This morning we had a spectacular sunrise.  Always nice.  We feed the animals at sunrise, which sounds earlier and much more impressive than it actually is.  Sunrise is currently at 08.37 and Daisy and I are up by 8.30 (just!)  Sunset is at 15.10 so we have just slightly over 6 hours daylight, into which we cram as much as we possibly can.

We start the day with me feeding the sheep (Daisy is on ducks/hens) and I put them in their field for the day. Then Daisy and I walk over to Clothie (my 5 acre croft over the hill) with our buckets of TurmerAid mixed with nil-calorie fibre.

Her Maj sometimes comes too and today she was in a very bouncy enthusiastic mood. We encourage this happiness. It sets her up for the day.

In Haakon’s bucket is also a hoofy supplement – Farrier4Feet which is brilliant and our farrier could see a huge difference in the quality of his hooves so worth every penny then.

Klængur is usually the first to finish his food and he happily entertains himself with his bucket!  He always does this and I have no idea why.

He reminds me of Eeyore – “But Eeyore wasn’t listening. He was taking the balloon out, and putting it back again, as happy as could be….”

So that’s what we do in the morning.  Today was beautiful so it was no hardship.

Sometimes the urge overtakes me and I go all black and white.

So here you go….

Vitamin (and her white muzzle and the cutest little teddy bear ears, which always make us go “awww!” ❤️)

The beautiful Lilja.

Little Tiddles (and a grubby muzzle – I dread to think where that’s been).

Newt – all alone in the world.  Nobody loves him, everybody hates him. Possibly off to eat worms.

Ah, but no.  Within seconds Newt was attached to my side trying to get more carrots by adopting his pathetic orphan face.  He too has the ears of a teddy bear.

The noble profile – Tiddles again.

When I see these two, the song “Sisters” always starts playing.

♬ Sisters, sisters
There were never such devoted sisters …

All kinds of weather
We stick together
The same in the rain or sun
Two different faces
But in tight places
We think and we act as one….. uh-huh. ♬

Storm *** sigh *** (just sigh because that is what I do when Storm is around. He always up to no good).

And some more Newt.

Little spiky Newtidge.

So that’s today’s efforts. The other ponies were around but not particularly chatty. Fair enough.  Someone usually wants a hug.  Today it was this lot. I hope you liked the photos.

A lovely morning and Daisy asked me to accompany her on foot while she rode Efstur for the first time outside in his new bit.  I took Haakon with me as a Steadying Influence for Efstur.

Haakon knew I had carrots in my pocketses!  He had sniffed them out.

And then he told Efstur I had carrots in my pocketses (while Daisy had one in her mouth to give Efstur as a reward for standing nicely while she mounted).  Haakon was on the carrot mission.  Stuff the steadying influence lark. He wanted a down payment!

We all set off.

Haakon’s left ear tuned into the vibrations of carrots in my pockets!  He never gives up and he never forgets.

We were quickly left behind.  Efstur has longer legs than me.

But, I was with my best friend, so we had a nice chat and followed along.

Onto the road.

Efstur and Daisy waited for us to catch up.  Stopping and waiting is an essential life skill for any young horse.

More blagging from Haakon. He does ask in the nicest way and it makes me laugh.

I think the smiles of these two says it all.  Efstur was a very good boy and he loved going out into the big bad world.  Best day ever!  He was very enthusiastic about everything.

A long walk home and Daisy dismounted.  Note, Haakon wanting his payment.

He got told to wait until we got home, ie we had all run out of carrots!

And then, when no one was watching and we were home, I gave my old horse a big handful of carrots as payment for his help as a Steadying Influence.  Payment received with thanks!

I hate writing BeAnne health updates – especially if I am saying how well she is doing – because I swear she reads this blog and then her health takes an instant nose-dive and we end straight back at the vets in tears.

Anywho, deep breath, these are some photos from yesterday.

Her Maj, although now a bit of a heft, is still with us and, more importantly, enjoying life.

(possibly this photo is one of my most favourites – it sums her up perfectly)

And this is Her Maj running after a bunny she thought she saw (who knows).  Once a small dog known for her speed (think baked bean shot out of a canon – she was after all brought up by a very fast lurcher), BeAnne now appears to runs on the spot and is banana shaped – like a cartoon dog.  There is not much mileage covered anymore and absolutely no speed, but the enthusiasm is certainly there.   A joy to watch. She makes me smile.

Our forays into the hill are not very long and on the way back, I always say hello to the old men as we go passed their field.

Iacs with his Silly Frilly for his fans.

And I shouted “Oi, Piggy” and Haakon instantly looked up with his “yes? What do you want?” face!

So that’s us.  Please don’t read this blog BeAnne. I can’t face the downward slide now that I’ve said with a huge amount of trepidation, that you seem to be happy.

Efstur was waiting at the gate saying “pick me, please pick me”.  So Daisy went and caught him as we wanted to try the last of the bits from The Bit Bank on him.

When I watch Daisy train Efstur, I take notes and hope I have half her ability.

The relationship these two have is lovely to watch.

Tacked up (with a small word about breaking the string he was tied up to) and off they went around the school to dispel any myths about Boggarts.

Onwards and upwards.

For the first time, Efstur settled quickly and went very nicely.  Today’s gait was trot – at this stage Daisy doesn’t push it and takes what Efstur offers.

Ears forward and a little Happy Face. That’s all anyone wants.

Offering an outline.

And this is what we hate.  Luckily it was brief.

He was quickly back to listening.

Daisy said this was the best Efstur had been – happy, relaxed and listening which means she now has a horse she can work with.  While he was previously busy sticking his hooves in his ears and shouting “La, la, la, I can’t hear you”, then all bets were off and there really was no point.

But Daisy’s peseverance, gathering of knowledge and scientific approach has (hopefully) achieved the right result.

One happy Efstur who can continue his education.

And so I watch these two, and I learn too.

While BeAnne looks for nasty things she can eat!