You can just see all the Minions at the very far end of their track that circuits around the field.  Little white dots (and a few coloured ones too).

I called them up for the breakfast and they all set off, some at a canter and the older ladies at a trot.

The youngest got here first and I shut the gate on them in this small paddock so Fivla and Vitamin could eat their buckets in peace.

I noticed that Vitamin and Fivla needed a good brush. I thought the remainder of their winter coats would’ve come out by now but it has not been warm enough and they’ve been wearing rugs when it was cold, wet and windy so nothing much has moved.

This was Fivla after a good brush.  She was much happier.

And Vitamin, also.  It is a tough one. I want Vitamin to put on a little more weight but I don’t want her to get laminitis (like last year).  However, Fivla needs to lose weight.  It is a constant juggle and worry.

Meanwhile Storm upset my grooming bucket, had the entire contents out and was in my way constantly.  Annoying, much.

And now the threat of more rain so rugs back on, despite it being quite warm.  I wonder when summer will arrive.

Firstly, I should apologise to Madge because I have no photos of her.  She just wasn’t in a very photogenic mood and wouldn’t stay around long enough for me to take a pic of her.

So we will start with Harrel-the-Barrel and he is very much a barrel.  I spend my days trying to keep him off the chicken and duck food, which he most certainly doesn’t need to eat despite his best efforts to steal it and he is one determined sheep.

Then there is ‘Ster, who remains utterly hopeless at following anyone into the field.  The lights are on and no one is at home.

Ditto Lambie.  Not a brain cell there just grinning hopefully.

Everyone is in desperate need of shearing but it is just too cold or wet.  Having said that, shivering could lose some weight.  Just sayin’.

Now Maggie is a clever cookie.  She is attentive and always around.  This might be where Harrel gets his ability to apparate out of nowhere whenever I feed the ducks and hens.

And then darling Edna.  Who knows here age (someone does), but she keeps on keepin’ on with no teeth and huge amount of will power.

Edna is beginning to lose her wool – probably a sheep who could be easily roo’ed (plucking their wool out) but I mostly just pull out the revolting trailing bits when I can.

And lastly, but absolutely not leastly, ‘Bert who is his usual dude self.  Such a dear soul.

And now I feel guilty I didn’t get a photo of Madge.

It rained and rained and rained last night.  So much rain.  Everyone was soaked and shivery (except Tiddles, Fivla and Vitamoobag – they were pretty dry) and I felt awful for them so I opened up the big shed and led the Shetland ponies inside, two at a time.

Vitamoobag is the nearerst and you can see that her rug did very well, but she was slightly shaking when she came indoors.

And of course the rain stopped immediately but I decided to give everyone the day off from their lives on the track.

I put out two lots of haynets, two fibre blocks (split eight ways), as well as a good pile of “Fast Fibre” to warm them up.  I wanted to give them some fuel to keep them warm in this cold weather.

And while they warmed up and rested, I played flute duets so they had some music to listen to.  Funnily enough, they were all very keen to go outside afterwards!

But we had Monster as our flute-playing inspiration!

The Icelandic horses were absolutely fine so I left them outside.

Tiddles new rainsheet arrived yesterday, which was very quick (and anyone who lives in a remote place will know how easily things get “stuck” at various stops along the way, while the delivery date gets further and further away).  Anyway, I have a rainsheet for Tiddles and that is all that matters.

He was a tad worried when I put it on him as he was damp and shaking – his brain gets dithery too.

And, I told everyone else to not point and stare, or touch it, ever, not even with teeth, Storm.

It didn’t take long for Tiddles to work out that actually his rug was a very good thing.  I tried to feel under it and he was having none of that, worried in case I was going to take it off.

So he rushed off to eat with Vitamoo-bag who told him what he could go and do (she is so rude and such a non-sharer).

Eventually Tiddles let me feel under his rug and he was a good temperature, dry and not shaking anymore.

This is Tiddles’ happy face.

So that’s Vitamin, Fivla and Tiddles who now wear rugs in the bad weather.  I went for the same brand and type as the old ladies because I really like just how waterproof it is in extreme weather.

Apparently, it might stop raining the end of next week some time…… Flaming June – my arse!

Iacs:  You want me to do what?
Haakon:  Oh, not this again.  I’m staying out of this.

And, as Iacs offered so nicely, Pepper had her first proper riding lesson (she’s old enough now).

And Iacs remembered what to do.  BeAnne Duvet was an accomplished equestrian riding her trusted steed, Iacs.  She was famous for her horsemanship.

And Pepper loved it too – it might be a Patterdale terrier thing.

Instantly I could see she was a natural, with a superb seat and manner about her.  She thought she was fully in charge.

When Kolka wandered over, Pepper wasn’t budging.

I think she could make a career of this.  Look at those back legs, astride.

I caught a small bit on video.  Note how Iacs tells Kolka to go away.  He treats his job very seriously and Pepper was his rider and his responsibility.  And then note how Pepper snuck in a cheeky nip to tell Kolka to leave her alone and that smug face afterwards as she rode away in triumph!