Today Veterinary came (read James Herriot).

She came to see Fivla who has been very lack-lustre for a few weeks.  Not even whiffling when she sees her morning bucket.  What is wrong?

So t’veterinary took loads of blood to test for all things endocrine as well as a “geriatric profile”.  Fivla is 27 years old so this is possibly wise.

She listened to her heart and bowel sounds (apparently excellent). The bloods will be sent away south to the lab and results will come back next week.  If there is anything going on, hopefully it will show up.  It was mentioned she was a tad fat with a neck crest.  If it is teeth related, we have the equine dentist visiting in October.  Fivla seems very able to eat.

Others looked on.

We ignored them.

Talking of fat….. which, of course, we weren’t.

Haakon looks like he swallowed my neighbour.

And Iacs is not far off.

While Kolka looks beautifully full.  She carries her weight well. The others are blobs.

I just need to know I am doing the right thing for Fivla.  Just being a bit meh might not be a reason for some to get the vet out, but I know Fivla well and something is not right and I don’t know what it is.  Maybe she is just being 27 years old and age has slowed down.  Let’s hope it is just that.  I need to know.

I had to nip to town (Lerwick) this morning to get some hay for the Minions, supplies for the duckies as well as deliver my felted sheep to Jamieson’s of Shetland.  The town was busy with folk fresh off a mahoosive cruise ship (sleeps 4,363 passengers who all seemed to be in Commercial Street taking photos of everything).

It was good to see the street busy but I was dodging and weaving trying to get to my destination quickly.

Home by this afternoon and I went into my shed and made another sheep for sale. Afterwards, I was out with my old camera (a new battery had arrived in the post) to see if this was the camera for me. I haven’t used it for a while because of the battery problem.

It is definitely a possible maybe that might be improved if I clean the lens.

Anyway, one thing I know is that home is way better than anywhere else.

I’m not good in crowds.

These two (Waffle and Albie), and Silver managed to escape this morning and got into the long grass around the house.  OH was mucking out their paddock and when he opened the gate for his full wheelbarrow, they must’ve bolted rudely through. After I had led Silver back into the field, I decided to give Albie and Waffle a little run around the school. I wanted to see how they moved.

I set my timer for five minutes and free-lunged them around in trot.  They were happy and most willing – ears pricked and in time.  Very pretty.

Feeling inspired, I went to catch Storm and Newt, and ended up with Tiddles instead as Newt refused to be caught. Wee turd.

Again, happy trotting and both moved nicely.  They enjoyed themselves.

And lastly, with a severe amount of lies, bribery and the promise of pocket-money, I caught these two reprobates who cantered madly about non-stop in every direction.

After their five minutes, they broke into a trot and refused to let me catch them…. again! *** sigh ***.

In other news, I found Pepper trying desperately to make friends with the ducklings.  She was eating grass with them hoping they would think she is one of them, just slightly a different colour.

Girl Ducky (one of two), came up to investigate. She was curious.

And then I think the family let her into their little clique.  It made me smile.

This morning I had to take the buckets to the horses.  They couldn’t be bothered to wait at the gate close by.

So, off I trudged along with my trusty companion, Pepper.

The sheep, already fed, were ignoring us and trying to slip past the horses to go into the hill without being noticed.

They are not huge horse fans. They think they are far too large and unpredictable, especially when Iacs has one of his rare cantering moments.

Pepper did her usual hoovering.  Dropped food is her’s.

She obviously got something. She’s licking her lips.

One turmeric tache.

Two turmeric tache

And three, but less mess.  Thank you Haakon. Ever the gentleman.

Horses and ponies “done” and I’m off to let out the duckies. Pepper is absolutely determined to make friends with them all.

She is intrigued and so are they. Neither back down.  There is definitely a conversation, of sorts.

The duckies get bored and go on their way in search of water to sit in.  It is fascinating watching the animal dynamics, mostly from Pepper. She loves being a croft dog and takes her job very seriously.

I am not popular with the ponies.  I wormed them.  Newt spat his out so I wormed him again and Waffle wore his, so I wormed him again too. Now they are all wormed.

That’s Waffle’s distinctly unimpressed cross-at-me face.

After the great worming debacle, I decided the Minions could not stay on the grassy bit all the time.  This would just take away all the good that we’ve achieved over the last few months.

A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the lips is what I tell myself. It applies to me as well.

So I called the herd up and with much difficulty and unhelpfulness (ie point blank refusal), I got them all back onto the starvation track part.  More unpopularity and “you cannot be serious, mother” from them all but it has to be.  I must stay strong.

So a new regime today.  The Minions were in their paddock over night as per usual, then onto the track for the most of the morning and afternoon.  Again, an unpopular decision but at least I could get them away from the long grass.  Then later in the afternoon they were allowed on the grassy bit for a few hours before bed-time.

It works out about :-

12 hours = paddock
8 hours = track
4 hours = grass

Hopefully this will work and they will all be a bit more cooperative.  Waffle and Newt were the worst to catch and evict from the grass. I ended up having to find a headcollar to lead them out. Imagine that!