Today in the morning sunshine I noticed that my two resident Icelandic horses had changed…..

….. into Przewalski’s horses!

“Stockily built, smaller, and shorter than its domesticated relatives.”

“They have a dun coat with pangaré features and often have dark primitive markings.” – Wikipedia

Ok, neither Haakon or Iacs don’t particularly have the pangaré markings (“a coat trait found in some horses that features pale hair around the eyes and muzzle and underside of the body”), but in every other aspect they look very prehistoric!

Maybe it’s because Haakon has lost his forelock to something or someone – I have no idea.  I think he rubs it off when it is a calm but midgy day.

He used to have a pretty forelock too.  Oh well, the black fur surrounded ears are still stunning.

Iacs has the stripes – on his legs like a zebra – which are very apparent when he is in his summer dresses.

Anywho, these two were mooching around when I was in their field with my camera.  Dear old men. Still gorgeous.

The wind has eased. It is still cold but Fivla and Vitamin are not really settled with me so this morning I loaded them into the horse-van and drove them back to their herd.

Instantly there was a change in them all.

Eyes were brighter, everyone has a purpose and they just become the little close herd that they all want to be.

Some of the boys started to play (Silver and Waffle)

And then there was the rolling too.

Albie made a bee-line for Fivla, his surrogate Mum.

The two cousins, Storm and Newt, attacked a salt lick together.

I can’t put my finger on it but the whole herd vibe just changed into instantly “normal” – well, as normal as this lot can ever be.

Albie missed Fivla the most.  He can’t really function without her.  She took on the roll of looking after him when no one else would.  He lost his mother at a very early age and never recovered until he met Fivla.  She has showed him how to be like the others.

Anyway, I will see how we go. That’s all I can do – watch the weather, and try to find ways to keep the weight on Vitamin.  This is not going to be easy.  I might try a rug again……

I am not popular.  The ladies are still complaining so, as the wind is dropping now, I will drive them back to their herd tomorrow. Just don’t say I didn’t try.

Anywho, this morning, armed with six large carrots I went to check on the Minions.

I took my big camera as I wanted to take some nice wind-in-their-manes photos.

If they weren’t sticking their tongues out or making weird faces, the Minions looked like hairy hippos.

I got a few nice photos but nothing special. Just eating and more eating.

Thank you, Tiddles.

Oh, Albie.

Yup, hippos.

And then there was this so I gave up and went home…..

…happy in the knowledge that everyone is very fatty, fat, fat!

I refuse to lie awake at night listening to the pouring rain and howling wind thinking they are all melting or even suffering.  Shiver off that fat, lads!  You are all hippos.

The wind is getting up now and a northerly gale is forecast over the next few days so OH and I went over to the Minions’ field to bring home Fivla and Vitamin.

At least at home they have free access to a nice south facing shed and far more shelter.  The boys were not happy to be left behind but they are fatty, fat, fat and built to withstand this.  If I had left the ladies behind, I would only worry about them so they had to come home.  When the weather calms down, they can go back and rejoin their herd.

Later, I saw Fivla and Vitamin standing in the shed together, with their heads poking out of the door, which was good. I know they are happy to share and no one will be a dragon to the other but all they do now is shout for their absent friends!

I have told them they are ungrateful.

I also popped over to see Klængur and fed him a secret carrot.  He was pleased to see me and we had a hug.

As he is looking so much better, ie less fat, I think he can come home soon.  I feel I am always juggling – too fat, too thin, too something.  No one is just normal!