Looking at this lot today, I can honestly say they are never going to be show ponies.

This is mostly because I can’t be arsed to go through all the palaver of getting them show-ready – I mean, where would you begin with Waffle?  Bung him in the shower?

And partly because I know they would hate the whole show-ring thing.  This is not their world.

There is a certain type of pony that loves it and my lot are not that.  They are naturally muddy, wet bog-monsters

And Silver is actually white in colour rather than this rather unfetching mud-infused hue he is trying (and succeeding) with.

So that’s our show career over and done with in just one small discussion plus a few photos that have managed to totally talk me out of it.

And you have to get up really, really early!

I spent some of my morning digging through the pile of pony rugs, that had been neatly gone through, put away and a list made by Daisy a while back.

I found Vitamin’s spare rain-sheet and put it on her, discovering it was the nicest of all the rain-sheets – not too restricting at the front and it had lovely leg pleats too.

I might buy a few more (to add to my already huge collection of rugs) as I like the way it fits her.

And then I wondered if Fivla would like one or two too?  She always looks like her rug is far too long for her, especially at the front. It is very restrictive when she walks.

I went round telling everyone else they would not be getting rugs as they are all very “well covered” (read fat) and I am still waiting for them to shiver it off or to the track next it will be.

(Storm was sporting a rather fetching stick!)

I removed it.

Then I went back to my shed and went through all the rugs I had previously dragged out, consulted Daisy’s rug list, packed each into an irritating unhelpful rug bag, labelled it and filed it away in my fool-proof rug filing system (which equates, “now where did I put it, I know I have it somewhere”).

Obviously I had my happy little helper, always helping.

And this is how we dry rugs…..  Vitamin’s is in front of the Rayburn for the day, swapping sides at lunchtime.

And Fivla’s is hanging off the “Sheila Maid”.  There is a not-so-faint smell of Shetland pony in our house.

I’ve not got much to say except I didn’t get the sponsorship deal.  Everyone else did. Just not us.  Yes, I am very disappointed but I guess scruffy ponies are not the way forward for some.

My back hurts at the moment (whinge, whine…. ooh, wine!)  I am going to have an MRI to see what is going on as it’s been a few years since the last one.  I was also offered a consultation with a spinal surgeon but I said a very hurried no! I would rather find out what is going on first before I even think about that and I’m not thinking about that.

The weather is vile and we could all do with some nice days.

Ted is due his haircut next week.  He looks like a greasy muppet.

I hope he behaves (he has his moments).

And I am just feeling very meh about everything.  I think it is the time of year.

Sorry for the whinge. I will try and do better next time.

Apparently the 1st March is the first offishul day of Spring (and will end on 31st May).

In the garden snowdrops and crocuses are appearing and that make me hopeful. It’s been a grotty winter which is by no means over but has to end one day because according to the Meteorlogical Office today is the first day of Spring!  We can only move forwards towards better weather.

Yesterday was particularly exhausting and so everyone was sleeping.  I had three carrots in my pocketses and I gave them out to the Ancients.  Kolka was busy elsewhere trying to the get the Minions to come over to talk to her.  She has quite a thing for them.  No one else does very much.

I left the old men sleeping and got on with the dog-walk instead.

Once Spring takes a real grip, I can start worrying about laminitis again….. and so my world turns.

Windy today.  This morning was less of a battle, but a battle nonetheless, and I made the executive decision to take rugs off, worrying about it for the rest of the day.  The weather got worse as the day progressed.

I wasn’t around for the rest of the morning as I was at Turriefield learning how to sew seeds, which was fiddly but interesting/fun.

I learned plant stuff!

Later I went home and a well-earned lunch.  Monster had been holding the fort in a noble fashion.

He is now officially a semi Scottish Fold!

And then Pepper came along!

Today has been hard work for all of us.  The rugs went back on this afternoon and all I can say is try putting rugs on Shetland ponies in a Force 10.  I felt like I had been beaten up.  To be fair, though, both Fivla and Vitamin stood like rocks while I faffed about with the flying straps (and ow, they sting when they smack you in the face) and billowing rugs.  Thank God for dear sweet kind little ponios.  Hopefully the wind goes down tonight.