Well, I think we can all truthfully say that Storm has fitted right into this little herd.

Although he is not keen on the new slimming régime, the words “suck it up, Princess” spring to mind and he is managing to grudgingly choke down his meagre rations.

He has also made himself very at home in the little shed.  I am sure he and Waffle remember it as their first home when they came here half-starved all those years back.

They all take it in turns in the shed and do wonder whether they all squeeze in at night.

I will never know.  Probably better that I don’t.

Pepper is pleased everyone is home.  She makes a point of saying hello to everyone when I am outside doing chores – lugging hay, or clearing poo, cleaning water….. endlessly.

The other ponies stay close by because they have no choice (it is a small field) but they take an interest in each other and I think it is good they are neighbours.

I have just instructed an Agricultural Contractor to come and dig up a field and turn it into a track system.  I think this is the ponies’ future as laminitis is always around the corner.  We are at the planning stage.

And hopefully this will be the way forward.  Every time I think I have a plan, it is thwarted when laminitis appears….. again.  I can only think they must never eat green grass, except possibly in the winter.

The weather was closing in yesterday evening.

It all looked very ominous, if a little worrying.  I am not a fan of thunderstorms (luckily it didn’t – just rain).

But after supper, I went to my shed to make another sheep and I was followed.

I let Monster in quickly because a) it was raining and b) he was whining about it.

And so I set to work as usual watching tv while I made my sheep.

But Monster was having none of the watching my laptop scenario.

While I hoped he wasn’t wet underneath, …..

…. Monster made himself comfortable for the evening.

Yes, I could hear the programme (Murdock Mysteries) but I couldn’t see very much.

Once I reached the end of that episode, I wanted to play the next one.  This was not as easy as it could be.  There was cat belly on the track pad and some weirdly distributed weight on the keys.

In the end I gently shifted Monster sideways off the keyboard so he snoozed on my glasses instead….

…. while his bottom was where it landed.

But Monster seemed happy.

He had a nice little sleep and woke very refreshed.  How could I ask him to move?  You couldn’t move someone as gorgeous as this!

I spent the morning making these three happier.

I brought everyone home. First up were Newt, Silver and Storm – who all were caught, led and transported with no bother.  Then Fivla and Vitamin who would’ve driven the van home if they could.

Then I split them all up, putting Vitamin, Fivla, Newt and Silver in the surrounding small paddock that has the grass.

Poor (but fat) Storm had to stay in the starvation paddock, much to his horror!  I tried to explain to him that was his own good. I could see he didn’t believe me.

But Albie was pleased to see him.

Someone new to annoy.

While Tiddles is thrilled to see his friends again, he would like to join them. Please.

Pretty please!

And Albie looked wistfully over the fence too.

But it is what it is and that is my decision, which I must stick to.  I have to stay strong.

I arrived with the afternoon snack of soaked fibre block and the ones with all the grass had the brass neck to be jealous!

But they can all talk over the fence and hopefully my fence will stay up.

However, I did catch Storm chewing on the orange twine in The Great Escape sort of way!

I check the perimeter fence on an almost hourly basis now.

Fivla today was last to her daily mineral/vitamin/TurmerAid bucket.

The rest had cantered down while Fivla favoured a more sedate approach.  She never hurries.

And I had saved her bucket for her so she woul have her fair share. Fivla knows this.

Fivla was a girl on a mission – just a rather slow one.

She ate far away from the others and I stood between her and any potential vultures.

Once finished, Silver joined her.

They look pretty together.

Magical, even. Very “White Horses” (a children’s tv programme that all of us, of a certain age and country who love horses, would’ve watched) and yes, I was humming the theme tune forgetting all the words.

I did my best taking photos while wishing I had my “proper” camera instead.

It was all very atmospheric and special.

Sometimes everyone has to come too when I feed the ponies.

I think it is good for the Minions to get used to the occasional white panther dropping by.

But I think food is more of a priority than Monster.

Anyway, Monster is not concerned. He is interested in nosing around…..

while trying to blend in with his environment.

Kolka, who was around hoping for table scraps, turned her attention, and possibly hunger, on Monster.

♫ “Brave Sir Robin ran away” ♫

More thorough investigations on the journey back ….

…. and a bit of a squeeze! It was touch and go at one point and I did wonder if I would have to un-stick him.

Luckily for Monster, I didn’t have to intervene but Pepper did and gently escorted him off the premises.  Meanwhile the ponies kept on eating.