Category Archives: Icelandic horses and Shetland Ponies

Buckets and More Buckets

My day started as it meant to go on mostly with many buckets.

While I fed the others at the top of the field, Haakon was still struggling to walk, so I broke the habit of a lifetime and took his breakfast bucket to him. I walked him over the stream and then I put his bucket down so he had to eat with his hooves in the running water.

Haakon accepted my idea as doable and proceeded to eat his brekkie while his poorly hoof soaked in the clean cold water.

Later, I went on a dog walk. I was looking for some sheep therapy.

Dahlia immediately came up for a chat.

She is always very inquisitive and I regretted that I hadn’t brought any carrots with me for everyone.

Dahlia’s son, Gussie, is not dissimilar either. Food is also important to him.

It was so nice to see that they are very happily integrated with the others now, even to the point of going into the shed to be fed if they want to. It only took just over a year!

Lambie had little to say on the matter.

But Maggie came up for a lovely chat.

Later, in the afternoon, just before it got dark, I went down to the field with hot water in a thermos, two buckets and various bits of necessary kit.

Luckily, only the Shetland ponies were close by which meant they wouldn’t try to steal Haakon’s food. They wouldn’t dare.

If Bibble and Kolka had been closer, it would’ve been a battle. I know that. I can’t say Haakon is any better but at least he is not worse. He is getting around the field in his own way. If he decides not to walk much, then it doesn’t matter as there is long grass everywhere and company. I think, at the moment, I was rather he was outside pottering gently. He is happier with his friends.

Day from Hell – Vet Called

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My morning started with Tiddles who didn’t want his breakfast. Instead he lay down in front of me and said he would like to die, please. Please, no!

I got him up and he did an enormous sloppy poo, then each one was more watery. I immediately put him in a stall, gave him a small bucket of soaked sugar beet to tempt and phoned the vet.

While we waited I dosed him up (talked it over with vet first) – Kaolin, probiotic, slippery elm, gut-bind. He was very good and had eaten his bucket. His stall was awash with many more watery poos.

Then over the hill to feed the others and I noticed Haakon could barely walk. He was hobbling. So I led him home with the others following.

I phoned the vet again and extended my list, adding Iacs on as well because his eye infection is not responding to treatment.

While we waited for the vet, OH and I soaked Haakon’s hoof to see if that helped.

Tiddles was a bit brighter now, so he rejoined his friends with haynets and, yes, he ate, not very enthusiastically, but he ate.

The big ones were around the house.

I went back to check on Tiddles every minute, secretly.

When I looked again at Haakon’s poorly hoof, I found a deep stone chip embedded at the front. It left a hole when I eventually prised it out.

His hoof went back into the bucket to draw out any nasties. At least I now knew why Haakon was hopping lame.

The vet came and, after thoroughly examining Tiddles, said he was much better.

I opened up a bit more of their track.

I left him stuffing his face.

Iacs’ eye – nothing was found so keep going with the ointment. He may have developed a blocked tear duct. He was a good boy.

Haakon needs his hoof soaked regularly. He is on painkillers too and I put them all in the field near the house as it makes it easier for me to treat him.

My last job this afternoon was to give Haakon a bucket of his favourite food, mixed with Bosmerix (boswellia supplement), while soaking his hoof and spraying it with antibiotic spray. He was such a good boy. Kolka is furious at all the food and attention he’s getting.

So that was my day. I need a lie down and now I shall worry about Haakon and Tiddles and possibly Iacs.

Out of Sorts

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I woke up late. I never wake up late. But, apparently, my alarm didn’t make a sound (always set on phone and has been acting funny) but the radio came on (my belt and braces) and I didn’t hear that either. Too fast asleep.

So I went out 45 minutes late to some very disgruntled animals who were near death due to a late breakfast. Luckily they rallied and will live to see another day.

I know this because I went back later armed with a bucketful of tubes of wormer and wormed everyone (and possibly myself, when biting off the tops of the tubes – that stuff tastes disgusting. I can vouch for that.)

I also took my very useful weights and measurements chart, though it was a rather out-of-date one despite having a newer one which I never looked for – odd. I tell myself that as I always over-estimate wormer, so hopefully I will have given them enough. I was not at my best today, thinking-wise.

And the rest of my day has been spent making a hash of everything I went near. There are some days I honestly wonder why I am on this planet. It’s a complete mystery to me. Maybe changing our broadband and the resulting rearrangement of everything has discombobulated me. I feel very out of sorts today.

BeAnne, Celt, Jack and Wu

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I think these photos come from 2009 – 2013. So many memories and actually, you know what, I am happy to see them all again. I’ve stopped being sad about the past. They are all still in my heart.

So, in this blog I must introduce to you….

Celt – a lurcher whose ancestry went back to Brian Plummer’s Merle. A renowned and respected lurcher breeder.

A dear gentle dog who was beautiful to watch in action.

Then there was Jack(et Potato), a stray from possibly Ireland – a Patterdale of course – who was described to us as “very vocal” and had an iron-like grip on all toys. He was a sturdy little chap who resembled a black pig when he was wandering off over the horizon, which was often.

Then there was Wussums, or Wu for short. Another rescue from Shetland’s Cats Protection League. Wu was very much an outside cat. He liked being part of the family.

And lastly and by no means leastly….. BeAnne Duvet Soufflé Princess Chantelle Shaznay. My precious love.

She was always by my side, unless she had somewhere else to visit.

She was a determined little girl who always made her own decisions. We all just followed along hopefully.

Another one who liked to come too.

And, yes, this photo has Daisy riding Iacs accompanied by BeAnne and Wu, who walked with us.

BeAnne and Wu were good friends.

As in, Wu enjoyed chasing BeAnne.

BeAnne’s passion was riding. She loved it and went out on horseback regularly. She had very good balance and could walk and trot with ease.

Look at that little face of happiness.

It was a very good way to train a pony or horse to be ridden because we would start them with BeAnne on their back and they became so used to BeAnne that by the time they got a human rider, they didn’t honestly mind or notice!

(this is BeAnne backing and riding our stallion)

Lovely old memories.

No Words

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I spent my day spent changing routers so we are now using mobile wifi. In some ways, we are much better off by having faster internet speeds, but there is a downside too – we have now lost our ability to use Mail (Apple) so no emails.

GIVE ME STRENGTH!

So, I have no words and I feel like taking up smoking again – I gave up in 1993.

(photos from yesterday – taken with the big camera, which I lugged over to the old horses and ponies’ new field.)