Category Archives: Icelandic horses and Shetland Ponies

How They Danced

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I received an alert from a friend last night that the Merrie Dancers (aka Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis, Mirrie Dancers) were dancing.

So, I quickly finished up cooking supper and stood outside the back door to see if I could see anything and whether it was worth staying out there.

And yes, they were beginning to rev up.

There was definitely potential so I kept popping outside every few minutes but it didn’t really get going until much, much later.

After supper, I checked outside, saw nothing much (I may be a bit blasé about Northern Lights these days – they’ve got to be pretty spectactular to make me leave my supper or a warm room) and went to my desk in the sitting-room to transcribe my Great Great Aunt Kate’s diaries.  I’ve reached February 1947.  I like to get two weeks done every night and it is not easy – the writing has not got any bigger.

But I had the genius idea to put the Burradale webcam up in the corner of my screen so that if anything kicked-off, I could see it in the comfort of my warm sitting room.

And then the sky really kicked-off.  I ran outside with my phone and took as many photos as I could manage (it was cold and windy) standing from my best vantage point – the compost heap (or Northern Lights Observational Point, as my OH likes to optimistically call it).  A spade is a spade in my language.

I  can honestly say this was the best display of the Merrie Dancers I have ever seen.

This morning wasn’t too shabby either.

While the sun rose, I put Haakon in the garden (shh, don’t tell OH) and took off his sugardine poultice that the farrier had put on yesterday (just to get out any final bit of infection).

Red sky in the morning…. and yes, tonight is F11 with heavy rain.  Meh.

Asking for a Friend

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This morning’s entertainment.

And this evening’s (Isn’t Lambie the most handsome sheep in the sunset?)

Apple Peelings

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I made apple crumble today.  The apple peelings and cores were sitting in the “for animals” box and I thought to myself “who would like this most?”

So I clambered over the fence into the hill field where the Shetland ponies live and decided that, as they had done so well in the storm, they deserved a small treat.

That went down very well with the troops.

However, Albie was not too sure – they were cookers, after all and quite tart.

I know that the ponies like playing with anything, so I put the empty box down for them to investigate or play with.

I knew Newt wanted to see if there was anything inside…..

But the others were not going to let him near it without a small discussion first.

 

Newt made his argument.

Albie lost interest and Waffle almost said no but he had already played with the box so he quickly gave in.

And then box was Newt’s.  Sadly it was empty now but it didn’t stop him having a full investigation because there might be some secrety apple peel/core compartment no one knew about.

 

The ponies are enjoing life at the moment in their hill field, mostly because we are between storms and it is also quite warm – 10℃ which makes a huge difference too for everyone.

Dreich

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I don’t think it is actually going to stop raining until next year.  It was dreich (a great word for today).

And it was just getting light when I went outside serving up breakfast to everyone, hence the dismal photos.  Tis the way, this time of year.

So, armed with my extensive shopping list, I headed to Lerwick stopping off first at the feed merchant for provisions for all things ovine, equine and poultry.

And then a quick swoop around Tesco with my trolley and I drove home while it was still daylight.  I hate driving in the dark.

In the last of the quickly fading light of early afternoon (now around 2.30 p.m.; how pathetic is that?), Skippy and I unloaded the car and I made bedding a bit fresher for the chucks and ducks and the sheep too.

Obviously, I had my little follower.  She never left my side though her determination to be run over by Skippy was admirable (if I had a pound for every time I tell her to get out from under the wheels, I could probably pay my feed bill!)

With the ducks and hens now comfortable and the sheep bedroom slightly fresher, I saw the sheep had all come home from their day out in the field.  Even Gussie and Dahlia had turned up – a routine I want them to get into.

You can see just how wet everyone was but doesn’t Gussie-Dustbin look handsome?  He’s quite the sheep these days.

I got out my statutory biscuit tin and gave everyone one ginger biccie each.  Them’s are the rations.  I think there was muttering about bigger rations, though.  I didn’t listen as I shut the front door for the end of the day – at 3 p.m., (fer cryin’ out loud!)

 

Dull Days Please

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You know me, I hate change. I like my days to be dull, preferably with absolutely no unexpected excitement.

Everyone and everything should always be the same.

I rely on those around me to know this and, to be fair, I think they approach life pretty similarly too.

Part of our morning routine – Breakfast buckets, clean out Vitamin’s teeth with the dental woosher thingy, clean Fivla’s eyes of any caked gunk (her tear ducts have never worked), kiss her nosey for being a good girl and off I go to do the next thing, which is to wash the buckets out in the stream on my way home.

Then I grab the leftover soaked sugar beet to feed ‘Ster (in his bowl) and ‘Bert (he cleans up the bucket like a good boy), give Lambie his special portion of TurmerAid in his private dining room, taming training with Madge (I will win even if she grunts) using TurmerAid, and also a bit for Maggie and Dahlia.  Then all the sheep follow me to the field and go out for the day.

And this is always the same but just a little part of our morning routine.  There is also feeding the other Shetland ponies, and letting the ducks and hens out for the day.  It is always the same and as long as it all goes smoothly, I am very happy pottering around doing my crofting chores.

Bad weather can be a trial, though and that is on its way…… Ugh.

Anyway, I hate excitement and I hate change because then I can’t cope.