OH lugged the battery and fitted it into the horsevan. I reversed it round to the stables.

And we decided to move the little chaps (Tiddles, Storm and Newt) this afternoon as it was a grotty morning – far too windy and rainy.

Everyone was ready to go – Storm had packed his red spotty hanky and everyfink!

Packed like sardines (furry ones!), they all travelled well.

We had to walk through a green field to get them to their friends.  Floss led Storm and Albie, while I led Tiddles as he has form for losing his headcollar and dragging his owner off!  I told Floss to drop Albie if she had to – he is the only one who can be easily caught of the three.  She didn’t have to and we led them down while the rest of the herd, except for Vitamin who will NOT walk through a bog, came down to greet them.  No one ate one blade of the green grass on the way. That was forbidden.

You can see Vitamin slowly making her way around the large bog she will never walk through.

They all galloped about in pure happiness.  There were a few moments when Floss and I wondered if they would ever stop as they rushed towards us, but luckily everyone went around.

I love how Vitamin arrived for a carrot and Fivla could not make up her mind which direction she should be facing. Whichever it was, she was wrong!

There was lots of huffing and puffing but so much smiling too. I am glad they are all together again.

If we can get the horsevan started (flat battery), then the three errant Minions will return to Leradale because Floss and I (plus Daisy from afar) think they look much better.

After checking on the ones at Leradale (Fivla, Vitamin, Silver, Newt and Waffle – all fine, thank you for asking), Floss and I put headcollars on the ones we have had stabled (Tiddles, Storm and Albie), to run them round the school. While I was away, Tiddles had a relapse so the other two were brought in to a) keep Tiddles company and b) slim down as well.

The little boys ran around bucking, farting and giggling, thus confirming that they could safely go back to the field.  There is no green grass there now. Just fibre.  Healthy fibre.

Albie was sweet and kept coming up to Flossie – mostly to ask her to sort out his over-large headcollar.

Storm was a free spirit. He had managed to slip his headcollar off his nose and refused to be caught ever again!

So that’s tomorrow job – van starting pending.

The dots on the horizon are Dreki, Efstur and Kappi. Taktur was miles away at the back. He turned up later.  I was calling the boys home so we could feed Taktur his breakfast and take off his rug as well.   When I yelled, three pairs of ears appeared on the horizon and then the chaps came bouncing over the hill, giggling as they went.

Floss had carrots in her coat pocket to make up for the fact that only Taktur was getting his Handsome Prince food.  This is our morning routine.  Taktur was wearing a rug because the weather forecast had threatened rain the night before and he loses weight very easily because he is just so incredibly good-looking.

I love watching them gallop over the hill towards us.  It is our wild horses moment.

We’ve given up on being clean let alone tidy in this house.  There really is no point. These two stop only to sleep and then it is full on again!

I just watch a blur of fur rushing past me at 100 mph, with the occasional squeak when someone goes too far. So far, things have never descended to a fight.  They are equally matched.  Pepper doesn’t give up, ever, and Ted has weight and height on his side.

Just play, play, play, play …….. (keep typing until one of us goes to sleep!)

But it is very funny to watch and I am so pleased Ted and Pepper get on this well.  Ted has been here a week and it feels right.  One of the family.

Meanwhile, it is a bit of a love-hate relationship with Monster who gives as good as he gets.  I think Ted wants to play with him like Pepper does and assumes it will be alright. It will not.  I have told him.

Monster can always leave if he wants to.  I am not concerned (I am worried, however, for the hens especially Ted got one in his mouth today – we had words).

So that’s us. It is good to be home.  So much to organise, though and it is not that easy.

     .

We’ve still got the snow. Last night sounded hellish but I just tell myself there are many out there that need to lose weight.  Lots of weight.

I don’t think Vitamin actually believes me when I tell her.

Even Fivla has rolls of fat and a bit of a cresty neck.

It was the warm autumn – there was a flush of green grass that has done no one any favours.

And despite their beguiling smiles, I remain tough.

One small piece of carrot is all they get.

We are not are popular as we once were and I even refused some freebie pony-sized little carrots from Turrifield (where I pack veg) as I know no one needs them.

Needing is different to wanting, I tell them.

No one would look at me. Like I said, we are not very popular anymore.