old horses/ponies.

So sort of integration but not quite.  Their situation is better than it was and no one is having a go anymore.

Dahlia has made friends with Maggie, which is good – they were both hill sheep so they have that in common.

And Gussie’s chosen friend is Barrel (son of Maggie) – they gently argue and wind each other up.

Of course I blame Gussie. He likes a good joke and food, he definitely likes food.

I haven’t seen the Minions for a while.  They are spending their days on the far side of the track where their latest new grassy bit is.

However, I check on them twice daily – when OH poo-picks in the morning and I have a swift go around in the evening.  And if I am not sure, I take a photo from the house which I can enlarge to count ponies with.

And then I know they are alright (Tiddles is having a roll, not dying).

So it was a nice surprise to see the chaps this afternoon up by their feed bowls when I emerged from my sheep-making shed. They’ve not been up since Sunday.

So I gave them their breakfast (nine hours late), which they were very happy to eat.

And, as quickly as they arrived, they vanished again to another corner of their track.

So me, my bucket and gloves walked their track picking up poo when I got the sense that I was being followed….

Note:Tiddles’ spook at the bucket! Silly boy.

Waffle was already waiting for them at the bottom (and I have no idea when he got passed me – perhaps he flew) and I left them eating the grass in between the marsh marigolds.  It was good to see them move so well and I am even hoping they are losing weight.