This week for BeAnne has been down and and then a bit up.  Last weekend, she started hefty diuretics which resulted in wet bed, wet floor, wet everything but good news, the fluid on her lungs went. She must’ve pee’ed it out.

Her Maj was very unhappy and unwell and I started her on CBD oil because we had run out of options. It did help her mentally, but also gave her diarrhoea.  On Tuesday I phoned the vet with an update and admitted to the CBD oil.  She wanted bloods so we could have a better idea of what was going on.  We did that and the results were terrible – kidneys bad and liver function off the chart.

But the vet had a case conference with the head of practice and they decided we had been here before and come back from it so there was a chance.  They changed BeAnne’s meds.

And things have been much better.  Now she has a combined heart/diuretic, alternate days of steroids, the cbd oil – the lactulose is reduced (or stopped) and stopped the antibiotics. Things are on a more even keel now and yesterday was a good day – she spent it barking at all intruders (imaginary or real) and stealing cat food.

I left Her Maj outside pottering around the croft while I went to check on the Minions.

Note the abandoned pond!  Bar-steward ducky-wuckies.

After lunch, we went for a nice little walk into the hill.

BeAnne was running about properly.

She enjoyed sniffing for pesky bunny rabitses.

So we have a bit of normal life back and that is a huge bonus.

A friend asked me how BeAnne was getting on and I burst into tears and couldn’t talk about it. I can’t without feeling sick and crying.  I hadn’t realised how much pressure this is putting on us but I just can’t get my head around the alternative.  As long as BeAnne is enjoying life, we still keep on going because it is all I can cling to (and now I’m crying all over again).

A lovely huge rainbow appeared this morning while I was feeding the ducks, hens and sheep.  I rushed inside to find my camera only to find the rainbow had diminished to this by the time I came out again.  Still, it was fairly good. I do like a rainbow.

After breakfast, I said I wanted to move the duck pond and re-gravel the bit up to the school as the ducks are making it very slippy for both people and horses and it will only be a matter of time before I end up on my arse.

The pond was moved and refilled and the ducks are now being lured to go near it again.  They are always very resentful of change and now mooch about in their usual place looking furious.  I will feed them in the mornings near their pond and hope they get used to it, get over themselves and go for a swim.  The new place is much better.

After lunch, I rode Klængur in the school. Recently I’ve noticed he is lacking basic good manners and schooling. Daisy gave me a lesson and then, as we were whizzing around totally out of control, she asked if she could get on. I did not say no.

And then Daisy, of course, got him going very nicely.

When she offered to regularly school Klængur for me, I definitely didn’t say no!

On my way back with Klængur to his field (I told him, as he couldn’t be nice, he would have to deal with Daisy – so another resentful animal), I saw these very pretty duck feathers.

So, that’s me and that’s hopefully Klængur sorted in the next few weeks.

Lilja is truly stunning.

She followed me back to the gate after I had checked, fed, kissed, hugged and did it all at least three times again, everyone else in her field.

So, to thank her for her true devotion, I took some photos of her uphill while I stood in a ditch.  Whatever it takes for a good photo.

The view on my way home was dramatic. “Winter is coming” – in my book, it is already here.

Once home, Daisy and I thought we would give the old men a whirl in the indoor school to see what like they were.  We haven’t ridden either of them for a while.  One thing and another – that’s our excuse.

Anywho, Iacs was most keen on this riding idea.

While Haakon feigned mild interest but was then very whizzy once I was onboard.  It was great fun and we all enjoyed ourselves.

Iacs is a glass half full kinda guy!   You can tell.

Monster and Her Maj were also mooching around mouse-hunting.  It was just like old times.

Apparently the equine dentist is not likely to come up to Shetland in the near future so we arranged for the vet to come to look at Efstur because we wanted to have the all-clear on his teeth.

Although Efstur started his training in a bitless bridle indoors, Daisy would prefer to ride him with a bit as he has absolutely no brakes outside.  I can see her point entirely.  Brakes are always useful, possibly essential!

So Morag, the vet, visited and gave the young man a quick once-over before she started.

This was a first for Efstur and Mr Dental-Equine-Speculum was gently introduced and accepted with no argument or discussion.

Morag had a good feel inside Efstur’s mouth.

Daisy had a good feel inside too.

The gag came off and his alignment looked at.

The diagnosis was that there were no wolf teeth lurking or anything untoward. So all is good in Efstur’s mouth.

Carroty rewards and lots of “what a good boy”.  He was – we were proud of him.

Efstur thought it was great to be the centre of attention.  So now we have to work out what bit will suit him best because we know nothing is wrong and he needs to get going again with his training.

To the Bit Bank and don’t spare the horses!

Daisy and I are keeping busy, even we didn’t feel much like riding. Today was windy and blustery and neither of us are particularly keen.

So, to make up for our lack of ridingness, Daisy said we (well, mostly she) would trim Hetja and Brá’s hooves.

Obviously Hetja oversaw proceedings.

While I was on rope duty and moral support with occasional rasping.  My back is not fully recovered but I could hang onto a rope.

First up was Brá because she is can be the most difficult of the pair.

Today she was a total star.  Maybe the wind has changed or something but Brá these days is easy and nice to work with.  She has mellowed.

Hetja was less helpful and bit crashy.  Words were had and toes were trodden on.

Anywho, the view was nice.

I took this photo for my mother so she could see her car living a completely different life to the one it was used to. Poor car. Rather a shock to its system.

So, job done and it needed doing.