Long story short. Last year my friend asked me to take her Icelandic mare, Kolka, because she was dying.  At that stage, I said no, because we had just come through a hellish winter, I had too many horses, and I couldn’t have another female with a stallion about too. I felt very bad but could see no way to help. I offered to put the mare to sleep, though as she is old (27?) and I also thought a big change moving to a new herd would be horrid for her.

A few months later my friend died. I sold Taktur (and Dreki) and every day I drove past this mare to visit my Minions.  It struck me that if I had died, someone would possibly put Haakon, Iacs, Vitamin and Fivla to sleep because they were old too. They are all around the same age – 27 to 29.

And then I envisaged myself doing just that – putting this mare to sleep just because she is old and I couldn’t do it.

I also remembered that Kolka had lived here for a couple of years when we were a riding school many years ago so she knew Haakon and Iacs, but not Klaengur.  I went to talk to Kolka in her field (she was another horse’s companion) and she was just the same as she ever was when she was with us.  Quiet, easy to do and kind.  So I phoned my friend’s husband, now the owner, and offered Kolka a retirement home here for the rest of her days.

Today Floss and I went to fetch her home to Thordale.

The boys were interested – lots of sniffing, a little squealing and stamping from Kolka.

I went out later to see what the herd dynamics were doing.

Klaengur is very taken.

Haakon is furious.  He hates change. He came up and complained. I told him to get on with it.

And Kolka pretty much rules them all.  She tells them where to stand and what to do.

Iacs dreams of cake and staying out of the way!

This was a few minutes later when I had run out of carrots.  I am hopeful they will all sort themselves out with minimum fuss.

Later on I let the “vampire ponies” out for the night and they started all over again.  Waffle loves the ladies!  It will be interesting to see where they all are tomorrow morning.

I hope I’ve done the right thing by my late friend.  What’s one more geriatric?

We brought the little boys inside this morning to assess their gait, laminitis, etc.

After seeing Albie and Storm move, I have decided to go back a few steps. Yes, they are moving better but they are not 100% yet (but not needing painkillers either).  Just a few more weeks, possibly.

It is difficult because I don’t know if what I am doing is the right thing but the past few days, when we had the snow, I relaxed the rules too much so I think they should go back to staying inside during daylight hours, and going out at night only.

The ponies had already had their buckets (nettle and TurmerAid with chaff) so I gave them some hay in a trickle-feed haynet (with the next batch on to soak) and left them inside for the day.

I can only do what I think is right. We go day to day and, although I think Albie and Storm are slightly better, they are not better enough to live in a field 24/7 with any sort of grass at all.

So, tonight, I put them out. With the days being so short, they get a good 18 hours outside.

I am totally flying blind here and praying their laminitis is on its way out for the time being and colic never rears its ugly head again.

I tell them they are my vampire ponies!

Having said a few days back that the Minion’s field was perfect, I of course moved them because that’s what I do. Say one thing, then do another!

So the ponies are now in the “middle field” which was eaten down to nearly nothing by Haakon and friends a few months back.

And, interestingly enough, they have all worked out how to get over the burn – Burn of Fleurad (a lovely name, no idea what it means).

This was first thing this morning. I called the ponies and, bless them, after much thought and deliberation they struggled over the burn, which was fairly high – water up to their bellies – and cantered up the hill towards me and my three buckets of nothing (chaff, TurmerAid and dried nettles).

Everyone was very soggy.

And they all ate hurriedly because there was a large vulture trying to circle above (thank you, Iacs).

The middle field is much bigger but full of nothing. It has better shelter, which can only be useful this time of year.  I am glad the ponies are crossing the burn, though.  It means they want to walk about and look for anything to eat. Tomorrow I think I will get them into the school and see what they are like walking without mud, water, etc.  I can get a proper view of them too.

This is Silver’s story. He came to me as a 2013 weaned foal, along with Storm and Waffle in January 2014. when the weather had been absolutely vile.  You can see the rescue here. It wasn’t pretty but it was necessary.

Ten years later, Silver has finally grown up, changed colour and turned into a lovely handsome chap.

Ok, he still has his swallowed-a-button face but he is not nervous about much now.

And he has “a kind eye”(s).

Of the three, Silver was the shyest and he worried a lot.

Now he just wants nose kisseys and I, of course, am happy to oblige. That’s what I am here for.

Of all of the original three rescued Shetland ponies, I think Silver actually has come the furthest.  To begin with, he struggled with everything and, while he can still have his moments, I am actually very proud of how he reacts and behaves when the chips are down.  It only took ten years but we’re in it for the long haul.  I think he finally realises all is good.

And this was his original colour!

These photos are from yesterday. Today the snow has melted with endless rain and everyone does not look fluffy and pretty anymore.  Think drowned rats, so I didn’t photograph them.

Anywho, moving swiftly backwards to yesterday ….. after we had dished out carrots to Albie, Storm, Waffle and Tiddles, Floss and I moved onto the old men who were in the far corner of the field thinking that they had been invaded by small things.  They had a point.

Floss was on carrot duty while I was on camera.

The old men got more carrots (and Pasture cookies – you know who you are and thank you!) than the littlies because they are not on a permanent diet.

Floss remarked that if airport security join the other strikes, we could supply our local airport (Sumburgh) with three very efficient pat-down security guards.

Nothing gets past these three. Nothing. Haakon even left the group to walk around to have a go at me, just in case I had a large slice of chocolate cake hidden about my person.

He would not be told and had to settle for a hug, which he hated. He is not that kind of guy.  29 years old and he only likes (tolerates) hugs when he is ill!

Meanwhile Floss was being searched with by the professionals.

Yesterday was cold, but beautiful. Today is dreich again.  Day by day is how we work this time of the year.