Category Archives: MyShetland

Little Ted

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These photos are from September 2017, so just a little over 8 years ago (I’ve done more sorting today).

Little Ted had his paws well and truly under Mum’s table.

But I won’t lie, Mum had a few problems with Ted.  She got him as an adult dog and she gave him his third home.

Ted didn’t like men – and bit the postman. This resulted in him being given an ASBO (anti-social behavioural order) by two armed policemen.  Mum was horrified.

He would also run away frequently if off the lead and so henceforth all dog-walks were on a lead.  His recall was very selective, if at all.

Ted would also wreck things in the house if he didn’t get his own way and was a terrible conniving food thief.

As you may know, Mum’s final words to me were to look after Teddy so he came home with me to Shetland with the proviso that we would see how we got on.

(I think he was telling Mum he didn’t want to go……)

Moving swiftly forwards and Ted really is a different dog.

2017

2025

He’s stopped being a southern softie.  He is off a lead for all walks, in fact all the time really, apart from when he goes to the groomers.

But best of all, he has a BFF and that is wonderful for him.  Pepper has changed him.

And they never stop playing.

The thieving and wrecking has stopped too.  Ted hasn’t bitten anyone since the first day (courier man who was very nice about it) and loves all men most in the world.

So, that’s Ted.  He’s come a long way in his world.

 

More Photos From the Past

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Another trip down memory lane – sorry.

I found another stash of pics – 220gb on a disk that need to be reduced down to a manageable size.  These are from around 2018.

So here goes….. (say if you get bored).

BeAnne and Haakon – this is one of my most favourite sights.  The view from onboard of my best beloved two.

Dearest Storm.  I miss him so much and expect to see him with the others all the time but he’s always out of my reach.

Daisy and Flossie riding out together.  Daisy is on Kappi and Floss is riding Iacs.  Those were great days.  Floss had just learned to ride and Iacs was her trusted steed.

L-R – Iacs, Kappi and Haakon

Tiddles offering Dreki my sun hat.

The struggle is real for Monster.

Dear Puzzah (Lambie’s father).  His life with us was brief but he was loved by me, but not much by the other sheep.

Lambie and BeAnne – a boy with his mum.

Lambie loved BeAnne.

They were good friends.  Never a cross word.

Nothing to see here  – just going on a regular dog/sheep/cat walk as you do.

A summer’s day with Lambie and Daisy who is doing her best to ignore the faint smell of wee.

Lambie’s brief sojourn into advertising.  Unfortunately, Marc Jacobs was unimpressed and all I can say is that it was his loss.

Looking at these two bottoms, I know the one on the left is definitely Newt and the one on the right is very possibly Klaengur.

Down the south end – Sumburgh lighthouse in the distance.

And lastly the joy of BeAnne in the snow, which she always loved.

I hope you enjoyed these random photos.  There are plenty more to get through.

 

Cold Snap

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I must say that the horses and ponies are surviving remarkably well in this winter weather.  Their little faces are always very happy to see me and my buckets in the morning. There are no signs of shivering or misery from anyone, which is very good and a relief. You know me, I do like to worry.

Outsde is cold – it snows, rains, sleets and hails possibly all at the same time and mostly when I am outside poo-picking.  I tried silk liners in my gloves but it made no difference really to my poor fingers.  I gave up poo-picking when it turned into a blizzard.  There are limits.

While the horses/ponies were eating I examined Kolka’s coat and noticed that their winter coats are doing their job – the guard hairs are working.

And then at the side all the fur goes into points.

While the inner coat is completely dry and it is the same for everyone.  One very good reason why I don’t bathe my horses and ponies – the grease in their coats is keeping them warm and dry.

Little Pepper is not dissimilar.  She never feels the cold or gets actually wet through.  Everything just bounces off her apart from disgusting things she can roll in.

Ted, on the other paw, is made of very cheap nylon.  So today, before the dog walk, I put on his coat.  What a diffference that made.

Ted went running off enjoying every minute of the walk, even when the weather turned very nasty.  He didn’t even turn tail and run for home like he usually does.

Lambie just went back to bed.

And here is Ted looking very smart in his padded coat and no, we don’t think he looks like a chav (though we do).

 

Frozen Fingers

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Not great photos today. It was too bloomin’ cold and my fingers felt like they had frozen off.  I am currently sitting at my desk playing soothing music while I thaw out – my feet are on a hot water bottle and I have one on my lap.

Anyway, this morning produced a lovely surprise – everyone was together.  Even Madge is coming out of her shell, which is something I never thought I would see.

Gussie is rather taken with Maggie – he is ginormous now, possibly the biggest of all the sheep.  Quite the heffasheep.

Maggie spends a lot of her time in the hill field with Gussie and Dahlia which is fine – as long as they turn up for breakfast so I know they are alright and not lying somewhere upside down in the 30 acre field.

And Lambie remains, well just Lambie really.

We had a sprinkling of snow this morning with a few snow/hail showers all day.

In the afternoon I went into my shed to finish a sheep while watching a Hallmark Christmas film (my determination to find some Christmas spirit and inspiration).  Pepper was having a non-eating day and quickly learned that, if she made sick noises by the door, I would let her outside and then, free at last, she could run off hunting, probably looking for more carrion to eat.  Wee turd.  I am not pleased with her one bit.

Doing the afternoon chores afterwards (I now start at 3pm as it is dark by 4), I fed the ducks/hens, put them to bed and then poo-picked the Shetland ponies’ track.  Newt nearly had the wheelbarrow over (I would’ve happily throttled him if he’d succeeded) and I honestly think my fingers have never been so cold.  I am going to find my freezer-food gloves for tomorrow. I never want to feel like that again. I felt sick with the pain.  Once finished, I went to bed to huddle and warm up.  Monster came to annoy while Ted whined on about “what time is tea?”  Pepper sensibly stayed away.

Oh yes, Pepper said she could only eat cat food for tea. Give me strength.

I Made my Decision

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I took this photo first thing this morning.  The sun made an appearance. It was brief.

I duly dished out my buckets at breakfast-time and then I went round feeling each horse and pony.

I was looking for the semblance of ribs, or even a rib.

Breakfast finished, Haakon’s hoof treated, I went to the Shetland ponies’ field and made another grassy bit for them to munch on. It just involves relocating the electric fence freeing up another bit of the field and then calling them there.

Again, I prodded and poked about for these mysterious ribs.

And I quickly came to the conclusion that none of my equines actually have any ribs whatsoever so, with this new discovery, I made a decision – no rugs.  They are all very well covered and don’t need them.  Also, when anyone wears a rug, they just stand there and don’t get around much which is not great.

I told them this so they know where I stand on rugs.

Monster said ribs were overrated anyway.  He may speak from experience.