Category Archives: Icelandic horses and Shetland Ponies

Happy News Day

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I found this lot staring at me when I went back to pick up the empty buckets after their breakfast.  You can almost hear what they are saying – “let us out, let us out – open the gate”.

I did as I was told and they wandered off for the rest of the day to eat and hopefully put on weight.

Later I decided to check the electric fence which, since we re-strung the whole thing earlier in the year, seems to be going (touch-wood) very well.  I had my fence checker with me and there was the same electric pulse strength at the start to the very end of the track – huzzah!  The solar energiser is also now re-charging too which is very encouraging and means I haven’t had to lug a battery down the hill for ages.

While I was fence testing, the little boys followed me round playing Grandmother’s footsteps.  They refused to go past.

The ponies’ coats are coming out albeit very slowly still but it has got colder recently, so I am not brushing anyone very much.

I did a bit of Tiddles but he walked off and was unhelpful.

And then suddenly, the ponies all broke rank and cantered downhill past me.

And the best news of the day – Skippy is finally revived and fully functional.  A huge thank you to my neighbour who spent many hours taking Skippy to bits, fitting parts and getting it working. It’s been quite the long haul and I can’t tell you just how relieved I am Skippy is working again.  Mucking out the sheep shed this year without Skippy made me realised just how useful it is and how much I rely on it.  I am so relieved.

Asleep and Sheep

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The old men took the weight off their hooves this morning.

And Iacs had a little snooze as well.

Meanwhile, I title this “The only thing holding you back is your mind”.  Lambie stood there for ages until I ushered him out.

While the horses were sleeping (and I didn’t want to disturb them having read how important it is for them to lie down and sleep properly), I went to spend some time with the sheep.

Gussie

‘Bert

Maggie

And lots more Lambie, as he was in a very good mood and wanted to be beside me all the time, which is very not like him.  I checked to see if it was my birthday but it isn’t. So I wonder what he wanted.  Hard cash, probably.

      

And back to Gussie again who looks huuuuuuuge!  Rotund, some might say.

It might be because Gus-Gus eats a lot.  It will be interesting to see what shape he is after he is sheared – note-to-self, I must find out when that’s going to be.

The Importance of Apple Cake and Deep Sleep

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Under strict surveillance this morning, I made my usual apple cake – I’m trying to use up eggs.

The strict surveillance that I was under.

So now what to do with my apple peel and cores?  Who do I know who would like them?  Let me see.

Spotting Fivla and Vitamin, I gave them the apple bits.

They said nothing to the others and quietly munched them all up (I found nothing left when I was poo-picking later).  I doubt the others even knew there were free apple bits going.

I was in my shed after lunch and everyone was around and about.

I like to look out of the windows every so often to see who is close by.  Haakon came over and plonked himself down.  He wanted to sleep so I ended up leaving my shed much later – in fact I almost made a whole other sheep to go with the one I had just made – so I didn’t disturb him.

I didn’t want to wake up Haakon because I read somewhere that old horses really need to sleep and the fact that he feels he can lie down is good because he will get proper deep REM sleep which is essential to his well-being.

Once Haakon woke up and was standing up and grazing with the others, I packed them all off to their field.

I’ve given up walking them one-at-a-time with a headcollar as that takes forever and they can be stupid to catch so instead I herded them into a group and told them all to “go to bed”.

Mass movement is much simpler.

Luckily, they all know what I mean and they know I will let them out tomorrow to continue on the good grass.

Dull Start but Brightened

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Some of us didn’t even want to get up this morning, let alone go outside…..

…. as it was a dull and rainy start. But I put on my wet-weather gear and went out with the breakfast buckets.

Afterwards I let the wet and soggy horses and ponies out of their field to eat the grass around the house. Bibble just followed me round looking hopeful.

I decided to make my statutory hand-felted sheep this morning and was met by Fivla who I could tell had designs on my little shed where I work.

She reckoned it was just the right size for a small Shetland pony trying to shelter from the rain (and I probably wouldn’t have minded if she had come in as she is very well-behaved and has been in the house before – tell no one!)

Bibble lurked by, of course.

Once finished making sheep, I returned to the house only to find that Monster might have moved downstairs but he certainly hadn’t woken up.

And, being Shetland, the weather changes very quickly and the afternoon turned much brighter. I drove to West Burrafirth with a friend and her dog (on lead) and we went for a walk.

The views were stupendous.  I hadn’t been here before.  Definitely somewhere to remember.

So that was my day, and how was yours?

Flute Practice

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On very rare days, I practice my flute. I will admit that I don’t practice very often, and obviously I know I should, but, you know, stuff gets in the way and then I forget.

But today, I thought I would have a shot, having played my part of the duet (2nd Flute) barely adequately yesterday.  Sunday morning is always a good time to play the flute.

The old folk were already out and eating around the place.

I think the green grass is making a difference. I can see that Haakon and Iacs look less bleak now.

So I went over to my wee shed, got my flute out and played a few pieces accompanied by Youtube.  I don’t ever practice with scales etc (because it is very boring), but usually just play pieces I like through and then start on another.  The musical accompaniments on Youtube along with the music are a great way to practice.

And I was interested to see the horses appear, one at a time to either listen or fall asleep.

And so I played for well over an hour.  This was my last piece and forgive me for sounding flat and with a few (many) duff notes.  I was tired by now.

Amazingly, Iacs had stood and listened to me for the whole time, which I found lovely.

When Iacs woke up, I was already putting my flute away.  He seemed appreciative of my playing.

Haakon just made polite noises.

And with that the auditorium was empty, apart from a few ducks.

Everyone went back to eating somewhere else.  It was rather odd playing for sleeping horses, but in a nice way.