Fivla and Vitamin are now having daily buckets of food because they are old ladies and Vitamin has started to drop in weight.

Fivla gets a smaller version of the feed bucket because she was incandescent with rage when she saw Vitamin getting food and she wasn’t.  She has a point. They both have TurmerAid just because it is good for older horses – digestion, arthritis, brain function, etc.

Meanwhile Floss is on point duty while I shout useful things like “Newt at eight o’clock!”

She also doubles as carrot distributor.  One piece or maybe even two, depending on supplies, each.

Today has been gruesome, weather-wise.  We all woke up at 5 a.m. to thunder and lightening. It sounded like something large had crashed into the house but I think it was more noise than anything else.  Thunder and lightening are very rare here in Shetland.  I can count on one hand how many thunderstorms I have noticed in the past 20 years.  Luckily the dogs didn’t care.  I cared and hid under the bed-covers until it was time to get up.

I spent the afternoon waiting for the vet to come and take blood for analysis from Haakon so I cleaned the house.  I am now missing two dusters and the finger points…..

Later: Now blood has been taken and the vet said Haakon didn’t look like a horse with kidney problems (Haakon was very alert, eating and happy) so everything crossed, please.

Haakon and Iacs are currently living in the stable.  Their door is wide open and they have spent the day totally inside, not venturing out once. I think they might have gone out last night as they were wet on their backs.  Who knows.

Haakon is happy again – eating well and drinking too with it all coming out the other end.  This morning I did notice, however, that his urine is dark brown, almost viscous and smelly too.  So I am back to worrying again and have booked the vet to come and take bloods tomorrow (first available slot) while trying not to look at Dr Google.

This afternoon I drove over to the vet surgery to get some electrolyte replacement powder – “an oral rehydration product indicated for the reversal of the processes of dehydration, electrolyte loss” – which I put in their drinking water.

I was dubious if Iacs and Haakon would drink it but Iacs tucked in, so Haakon did too.  Hopefully that should help.

They also have a Himalayan salt lick which Haakon is very keen on.

The ad-lib hay is also proving very popular with everyone.

At this stage, I feel like we are just chucking hay at everyone.  The weather is so awful and the forecast is vile for the foreseeable.

Just praying the urine is not a sign of something ominous and just a leftover symptom from the colic.

This was a breakthrough Maggie moment…..

Maggie: This is my Winning Smile
Lambie: Please don’t.

Lambie: I may smile but I wish you would go away first.
(He had butted her, so she ignored him)
Maggie: I don’t know what to do.
Lambie: Go away would be good.

Maggie:  Am I enchanting?
Lambie: I am shocked!

Maggie: Look at me!
Lambie: Preparing to smile.

Maggie: And off I go!
Lambie: Prepare to be amazed.

And Maggie was shining.

But then there is Lambie’s Winning Smile.  He was not going to be left out.

Me:  A bit too desperate Lambie.

Me:  Ok, better.

Maggie: Stuff you Lambie!
Me:  Never give up Maggie. You are beautiful. Always beautiful.

I was amazed at Maggie. I have never seen her do this.  She and Lambie make me smile too.

And then it all went a bit Abba!

The old men are still living around the house (outside obviously) with free access to the whole of the stable.  They are fine – ad lib hay, a daily bucket and anything else they can get off me.  Haakon has taught Iacs how to knock on the front door like a hooman so the dogs bark and someone has to get up and answer it!

When Haakon was ill, I noticed Iacs wouldn’t leave his side.

He followed Haakon all the time.  He was there when we made Haakon walk around the school with his nose up his bum, urging him all the time to keep going. It was one of those very eerie odd moments when you can almost hear the conversation.

And this annoyed Haakon so much that in the end he stopped dead (a bit of Colonel Hathi’s elephant pile-up situation), backed up into Iacs and told him to stop. So Iacs didn’t!

He also didn’t want Haakon to give up.  He wouldn’t let him.  Very strange. I’ve never seen that before.  Mostly they leave them to die – the weak vulnerable horse in the wild herd not holding everyone up.

But these two ….. well, it’s different.  I might add that when Iacs had colic a few years’ back, it was Klaengur who stayed around and Haakon left the scene pretty quickly.

Everyone is enjoying the ad lib hay.  You can almost hear ‘Bert talk with his mouth full!

I think we will keep the old men around the house (outside, obviously!) It is nice to be able to have them close by and I think they enjoy the special attention.

It has been a long 24 hours for us all.  We had the vet out again last night because it was obvious the injections were wearing off and Haakon’s colic pain was returning.  Back to Square 1 really.  He was so miserable, we walked him round but he was trying to roll, etc.  Not good and scary too.

The vet came promptly (phew!) and gave the injections and so Haakon brightened a little. We were told to check him every two hours and let him rest now.  We put out haynets, water buckets and left Haakon and Iacs in our indoor school – nice and big and hopefully no getting cast.

The night was long. Floss and I took it in turns. I did the 2 am and 6 am slot, while Floss did the 10 pm and 4 am slot.  We are now shattered.

This morning was ok….. Haakon ate a little bit if his regular bucket and then walked away. My heart sank so I decided to try him on other things.  He liked the soaked hay (Daisy’s idea – easier on his teeth), some barely soaked fibre block and a veteran mix.  I also noticed when mucking out that there had been a pee (concentrated) and possibly a poo too that was his.  He is also drinking better now.

I have kept them around the house all day and they can come and go into the stable.

Another fibre block argument this afternoon.  It is good to see.

I was followed back to the house and this made me smile so much.  I think he is on the mend now.

Bibble has been a God-send. He is so enthusiastic about everything. More about that tomorrow.

I hope tonight is better than last night.