Category Archives: Icelandic horses and Shetland Ponies

I Have No Dog

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It started well.  Bored of no one returning my phone calls, I decided to get some fresh air and set off over the hill with Pepper by my side to take some nice photos of the old horses and ponies, while they are still in their winter coats.

Pepper was all nice and clean(ish) for her too.

En route I took a few pics of Gussie and Dahlia who were around.

And also saw my first Common Butterwort (or it is a dog violet – anyone?) of Spring and that was more evidence to validate my claim that spring is really here.

Anywho, the girls were unavailable for photographs.

So I concentrated on the Icelandic horses.

After I topped up their water and threw everyone some carrots, I called up Pepper and went back home, but she never appeared.  So, I shouted and eventually a small Bog Creature came racing home.

Ugh.

Even Dahlia was appalled.

My little clean dog is not so clean anymore.

Pepper knew and I knew she needed a bath and, to be fair, she was very good about it.  A one-man bath is never easy and my back is fairly screaming at me.

But now Pepper is feeling hard done by and a bit put upon.  My heart is hardened. Tough.  If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime!

Still, the photos came out well.

*** snigger ***

Track Life

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Not much happening today.

Just the usual – Monster decided he wanted to rule the world so he sat on Donald Trump.

I am considering selling some of the Muscovy ducks.  We just have so many (mostly boys) and all the girls are wandering around looking for places to nest so there are bound to be more.

I shall be sad to see them go but needs must. I never wanted a large flock.

The Shetland ponies are all doing well.  Track life seems to have been an easy change for them and it suits them. They run up and down from one end to the other, galloping up the hills, giggling and having lots of fun.  I think it also helps that the weather has been quite nice recently.

Of course, I gave in and they now get hay in the evening out of the very-difficult-to-eat haynets (doubles, ie two together with tiny holes) and this a) slows them down and b) gives the grass a bit of a chance to grow.  I don’t see anyone getting fat on this regime but I worry about stomach ulcers, and am trying to keep the intake trickling in.

Anyway, the ponies are getting lots of exercise on the track, which is ideal.  However the constant poo-picking is very boring except I am currently listening to LOTR (onto the 3rd book now), so feel like a miserable put-upon hobbit while I traipse around the track.

On Track Now

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I wasn’t going to move the Shetland ponies yet until I received a text yesterday evening from a friend saying that one of her ponies had come in “a bit footy”.

Footiness means their hooves are tender and it is often the first sign of laminitis from newly arriving spring grass.  I didn’t need telling twice.

The ponies had to be moved.

So after their breakfast, I called them all up.

And they were such good boys, leaving their field without question or argument or even a headcollar.

The boys immediately went off to investigate their old paddock and I had opened up their containers too.

OH and I set up the electric fence energisers (one for each side) and I let the ponies out to go down to their track, where they will now stay until winter.

There’s not much grass on the track but there seems to be enough at the moment.  This time of year what is growing is “rocket fuel” and I just can’t take the risk.

The fields have greened up over night, literally (or is that figuratively?)

And everyone has done very well over winter, so if they lost weight, I wouldn’t be too upset.  If they need it, I will also supplement with hay, but I widened the track (to avoid a muddy corner) and they’re not interested in eating this new grass, which I will take as proof that they don’t actually need hay at the moment.

I wish I could make the boys understand that this is for their own good and rocket fuel is always dangerous to fat little ponies.

The Grass is Always Greener

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Guess who turned up this morning, after going out into his field with his friends (he snuck back while I was finishing tidying their bedroom)?  Yes, I fed him and yes, I’ve realised I’ve made a rod for my own back but Lambie is a bit thin (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it) and I luffs him.

After a very strong cup of coffee (my breakfast), I took the dogs out for their walk. I wanted to check the track’s electric fence, to make sure that when the ponies moved in, all systems would be go or at least zap!

Obviously, I had help.

And the ponies all came rushing over to see what I was doing just in case I had chocolate cake in my pocketses.

Despite having a bit of grass in their field, they all hanker to move onto the track.  I have absolutely no idea why.  There is not one blade of grass on it.

Where the ponies currently live has at least something to eat but apparently that’s not good enough anymore.  The grass is always greener, apparently, even if it doesn’t actually exist.

But I made the most of the nice weather and had a sit down spending some special time with Tiddles (‘scuse the many chins).

I am in two minds when to move the ponies over to their track. It is all ready and waiting.  We most certainly don’t want laminitis again and they have wintered well but there really is not one blade of grass there and I will only end up having to feed them very expensive hay, which seems ridiculous when they are ok where they are.  I dunno. I never know.  Answers on a postcard, please.

Primroses Are Here!

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Spring is almost here…..Our “wall of primroses” is beginning to appear on both sides of the burn (stream) that runs through the fields.  The primroses are a most welcome sight and I was worried that the sheep and ponies were probably eating them as there is not much in that field and food is food.

But as the flowers are growing on a sheer cliff, they seem to be ok, if a bit wind-blown.

These days, we are all a bit wind-blown.

It was blowing a hoolie when I went out with the dogs this morning.

As you can see by Newt’s very bouffant mane.

Newt is used to his wild hair.

On my walk, I went to see if the sheep had finally gone outside into their field – these days I just leave the field gate open and let them make their own choices.

I found that they had chosen to use the lee of the big shed and the bank for shelter.  All eight of them – quite the flock.  I do like seeing them all together.

Oooh, Lambie.

Pepper and Gussie – aww.

(so you know, this is an eating day – fingers crossed).  However, Guss is always eating.  He wears snacks.

Madge looked, err, triangular.

And Maggie was most disapproving.

So I went inside and made a disapproving sheep, as well.