Meanwhile in Shetland

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Back to my weather obsession.  This is today in the UK.  A heatwave, apparently.  A bonkers hot one.

Meanwhile, in Shetland……

Weatherwise, it’s not great to be honest and seeing photos of folk enjoying the sunshine is a little galling while we are still wandering around in our big coats and wellies.

I even had to put the fire on in my shed for Pepper this afternoon while I made another hand-felted Shetland sheep.  She absorbed all the heat generated.  I could feel nothing.

Never mind, apparently the sun might arrive tomorrow, though not the high temperatures (which is good for the sheep as they really struggle with heat and their big fleeces).

I think we are all looking forward to seeing that yellow thing in the sky for more than an occasional glimpse, which is all we have had recently.

On a plus today, though, it has been an excellent spring for our bluebells.

And I now know where we planted the wild garlic – it was lost it for a while.  I shall now look forward to a Shetland heatwave – my definition being two consecutive days when it doesn’t rain!

 

 

All Brushed!

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Well that’s everyone brushed for the year.  Today I had help from a friend, which made things much easier.  First I caught Albie and tied him up using the one-size-doesn’t-really-fit-anyone headcollar.  As you can see, he got his nose out but it did the job for the time it was needed.

The rest of the ponies were all eating af the furthest end of the track – of course they were, so we walked round with our grooming tools and set about brushing each pony one at a time.

Next up, Tiddles.  He tried to have a tantrum about me brushing out his forelock and cleaning his ears.  I ignored it and kept going.

I title this – “when your mother brushes your hair”.  Très bouffant, Tiddles.  And note the clean lugs.  To be fair, he did come up and apologise later for his rage.  I kissed him on the nose and said it didn’t matter but remember I will always win.

I can’t really remember what order we brushed the rest of the ponies in but we did the lot and, again, they weren’t really shedding much hair as you can see from the pile once we had finished.

So I think we just brushed out the last of the very thick long winter coat leaving them with a spring coat which will soon fall out.

I did manes and tails too.

Another Mum hair-do.

Newt still resembles a small yak no matter how much brushing.  He actually behaved.

The sun quickly vanished and it soon clouded over and as it is still not very warm, I am not worried about their coats, especially as they are all like that.  Perhaps they know something I don’t like we are not going to have a summer.

Anyway, they all ran off….. giggling.

And Waffle galloped past me to catch up as he had gone the wrong way!

Fivla and Vitamin are Brushed

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While everyone was basking in today’s glorious sunshine and hot temperatures south, I can honestly say that in Shetland we were not.  It has been a cold, drizzly wet day.  Typical.

Not that I am jealous. Ok, maybe a little.  A little sunshine would be nice.

But it’s Day 3 and, armed with my box of brushes, I went to find Fivla and Vitamin. The last two to brush in the big field.

Fivla’s fur was not coming out and she kept getting cross with me while I tried (this time I had brought a headcollar so she couldn’t run away).

I did brush out a little winter fur but in the end, I gave up as it didn’t want to come out at all.   Haakon was no help either as he kept coming up to Fivla and making her squeal “oooh, Mr Darcy!”

I contented myself by brushing her luscious mane and tail instead.

Vitamin was the same. I got a little off but her coat was welded to her.  Again, mane and tail were brushed.

So I went back inside, going past these two who just made me chuckle.

I felt judged.

I wonder what they were talking about.

And a pic of Ted who came too despite the weather – I told him it was a dog walk and I hope he believed me although I never actually walked anywhere.  He had an hour to do what he wanted in a huge field with lots of bunny rabbits. I think he believed me.  He did, didn’t he?

Next in the Queue

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Today’s client in my hair studio was Haakon.  Again, the horses and ponies were all waiting for me in their small paddock as if they knew it was their day to brushed – this is a rare event, basically once a year.

So I got going and gave Haakon a good brushing, all over.

Meanwhile Iacs was busy hypnotising himself – it doesn’t take much, believe me.

He’d found the little bucket I was using to keep my grooming things in.

And now it was his.

Hours of entertainment for Iacs.

After I had finished brushing Haakon, I quietly watched him for a while – he walked over and ate my walking stick!  You can tell Haakon and Iacs are cousins.  So alike.

He’d been eyeing it up for a while so I said nothing.  It’s ok, just slightly nibbled.

Feeling like I had another one to brush in me (and FIvla had left), I was happy when Kolka walked up to me.

Kolka always  loves being brushed. She would be brushed every day if she could – sorry, Kolka, you live in the wrong home.  It’s not my thing.

So this is the hairy result of three and a half horses (and Fivla).

And this is Kolka’s brushed out winter coat. I would estimate that each strand is about 4″ long.  That’s some coat.

A Bit of Brushing

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Last night.  It was raining so the dweebs ate inside their container – all except Albie who was perfectly happy outside.

And then from this morning. I think I can truthfully say that Fivla enjoyed her breakfast.  I found her washing up all the buckets when I went back to collect them.

Vitamoobag had taken up residence in “her” shed.

With everything cleared up, washed up and refilled with food to soak, I went in for my breakfast along with the Sphinx Mk II.

Once I got my iPad back, I had a nice conversation with Daisy and we decided that I should brush one horse/pony a day as I am still not convinced that Haakon and Iacs are putting on weight as fast as they should.  The theory being that if they are stripped of their winter coats, their bodies might go into summer mode and start using their food energy differently.

As I walked past armed with my brushes, I saw that Fivla too had taken up residence.

Luckily Iacs had not strayed very far and so he was my first target.

I brushed until my arms hurt!

And I think he looks a lot better for it.

Feeling inspired, I noticed that Fivla had not left the paddock – the others had long since departed – so I started brushing her.

Ungrateful, Fivla walked off midway – my bad, I didn’t bring a headcollar (I hadn’t thought to) – so I let her leave and told her that I would come back to her tomorrow.

Anyway, my back was beginning to hurt.  I did the worst of her.

So that was my good deed for the day. Tomorrow is Haakon or Kolka’s go, depending on who turns up and maybe the rest of Fivla.