Category Archives: Icelandic horses and Shetland Ponies

Our First Courgette Harvest

The dogs and I went on a soggy walk in the field. The dogs were looking for bunny rabbitses while I was looking for two errant sheep – Gussie and his mother, Dahlia, who have not turned up for their breakfast two days in a row. But I have been checking them from a distance.

Edited to say that they turned up tonight and got two biscuits for their trouble. Phew! I hate it when someone is awol.

The heather has come out now and I need to go for a drive to find the hill heather looking its most dramatic.

We don’t have much around here.

On my home from the soggy walk, I found the old ladies had taken up residence in their shed with no intention of moving…. ever.

And in the other field, the Shetland ponies had come up because it was raining. According to Albie they might melt.

Ever optimistic Albie. I had nothing for him.

I thought there was only Tiddles and Silver sheltering in one of their containers and was looking around for Newt.

I found him. I hope Silver/Tiddles weren’t holding him hostage.

It has been known.

And back at home, OH had picked our first courgette harvest (ever). This is quite the achievement for us. A while back, a friend gave us four healthy plants – so really he had done all the hard work like planting and getting them started. Apparently there might even be some more courgettes later.

We grewed these – get us!

More Weather

3 Replies

You know me and my obsession with the weather.

Well, it was on full force today confirmed by Gulberwick Weather’s forecast on Facebook.

And, according to Yr.no, it is never going to stop raining. However, other forecasts are a little more optimistic.

Also a friend texted me that she was probably going to rug one of her horses “with a rain sheet, no fill tonight, weather is going to be grim tomorrow”.

Well, that was all I needed to know. I hastily phoned Daisy and we had a discussion about what to do best. I like a second opinion. It confirms that I make sensible decisions.

And then I looked around my extensive library of rugs (yes, another obssession) and found the ones I wanted, lugged them plus two headcollars, in case of uncooperation, to the field. Five rugs of 0g weighs a good ton. I carried the headcollars were around my neck. I looked like a demented bag lady.

They all knew and behaved (I swear I heard Fivla mutter that I could take her rug off next June).

Bibble looked particularly happy.

While Haakon looked fed up that summer seems to be leaving rather rapidly.

And then I popped into Tiddles’ field and put his little dressing-gown on. I know he has a container for shelter but if the others all go off to find grass, he will be left behind bare-nekked and miserable. He also is a perfect weight with nothing spare to lose.

Here we go again. The break was nice while it lasted.

Sharing and Not Sharing

3 Replies

Some share better than others. It depends.

(This morning I found Fivla and Vitamin in the wee shed together so I popped both their buckets in).

Waffle is a kind pony and will always share his bucket with care-in-the-community Albie who seldom eats out of his own bowl by himself. I give Waffle’s bowl extra so no one misses out.

Lambie, of course (and did you even need to ask) cannot share. He hates it and gets very upset, so he has his own private dining room which makes him happy. He can then eat in peace. The other sheep all swap bowls every few seconds which upsets him hugely and he just stands there feeling put upon.

This afternoon, Pepper would not share. Despite being a non-eating day (she has since rallied and had her tea), she still stole Ted’s fishy shed-treat but, feeling sick, just sat with it. Upon her return to the shed now, however, I heard crunching and it’s vanished. Poor Ted. Snooze and you lose.

Also, Waffle came up on his own when he heard me open the gate to take the two haynets into the paddock.

The rest came cantering up a few minutes later.

Newt was not sharing.

But the rest were (Silver wasn’t interested so doesn’t count).

Also later on today, I found he old ladies having a discussion about the wee shed (again) – apparently a constant source of oneupmanship or is it oneupponyship?

(Fivla was not budging).

So, in conclusion, some animals share, some don’t and some won’t. It depends.

A New Trick

4 Replies

I learned a new photographic trick today and I tried it out on the Shetland ponies (and even Lambie), who were around alternating between eating their afternoon haynets and sheltering from the sudden and heavy rain showers.

It was a rather good trick.

It worked on almost everyone, though Albie was unhelpful following me around trying to mug me so I couldn’t get him to stand still.

This is my most favourite photograph of the day.

I like all my photos of horses and ponies to have ears forward. Ears back always looks so miserable.

Like I said, the trick mostly worked except for Newt who was having none of it. Of course, he wouldn’t.

Waffle, again, so handsome.

This trick even worked on Lambie who was busy guarding his bedroom/shed because of the heavy rain.

And he even left his bedroom to show me his ever-Winning Smile and bat his beautiful eyelashes at me. I was, of course, smitten.

And the trick? Always carry in one hand a brand new crunchy packet of Vetwrap (stretchy, self-adherent bandage) while you’re taking photos of disobliging animals. I had to fetch a new one from my stores in the shed for Pepper’s poorly paw and was carrying it around in my coat pocket to get it to the house.

Albie and Tiddles heard the crinkly noise and instantly pricked up their ears!

“Follow me for more tips!”

A Few Odd Ones

4 Replies

Nothing much to say today as in absolutely nothing has happened except for the weird photos I found that I took throughout the day.

This was Monster first thing in the morning telling me all about his night out and how he worked hard protecting the homestead. Those borders don’t repel themselves, you know.