Category Archives: Icelandic horses and Shetland Ponies

Physiotherapy

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I chucked the old horses and ponies back out into their old field.  They were not impressed.

But, as I told them, you don’t need all that grass for the foreseeable.  I am saving it for the winter storms as it is the ideal field for exactly that purpose.

That went down like a lead balloon.

But I left them all mooching around the gate looking whistfully back at their ex-field full of grass, while surveying the shorter grass around them.

Tough.  Last seen, they were miles away just vanishing over the horizon so they must be finding something to eat.

And then Uwe Abendroth from Central Equine Physiotherapy paid us a visit.  He is our local visiting animal physiotherapist from Stirling.  We’ve used him a few times on the horses in previous years.

This time it was Monster and Pepper’s turn.  Monster has become increasingly stiff in his gait (front legs) which is probably old age but it couldn’t hurt him to have some help.  As Monster was not very cooperative and kept trying to leave, Uwe put the Pulse Electromagnetic Therapy mat (PEMF) under the bed while I lightly scattered some catnip to keep Monster in place so he could get the full benefit of his treatment.  It seemed to work.

And then it was Pepper’s turn.  She was very taken with Uwe.  Her second best friend as she loves our farrier, Stephen, most.

What a good girl Pepper was having ultrasound therapy on her poorly right front shoulder that has been bothering her for a while now.  The one that makes her three legged at times.

 

And then I asked Pepper to sit in the bed, newly vacated by Monster and she had some magical Pulse Electromagnetic Therapy as well.

Uwe could definitely feel something was going on with Pepper’s shoulder and hopefully these treatments will help her and she won’t be travelling on three legs and I will stop worrying. That would be nice.

Here are Uwe’s details – I would highly recommend.

Uwe Abendroth details

Not a Day for Going Outside

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Today was not a day for being outside. It was “coarse” – sporadic rain/drizzle accompanied by an unceasing westerly wind – F8/F9.

When I went out first thing, I could see Iacs just hiding behind the fence. I think I could smell the whiff of optimism that breakfast would arrive shortly.

It did.  Everyone was pleased.

The rest of my morning was spent renewing my acquaintance with Squarespace. I am determined to master it.  Quite the challenge but I think headway is being made.  It’s hard to tell.  There may have been some swearing.

Later, I asked everyone if they wanted to come out with me to help with the afternoon chores.  The silence was deafening.

And I think this lot also spent their day in the containers. There was certainly evidence of it.  There were two factions and it was their choice, I told them, as I mucked out. No extra haynets if you can’t be arsed to go find anything to eat.  I am not your slave (though, I am – who am I kidding?)  Maybe they’ll go out later. I think the weather is calming down overnight.

And I’m not saying everyone isn’t ** cough ** fat but they are!  Albie, especially.

Happy Days

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My blog fight continues.  My Chief Administrator, the ever-helpful-nothing-is-too-much Nick Miners has successfully turned the clock back and I am back to my happy Luddite state of the Classic WordPress set up.  No updates, no more blocks (what even is a block?) and I am in familiar territory. Phew.

But the question was raised – what if I moved from WordPress, which is, for me, becoming increasingly more complicated and unhelpful, to Squarespace or Wix.  It is certainly a thought and one I am now entertaining.

So,as the wind was blowing a hoolie all day, I thought I would spend a part of it productively.

Accompanied by the “Soshul-Medjah” Terrier, we went into my shed armed with my laptop trying to work out if I could use SquareSpace without too much difficulty.  I like to tell myself it was not 3 hours of my life wasted and that I can do this. I might get to love SquareSpace but I am back to those unhelpful blocks again.  My jury is still out on this one. I haven’t investigated Wix yet.

But good news – hopefully due to the time travel, all the email subscriptions are back. Let me know if you are still not receiving the blog using this method and I will alert Nick (and please go and look at his website – gorgeous architectural and interiors photography).

In other good news, Madge seems very happy and settled without her mother, Edna.  I never thought this would happen and had been worrying unnecessarily, as I now realise, that she would live in a state of panic and grief.

But nope, Madge appears calm (for her) and even comes up to take biccies from me.  She is not looking or shouting for her mother, which she has done for the last 5 years if Edna was out of eye-sight.  I am greatly relieved for her.

The others are oblivious to the loss of Edna from their flock, which is good.  When animals grieve, it is always so desperate.

And back into my shed for commissions.  Shout if you want one/two/three/four……

My Nothing Day

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My best kind of day – absolutely nothing happened.

Having had such a lovely day off yesterday, I slipped back into my daily routine feeling rested and calm.

Breakfast was non-eventful. Everyone ate up and went where I told them to go (sheep into field, please).

On my way back to the house, after finishing all the morning chores, I found these two – Pepper and Monster – hunting in an old pile of wood waiting to be cut up for burning. “Families who hunt together stay together” apparently.

Then I took The Eggbox (Jimny) to the garage to get some petrol – a 40 minute round trip but worth it for the views and the beautiful autumn light. I considered going on a small excursion to see the scenery but I needed to get home to phone the car dealer to find out what the radio security code was. The battery died a few months ago and everything stopped. After some faffing about, I managed to switch it all back on.

After lunch into my shed to make a sheep. I am starting on commissions now so if you are in the queue, please contact me to tell me what colour combination you want. This afternoon, I made a sweet little Lambie.

Back outside again later, and it was now drizzling, to feed ducks/hens.

While the birds were eating, I watched my small fan club of sparrows who were edging closer and closer to the food, hoping to clean up the leftovers. I don’t mind and usually throw a couple of handfuls at the end for them anyway.

As the ponies had come up the hill early, due to the drizzle and their belief they will probably melt, I put out two meagre haynets and they tucked in with great gusto. Their supper-time has become earlier and earlier. They are so good at looking hopeless, as if they have nothing and I always believe them too. I have little will power and they know it!

So a lovely nothing day. Bliss.

 

Aprés Storm Amy

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As I type, we are just coming out of Storm Amy, which was quite a doozy, even by Shetland standards. Everyone survived fine and there was only one casualty – a small window in an old shed blew out resulting in shattered glass everywhere. It’s all been cleared up now.

Apparently the lowest UK barometric pressure ever recorded in October (947.9 hPa) was set in Baltasound, Shetland, during Storm Amy yesterday. Now that I can believe, as I had a stonking headache all day and went to bed feeling very grotty indeed.

I have made the decision that the old horses/ponies will stay in their sheltered field for the time being as there is more bad weather to come this week. Tis the season and we are used to this. The other Shetland ponies may get increased hay rations when it is bad but I am trying hard to hold off on this practice as they easily get used to more food and hang about asking all the time rather than going out and getting a job.

Icelandic Horses in the wind Shetland ponies eating Icelandic horse More Shetland ponies eating

Meanwhile, today I think is Edna’s last day. She has been getting lamer and lamer for a while now and nothing is helping her. Despite many examinations by vet and other sheep experts, there is no diagnosis and nothing helps her. She has finally reached the stage where she can’t walk, and therefore keep up with the flock. The light and her brightness are fading from her eyes and I know what that means. The vet has been called to put her to sleep tomorrow and I feel sad about this. Edna is my friend and a dear sweet soul. How Madge (her very attached daughter) will cope, I do not know either.   We will play it by ear with her. Tomorrow will be a miserable day for us all. One I knew would happen but not so soon. I will ask the vet if she has any magical cure/potion but I am not hopeful as we have tried I think just about everything already.

Think of us. It was not an easy decision to make.