I drove over to check the Minions this morning.  I could sense they were very fed up of their 2 week old field.  To be fair, it is pretty small and they had done their best.

I came home and remarked to Daisy about the change in Minion attitude and perhaps we could move them over the road to their old field (which has had a good rest) tomorrow.  She replied that the weather was going to deteriorate and, if we were going to move them, we should do it NOW!

So we did. We drove back and two at a time grouped by levels of unhelpfulness starting with the worst, we led them over the road into their bigger field.

1. Lilja and Sóley
2. Storm (idiot) and Silver (stupid to catch)
3. Waffle and Tiddles (can be a race-horse to lead and Tiddles can be an arse to catch)
4. Albie and Newt (better at waiting with Fivla and Vitamin who are always last)
5. Fivla and Vitamin (for two old ladies, they were very happy!)

And then they all ran around madly while Daisy opened gates all the way down.

Fivla was doing happy little bucks to herself.

Albie watched the first lot (Silver, Waffle, Lilja and Sóley) gallop off to the next field that Daisy was opening up.

And then there was a mass bunching of bottoms and off they went too.

This is my most favourite of photos. Albie as a small jousting horse!

And off they vanished, almost down to the sea.

I think that was a wise decision to make.

Nothing much today. A day of well-earned rest.  I think I’ve just about thawed and dried out now.

The view from the car (still driving my Mother’s car as mine is still in the garage with no diagnosis!) I went to fill it up with petrol and it was a lovely drive to the pumps, which are 20 minutes away.

I came home to find Daisy just about to hop onto Efstur who was trying bit number 3,445 (well, it feels like it!)  This is the titanium version of the sweet gold anatomical straight bit.

This got the Daisy and Efstur Seal of Approval with the caveat that some horses do insist on going round like goldfish and Efstur may be one of them but, as long as he isn’t chewing (ie wearing down his teeth) and he is happy and relaxed, then for the time being, we will go with that.  Nothing is written in stone.

Horses change as they grow up and develop. We’ve had Efstur’s teeth and mouth checked by a vet; he is happy, relaxed and listening so this is where we are.  Maybe one day Efstur will forget his goldfish ways.  Some do. Some don’t.

I am sitting at my desk, the fire is roaring and I have a hot-water bottle wedged into my back.  I am feeling damp, and cold to my bones.

In filthy weather, Daisy and I spent the first part of our morning, shoving the horses into the stable to eat hay, wait patiently and dry off a bit, (then our first change of clothes) while we went over to the Minion field to meet our farrier, Stephen.

The rain was horizontal and the wind unforgiving but Stephen duly trimmed Lilja first (who could’ve been a bit more helpful)….

And then Sóley (who was an absolute angel).

There was more unwanted assistance from Lilja.

And I fended off potential Minion participation.  Oh Storm would’ve liked to help.  He had great plans.

Afterwards, a quick drive home and out from the stable with Taktur to be shod (meanwhile our 2nd change of clothes).

My phone ran out of battery at this stage but Klængur was also shod, Kappi had his shoes removed (he is now officially on his holibobs), Efstur and Dreki were trimmed (mostly helpful) while Iacs and Haakon were checked (all looking good there).

Five hours on and I still feel damp and I’ve run out of dry clothes. They are all festooned around the kitchen drying.

On Wednesday, we went to town and bought some hay.  Not a huge amount. Just in case.  You never know.  This is our first hay of the season, so first Daisy cleared and cleaned the area we always store it in.

We went backwards and forwards with wheelbarrows moving the bales from the van to the stable.

Her Mooch was around, getting under wheel and foot.  It’s currently her special skill.  Death by wheelbarrow.

Once stacked, we covered the hay with old duvet covers and/or dust-sheets as there are birds in the stable and I like to keep the hay as clean as possible.  Note our art installation of binder twine!  That’s at least two year’s worth.

More cleaning because we were now on a roll.

Madame Mooch outside looking resentful at not achieving death-by-wheelbarrow.

The hay won’t be used until the grass has almost gone.  If we can hold out until January that would be good.

Despite what others might tell us!

Iacs is ever the optimist.

Everyone is always claiming starvation.

They don’t give up but we don’t believe them.

The weather is deteriorating rapidly.

It’s not very nice outside so I spent the afternoon going through some of my Great Great Aunt Kate’s magazine/newspaper clippings and her own sketches.

Kate was very interested in fashion.  I have her “Book of Fashion” that she started aged 15 in 1894.

It is fascinating.

She mentions in her diaries that her little sister, Alys, likes to skirt dance.

This made me smile – “Development of the skirt dancing lady into a horse”.

And the comment at the end. I laughed.

Kate eventually attends The Slade School of Fine Art and studies under Henry Tonks and Philip Wilson Steer and her style becomes much more refined but her early interest in art is very apparent.

These are from when she was 16 years old.

And then there are the folders of magazine clippings and newspaper cuttings.  Kate was always shopping wherever she was living.  I am currently knee-deep in 1916 and it is the First World War.  Kate worked for the Belgian Refugees in Aldwych as Secretary of the Private Relief Fund.

Can anyone date these fashions from La Mode Nationale?  I would be most interested to know so I can include a better photo in the relevant diary.

My life seems worlds away from her’s.