The sunrise this morning.  It was very strange and a bit eerie.

Breakfast (porridge, thank you for asking) with the usual Monster.

Later, out with the dogs to check on the Ancients – I threw them carrots and tried to feel for ribs.  Nope. Fail.  No such thing as ribs here.

Then over the fields to find Gussie and Dahlia, who came running up, which is always gratifying.  I sat on a rock and chatted to Gus telling him his first fleece will be beautiful. Those little curls are divine. I could’ve stayed there all day just hugging him while he wagged his tail.

Dahlia chewed her cud in the sunshine.

Pepper plopped herself down too.  I have no idea what she was watching for.  Possibly postie.

Then into the container paddock to muck out….. with help from Tiddles.

He was having a quiet time with Storm in the container.

I was also “helped” by Albie all the way around the small paddock.   Every time I picked up poo, I had to kiss his nose.  I think it is the Law.

I gave the ponies their after-lunch haynet and left them munching.

And then into my shed to make a sheep.  It was not very warm, so I switched on the fire and felt absolutely no benefit from it. Not even slight hint of warmth.

Not a very exciting day because I don’t want any excitement in my life, ever.  Just routine.  I can cope with that.

(These photos are from a few days’ back.)

Every morning Gussie and Dahlia magically appear at breakfast time.  They are rewarded for their commitment with two big bowls of food and TurmerAid which they have to eat in the big shed.  This has recently been deemed scary since there can be Shetland ponies in there.  But appetite overcomes fear every time and they go inside.  I want them in a routine.

Then I put Gussie and Dahlia back out into their big field with the help of rattling some supermarket-own-brand-low-sugar Cheerios, which they love.  They willingly follow me and the box of cereal back to their field.

Later, I go out to feed Turriefield mishape carrots to the Ancient Icelandics and I try to keep some back for Gussie, who is very partial.

Gussie is a huge character.  Inquisitive about everything with a big sense of humour. He has a good bounce on him.

Dahlia is always around to just keep a careful eye but she mostly lets Gussie make his own mistakes now.  He is old enough to learn.

I know I keep saying it, but for wild hill sheep, Dahlia and Gussie really are very tame.  Possibly tamer than the others we know of who now refuse to come up for breakfast and are treating this place like a hotel with a very biddable doorman – (that would be me!)  They sometimes appear at night and would like supper – “jog on” was my last message to them.

(and Gussie and Dahlia have lovely smiles too)

Everyone should have a Dahlia and a Gussie if only to know that some rescue animals are incredibly grateful, which warms my heart because I could not feel less loved by the others.

Last night, I found four out of the six reprobates in the container.  Both are open but only one has bedding, but the ponies have choice if they get annoyed with each other.  There are also two soaked haynets outside for sustenance which are empty by the morning so someone is eating them.

And the new routine seems to be working pretty well for the time being. The ponies who can eat a “normal” diet are out on the new track from 7.30 to 15.30, when it gets dark. I open up little bits so they can get more scrubby grass when it gets bare.

The old ladies go inside for the night but come out in the morning to go onto the grass too.  They look forward to this but are more than happy to go inside when it’s dark.  More buckets.

The only one who is not thrilled by this is Fivla.  She enjoyed the 3 hourly waitress service of constant food buckets that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Around 12.00, I usually find her hovering trying to catch my attention (waitrees, I say, waitress…. yes, you!)

Today, I gave in and fed her a carrot and then she went back to rejoin her herd.  It is Fivla, after all and she is very special.

And these three quite like being outside now.  They have accepted they don’t have access to the grass like everyone else but spend many hours going in and out of the container, mostly to poo in it so I can spend many hours going in and out cleaning the container.  That is my life now.

I am just going to leave these photos here.

Please don’t judge me that there is a cat on the table. I know, I know. Shameful behaviour, but Monster insists and when I say no, he doesn’t really believe me.

Here he is sitting on my shopping list.

I am finding Wordle very difficult these days.

And this was from this morning.

(a short blog, sorry – I am knackered from mucking out for what feels like all my life)

But on a good note, the newly released three are enjoying the container, even Albie who has gotten over his fear.   I’ve noticed that a few of the ponies have bedding on their backs so they are lying down, which is good.

Today Tiddles, Albie and Storm went to live in the container paddock.

The others were on the new track that is around the paddock so they could see them but couldn’t get out.

There was a little playing.

I stayed firm despite pleadings.

This is the new track which will slowly increase in size as they finish their grass allocation.

Those in the container paddock get soaked haynets – one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

In the evening (well, 3.30 p.m.), Fivla and Vitamin go into their stall in the big shed for the night and everyone else goes into the container paddock for a soaked high-fibre bucket.  They also get two more soaked haynets for the night which they apparently share.  The old ladies get buckets.

So, that’s the new regime.  I have cut back on 4 bucket feeds as well as 2 soaked haynets and been given back some time.  Last night, I slept for 10 hours.  I am exhausted so this will hopefully be easier for me.  Let’s hope we’ve got through the worst now.

And was Storm pleased to see his friends again?  No, he stood twanging the fence at me in a rage that he couldn’t join them to eat grass. I waved my poo-picking stick at him and told him to stop or I would electrify that fence too!