Ted has been with me for six months now.  I brought him home at the end of November but was living with him since October.

It has not been simple, but Ted is at last behaving like a “normal” (for us) dog.

Ted came to us with an ASBO (Anti-Social Behaviour Order) for biting the postman, which resulted in Mum having a visit from two armed policemen and getting a telling off!

Ted was also a dog that did not know what bones were for.  He spent every dog walk just running home which resulted in him only being allowed out on a lead, reaching the half way point of the walk and then being released to run as fast as he could home.

Ted would also spell out your name in pee if you left him alone for any length of time.  Revenge Pee – it is a heinous crime.

But, after months of routine and just general life, Ted is so much better.

No peeing, ever in the house, he eats bones, he steals Pepper’s toys, he plays games, he goes on proper dog walks and it is all lovely to see.

Pepper, on the other paw, is a ruddy nightmare.  She spends more time with our neighbours than she does with us.

She can escape over or through anything.

She has to wear a collar so we can “call” her home (it vibrates and sometimes she “listens” and returns).

She is very enthusiastic about everything!

And inquisitive. I forgot inquisitive.  Nothing and no one is safe.

But, best of all, Pepper and Ted are a happy little team. Yes there is the odd bicker but mostly they live together nicely.

I am very relieved life has worked out well for Ted.  It was in the balance for a while.

I am such a bad Muzzah. Yet again, I forgot Lambie’s birthday – 24th April.

It was a dark and stormy night (no, it actually was) and Lambie and his twin sister arrived a week early. His sister died the next day, then his mother while Lambie tried his best to follow as well but seven years on, he is still my little precious woolly lamb.

Lambie was brought up by me…..

And, of course, dearest BeAnne.

Lambie adored her.  BeAnne was good with him.

So Happy Birthday Lambie. He was 7 years old 2 days ago and I did smile when he spied me and ran towards me in the field this afternoon.  I like to think the barley rings in my pocket were a nice surprise.

I brought them especially for my little woolly lamb.

🎁 🎂 🎉 ❤️ 🐑 ❤️ 🐑 ❤️ 🐑❤️ 🐑 ❤️ 🐑 ❤️ 🐑❤️ 🐑 ❤️ 🐑 ❤️ 🐑❤️  🎉 🎂 🎁

Now, I am not very good at this, as Dreki will possibly tell you, but he and I are doing our best at this training lark.

At present we are concentrating on steering and brakes and, while Daisy has sat on Dreki, I have not so all our work is on the ground.

So here we are, brushing and chatting!

Shedding like a good ‘un (Spring visited briefly, took one look, gone away and it is Winter again so big mistake, Dreki) and surcingle on.

Bridle and noseband, “hitch up” and off we go

As Floss was on photos, Dreki was a bit preoccupied with somone “new” on his first halt – note front feet off the track. Not good.

But he is good on the going forwards and is not rushy or nasty.

A better halt.

Everyone concentrating hard.

After a few rounds of the school on the track, I thought I would introduce weaving between the cones.

Hopeless, both of us with added knitting from me.

So I decided to show Dreki exactly what I wanted.

And then he got it, as did I too.

Less knitting, but weird arms going on.

Back on track.

The perfect halt.

I love Dreki’s expression (after I had gushed about the wonderful halt).

And we’re done.

Feet offered nicely and picked out.

Plus a recap on how good my little dragon is and how we will work together as a team.

I am enjoying this training lark. It might not be perfect but it is working for us both.

So, I got the Ginger Ninja out of his field, tacked him up and got on ready to meet a friend at the end of my road.  She kindly offered to accompany me on this mammoth solo adventure.  Going out with just one horse is a new thing for Klængur and me but something I have done all my ridden life, so why is it a big deal now?

But we did it.

We got home with minimal fuss and it was fun so I am feeling we achieved. And now the only way is forward.  We’ve got this.

I just have to realise that I will never ride Haakon again and Klængur is my ridden horse now.  That is one of my mental blocks. All the rubbish Klængur throws at me is nothing compared with Haakon but somehow when it was him, it didn’t seem to matter.

Klængur is not a replacement but a horse in his own right. Just different.

Sorry to involve you in the workings of my brain.  I have no idea why I am like this.

Everyone has been moved down to the lower field mostly because of the bonfire and also mostly because, apart from Vitamin, everyone is a fattie!  The Spring grass is appearing. No one needs this.

But Vitamin still has to be fed and, therefore, so does Fivla because she will resent every calorie Vitamin has.  So Fivla gets the very definition of nothing in a bucket.

Flossie stands guard.

And I chuck carrots at everyone else.

And then they finish their carrots and come a-looking for more….

But the answer is no.

Always no.

Absolutely no.

And off they go to just quickly finish up anything they might’ve missed.

So this is our Minion routine at the moment.  The secret is to give Fivla enough of nothing to make her believe she’s had something!