I had some help today – my friend, Mandy.

First we loaded up Iacs and Haakon and moved them over to the nice grassy field at Leradale.

Then we fought our way down to the Minions’ field (with Iacs and Haakon bothering us for our buckets) and fed the Minions.  It was a struggle and I had words with a certain Iacs, who was appalling (I blame the parents, thank you, Daisy).

For once, Storm almost behaved.

Then we drove back home to collect Klaengur and Kolka and took them to Leradale too.

When they arrived in their new field, Klaengur and Kolka immediately started to explore in completely the opposite direction to Haakon and Iacs.  So no one knew the others were here too.

Finally Haakon found his brain and spied his old friends.

And I have to say this is the most action I have seen for quite some time.

Iacs favoured the less glamourous approach (this is him jumping a ditch – we howled with laughter).

And, again, Iacs flew over to his friends.

You can possibly hear the gallumphing and the effort.

The Minions were very happy to see new neighbours.

Klaengur got his stallion-trot out of a bag he had been keeping under his bed.  Impressed, much.

Bored of the neighbours (it was a brief), the Oldies went back to their exploring.

Action……

…. And then totally knackered.  These guys are much older than Klaengur, so I forgive them.

Kolka stopped off to talk to Mandy while the Old Men continued on their foray.

So, that’s that for the time being.  This is the first time Thordale has been without horses for nearly 25 years and yes, I miss them desperately.  And I did check them later to see that everyone was absolutely fine.

Poor Ted – I found him lying upside down in his bed enjoying his new-to-him sheepskin.

And then so did Pepper.

Watch Monster – he doesn’t even bother to move while all this ruckus is going on.

Pepper piled in.

And it was suddenly all teeth snapping.

Things were a bit calmer after lunch.

You may be able to tell that it is raining here and the dogs are bored.

This was after we had just finished our lunch.

I was watching Bargain Hunt.

Pepper is not allowed to do this but she does it anyway.

This morning this lot turned up for their breakfast, which is unusual – mostly we have to tramp through the mud and over fences to give them their buckets.

The mud is drying, but very slowly and is the wellie-boot-sucking type mud, which is nasty.

So I opened the field gate and let them all out.  Firstly to feed….

And secondly, to move them to another less muddy field.

Yes, we have mud in the gateways but I offered them the choice of three fields.

So of course Iacs, Klaengur and Kolka wandered into the wrong field.

And I told Haakon which field to go into.

Kolka, not stupid, followed.

Haakon is never stupid.

Klaengur took Iacs with him continuing in the wrong direction and wandered off into the distance, so I scrambled back quickly over the fence in a dignified fashion, to grab Iacs by his chin-hairs and lead him into the same field as Haakon and Kolka.  I left Klaengur to his wanderings. He will get the plot one day.

Iacs, on the other hoof, would never get the plot and wander alone forever.  He tends to do this.

Anyway, these three are fine and Klaengur will some time later today work it out and join them. I am not worried about him.

**** Trigger Warning ****  Not a pretty picture…… you’ve been warned.

Well, here it is – the possible explanation for Monster’s recent decline.  First thing this morning OH found this in the garden. He threw it onto a roof for the birds to remove.

This is definitely the reason for the whiff of polecat the other night and just look at those teeths.  Vicious.  They mean business.

I won’t lie, but I am very proud of Monster and his hunting abilities. Bringing home a dead polecat is a new one to us but well done that lad, is what I say.  We have a terrific problem with this type vermin and lock up our poultry every night to protect them.  So the way I see it was that Monster was protecting the homestead and he is doing his job well, even taking one for the team. I have inspected him thoroughly for bites, etc and can find none.

The Champion’s Podium. What a guy!

Today Monster ate a full sachet of his favourite food (Blink) for breakfast and is now totally back to normal. We will continue with the no-carb diet as he has the “fuller frame” (vet speak) and doesn’t need to carry more weight.

But I expected more from my working dogs – pahahahah!  Here is the Southern softie…..

…. and his friend, who is rather tired from getting into everyone else’s business.

Edited to say the only other “persons” to have done this are the legendary BeAnne who was an efficient no-nonsense killer and Chatsworth (a very large orange cat).  So kudos for Monster.

When I came in from the breakfast feed round, I phoned to make a veterinary appointment for Monster to have bloods taken.

But when the dogs got their treat for letting me put eyedrops in Ted’s eye, Monster asked for his breakfast “Dreamie” treats too.

He wolfed them down and still said he was hungry so I put some food out for him and he happily ate that too.

No walking away, looking pale and interesting like the last few days.

So, I decided that I wouldn’t put Monster through the car journey and vet appointment, and phoned to cancel it hoping he would keep on perking up.

Can you spot him?

Yes, Monster has spent time in his bed but he is much happier and alert (this is possibly not his best photo!)

This afternoon, Monster ate his tea – a good portion and OH had brought back from town some cat milk (lactose reduced) which he was very enthusiastic about (Monster, not OH – he was busy reeling at the price along with the cat “soup”, I had asked for but we won’t go there!)

More out and about after tea. Monster was much more alert and his usual self now.

I think we can say we are all very relieved.

I think it was something(one) Monster had eaten.  He did come in at 4 am with more than a faint smell of polecat as he sat on OH’s pillowcase and poked him.  I think Monster is mixing with unsuitable friends.  I told him this and he is thinking about his choices now while licking his bottom.

So, phew and thank you for all your kind and heartfelt thoughts and prayers.  I think we are over the worst.