Little bar-stewards. Look what I found in the Minions’ field this morning – a 25 litre water container eaten!
I guess they just couldn’t help themselves but, honestly, I wish they wouldn’t. My bad, I suppose, for leaving the containers in their field. I should never have trusted the Shetland ponies.
I moved the containers outwith. I have learned my lesson.
Feeling a bit disgruntled about this (I hate needless vandalism), I went back armed with a bucket of brushes and conditioner to try and brush out the rain “clags” from the ponies’ coats. Of course, the bucket and its contents were dismantled many times. I never seem to learn.
Before.
After.
I am hoping this will help the ponies’ coats to fluff up in the low temperatures and offer better protection in the snow – eta Sunday now.
I gave everyone a good brush which they all enjoyed, even Tiddles who usually walks away. I even removed a wind knot from his mane, which means “a witch will borrow the horse (or pony) at night and ride it, leaving a “braid” in its mane by morning“ – good luck with that – Tiddles won’t load, tends to run away when you want to catch him and God alone know what he would do if you got on his back! Anyway, please return him when you find out all of this.
Anyway, it was lovely to spend time with my little boys and girls and I managed to take a few snappity-snaps too.
Aww, you would almost think Newt was a nice pony rather than a wee 💩. Proof that photos do lie.
Let me apologize immediately because of my ignorance,but sometimes terminology confuses me as I read about your life. Is a clag matted hair and/or unbrushed hair? And does the inclement weather create the wind knots or do the travelers make the knots to mark the ponies? While I am asking questions, are your ponies, sheep, & ducks just family members (pets) or are they contributing members of your farm (riding, producing wool &eggs)? And while I’m at it, the precious sheep that you make, are they knitted or covering some sort of armature?
If my questions are too elementary to answer or you are busy, I understand. ai have never had the opportunity to go to a working farm, so my husbandry skills are nonexistant. I really enjoy your blog. You live in such a lovely place. Thank you for sharing.
Never apologise.
The rain has caused hard matts of hair to cement themselves on the ponies’ coats. I brushed them out.
Wind knots – possibly the wind, possibly fairies!
Everyone is a pet. I don’t eat my pets but if anyone produced an egg, it would be used. Wool is used too for making sheep!
The sheep are all hand felted, not knitted. No armature. Just wool.
Mighty hard work combing out these vandals. But they look nice and dry now.
They all look very smart now, Frances! Would you believe that my little Shetland has started to lose his winter coat – white hairs everywhere today!
Oh wow. That’s interesting.
Wow …..beautiful brush job …..everybody looks great!
Thanks for the laugh about Tiddles. Lucky lucky ponies.