This morning, as the digger-man arrived to bury Klængur, I drove away to feed the Old Ladies plus the Minions and then on to town for provisions.

I needed a diversion.

I certainly didn’t want to be at home.

And here is my diversion. Daisy has come home for the annual weekend celebrations of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Bibble was thrilled to see her.

And she to see him.

We are all feeling a bit lost at the moment – horses, people, everyone.

Rest in peace, Klængur.  You were loved.  No more pain.

He had a suspected torsion, or blockage or something along with endotoxaemia.  We threw everything at him (vet and I) all day. We tried, we really did but nothing helped and we made the decision not to keep going while his body was shutting down.  He is at peace now.

Please don’t message me on Facebook or elsewhere. I really don’t want to talk about it. We are all in shock.

We spent this morning in the drizzle emptying the shed and stable of all Kolka’s previous owner’s horsey stuff, and she had a lot of stuff.  Everything.

Anyway, we brought it all home and I drove the van into the indoor school so I could empty everything in relative dryness and peace.  A place for everything and everything in its place, I heard echoing in my brain as I looked at the massive pile of stuff.

And obviously I had help, though Ted went swiftly indoors when he saw the bed I was offering.

He was unimpressed, though Monster happily made it his home.

Pepper and Monster entertained each other while I lugged everything out of the van.

And there was the inevitable “playing”. Pepper was mean but Monster was meaner. He got her hard when her back was turned and he meant it. I left them to it.  It is their war. Not mine.

And dear little Pepper was totally unphased by the cat beating her up.

She makes me smile with her enthusiasm and optimism.

It was a grudge match.

I could tell Pepper and Monster were bored keeping me company while I worked, so I left the van door open and that was a whole new world.

Amongst all the stuff I unpacked is a large pile of pony agility equipment which, in theory, would be fun to play with for the Minions but then the thought of Storm and a space hopper made me feel a little sick!  I will sell it to raise funds for Kolka’s medical needs.

And no one needs a pirate flag!  Not even Newt.

Today I moved Fivla and Vitamin to the next-door field that has the spring grass.  While the Minions were eating their mins and vits, I led Fivla with her bucket through the gate and closed it very quickly.

Then I went back for Vitamin, did her hooves and mouth, and sent her through too.

As a diversion, I scattered some apple and celeriac peelings behind me.  Newt was not impressed.

The old ladies didn’t need asking twice about where they wanted to live.

And the little ones will just have to put up and shut up.

The only one I feel really bad for is Albie.

He will mind not having his Fivla with him but he and his friends are not going to go through another winter like last year, stuck in the shed with painful laminitis. It was horrid for everyone. I have told him this and will explain it to him every day if I have to.  This is For His Own Good.

Anyway, I listened to their complaints and walked away.

This afternoon I secretly went back and, as no one was expecting me, they weren’t hanging around waiting by the gate.

I wanted to see where they had gone in my absence.

The old ladies had left the gate and already had a field between them and the Minions.

Happy old ladies. I have thought long and hard about this. It is not fair they, in their late 20’s, should be on the same diet as the youngsters.  Nope.

And then I was spotted……

And the old ladies stayed where they were, which I thought was interesting, and I went home again.

I feel happier now.  This feels right.

The Minions are still in their 40 acres of nothing and I must admit that I am feeling bad for them.

Yes, they get their daily bucket of minerals, vitamins and low-calorie sludge to try and stop any hint of laminitis in its tracks but for the rest of the time, they have to search for food.

Fivla and Vitamin obviously have their fattening food…..

… but is it enough?

I know Shetland ponies should live off fresh air but it is the old ladies I worry about.

The field they are living in has absolutely no green grass.  Just old hill grass and that’s about it.  I wonder whether I should move the old ladies next door as that field has green spring grass but I know they will stop the others going off to find food (they hang around by the fence) and also they will miss their little herd hugely.

I am trying my hardest to stay strong and not to just open the gate and let everyone have nice grass.  It is very difficult as I like them to be happy and not on a permanent diet.  I keep telling myself that every blade of green grass could potentially trigger laminitis but….. what about the old ladies. Don’t they need more than a daily bucket of calories?  When they came home for the dentist, they stuffed their little faces with the lovely spring grass. They were so happy but equally thrilled to go back to their friends.

Oh, I don’t know. I must stay strong. Sorry, I am thinking out loud.