Pepper told me our farrier, Stephen, was going to arrive this morning.  She waited and watched until she heard his van coming down our track.

We did the Old Ladies first – just Fivla and they went outside to mooch around and find grass.

Then Tiddles, who was declared laminitis free!  I could’ve cried with relief.  Just the blood test tomorrow and soon I will know if we are really out of these God-awful woods.

We also discussed the possibility of putting on front shoes to lift Tiddles off his heels.  Work-in-progress was the conclusion and we might fit them next time.  Tiddles seemed quite keen on the idea but as he has never been shod he may not be sure of the actual process.  He gets emotional about the smallest things (blood tests = rearing), so I am not very hopeful.

And into the container we all piled.

I took a smaller headcollar with me which Tiddles had to play with – a good sign of happiness.

Waffle was trimmed.

and Newt.

Then Silver.

Then we walked over the hill to Clothie, where The Ancients (Icelandic horses) live and it was just Kolka who needed a trim.

Haakon was having a bit of a snooze and I noticed he was being forced into having a conversation with Pepper.   So sweet.  We took her home and left them to it.

After lunch, I went to Turriefield to plant seeds and I took this photo on the way home.

I am exhausted now and I think I will sleep well tonight praying to all the Gods that Tiddles is on the mend, please.

This morning I found these two having a chat through the wire fence – Newt and Gussie.

But Newt wandered off into the field because I had opened the gate so Gussie occupied his time eating an electric fence insulator instead.

I told him this was not his greatest idea.

So he told me that today he would mostly be wearing the hay bale.

Oh, Gussie.  He does make me laugh.  Such a huge character full of curiousity, no boundaries with the other sheep (he drives ‘Bert mad by ignoring him) and regularly walks in front of me so I trip up.

See? In front of me.  What to do?  Little Gus-Gus will probably take over the world just by his pure determination and derring-do (or bloody mindedness).

So how is Tiddles, I hear you ask?

It has been eight days since I received the disappointing news that his blood sugars were off the charts and that his life had to change, bigly time.

I cut out everything. We went back to basics – 50g sugar beet with a handful of chaff divided into two of the world’s smallest meals, or so Tiddles tells me.  Nothing else.  No painkillers (hidden sugar), no TurmerAid (hidden Alfalfa), no other types of food (alfalfa and hidden molasses ffs) etc.  All stopped.  No more.

And I can see a change.

A huge change. My old Tiddles has come back – that would be the one with the silly-billy sense of humour.

He won’t let me catch him, he giggles and buggers off if he can and, best of all, he is playing.  This is original version of Tiddles, not the depressed miserable little chap who I have seen these past few months.

Tiddles goes outside to play with his friends during daylight hours and is back inside when it gets dark.  The field has very little – just pickings and this routine seems to be working. We have the farrier on Tuesday and repeat blood tests on Wednesday, so then I will know if we are really on the correct path.  I really hope so.

I have also put all the other Shetland ponies (except Fivla and Vitamin) on this harsh regime as needs must.  My plan is that the extra weight is off before Spring.  Meanwhile Newt remains determinedly in his woolly mammoth phase.  He may have lost weight. It is hard to tell.

What is that yellow shiny thing in the sky that gives us light and some heat? A wonderful, if rare, sight.

And being Saturday, it was flute duets with Mandy, or as we like to say, two arguing sparrows because that’s what we sound like.

Pepper came into my shed too.  It’s Her Job and I gave her a box of assorted dog chews, telling her to pick one for her afternoon’s entertainment.

Monster hovered about outside unhelpfully trying to decide whether to come inside or not.

Pepper took her time choosing her treat.  The perfect afternoon treat.

Every single one was examined, tested and carefully thought about.

And her choice was made, actually two choices, but I let that go (the hoof thing behind was also an old one).

Monster eventually decided to come in too, which was nice as I could then shut the door.

He mooched around being annoying and then demanded to go outside, having created his usual chaos.

Pepper ate most of her snacks and nodded off feeling slightly full, while us sparrows continued to argue (and drink tea and play Mozart, Haydn, Faure relatively adequately, though we did have moments of sounding almost good).

I do love a Saturday afternoon.

This is Pepper’s “spot” in our house today!  I was not thrilled as that glass shade on the oil lamp is very fragile.

I told her this.

But Pepper replied that it was nice and sunny and she could see everything.  So then I told her I was going out for the day as I had a dentist appointment in town.  See ya!

Oh dear.  Pepper was not happy and I hate seeing her a) plotting her egress and b) knowing she will succeed.

So I decided to take her with me.  The journey into town was not great as Pepper couldn’t see out and she wanted to look at everything.

But once we got there, we had a good time on the street.

I topped up my sheep field and gave Pepper to a random (but kind) stranger who sort of agreed to take her lead while I completed the necessary sheep-selling invoice/delivery note.

More walking down the street and we visited a few shops, with me asking first if dogs were allowed.  At the Cancer Research charity shop, I bought 2 large cushions.

Then Tesco’s, with a quick walk up and down on the grass, which she loved.  Lots of smells, etc.

Then the dentist (the waiting room) – ugh!

And home with Pepper sitting on her two newly acquired cushions, much happier because she could see out and watch everything all the way back!

Pepper is spark out now, fast a-bye-bye’s as her whole day was exhausting with so much to see and do.  It was lovely having such an enthusiastic companion.