Go for a ride They Said.  It will be fun, They Said.

So I caught my horse, Haakon (aged 26 yo), tacked up and off we went.

Daisy came along too riding Iacs (aged 25 yo).  We were all in our Cavalla Hoof Boots – fronts and backs.

This is my best view in the whole world.  I told the old men about this being a slow ride as everyone is unfit, old and realistically in retirement now.

Daisy and Iacs ignored my words of wisdom.  They cantered off.

Haakon was slightly more sedate in his approach to life and happily piggy-paced along.  I don’t ask for tölt anymore unless he offers it.

There was definitely cantering and more trotting/tölting than the calm walking I had requested.  I blame the hoofboots.  The old men love them.  Iacs even considered tölting which could possibly be classed as a miracle as he has never done that in all his 25 years!

On the final stretch, Iacs galloped home with Haakon keeping up in flying pace alongside.  Daisy and I were mere passengers.

I don’t know I bothered saying this would be a slow and calm ride.

(Enjoy Iacs’ buttercup. It travelled with him!)

Maybe the next ride will be quieter.  Yer, right.

The Minions were in the furthest field away today.  Vitamin was standing on a bank of the burn (stream) enjoying the sun on her back even though it was a brisk northerly wind. She was surveying her little kingdom.  Vitamin is still boss mare.

Floss and I talked to everyone, and were nibbled by some!

There is always a nibbler.

And one who pulls a silly face for the camera.

And that, of course, would be Storm – he is multi-tasking.

Fivla was looking *** cough *** robust!

Albie, as ever, was close by.

Sóley is nearly as big as Lilja now.  Shocking. This time last year she was a little foaly.

They are the best of friends.  Sóley has grown up in her head, as well as physically, these past few months.  Lilja is a good influence.

Waffle is busy maintaining his summer beach body.  It is 24/7 all this eating.

And dearest Silver didn’t look at all like Silver. An odd expression for him.

It was a lovely morning, if cold (that ruddy north wind) and raining now – too dreary.  But the grass will grow and they will all get fatter and fatter and fatter…….

I went to visit Newt and Tiddles in their “hotel” where they are keeping another little Shetland pony, Festus, company for a few weeks.

(Meet the extremely beautiful Festus)

Newt rushed up (ears flat back which he probably learned from Albie) to come and see me, followed by Tiddles. I was most surprised.  Usually I am just known as “the one with carrots” and I hadn’t brought anything but they wanted cuddles and kisses despite my lack of calories.

For once, my little boys were genuinely pleased to see me.  Awwww.  (*** sniff ***).

At this hotel, everyone is brushed every day as well as being given breakfast.

This, I think, is rather a shock to their systems (the brushing, and possibly the breakfast) but still they look very beautiful and their holiday is suiting them.

I am now wondering whether I could just swap two Minions into the field every day so they all get brushed and cleaned up without me making any effort!

Sadly, Newt and Tiddles were not being very nice to wee Festus while in my company.  They let the side down and I told them to pack it in.  I was quite suprised at this behaviour and, when I offered to remove the bully (today it was Tiddles – I watched him. Disappointed much), I was told that they were all fine and took it in turns to Rule the World.

Today, it was obviously Tiddles’ turn with the crown.

Tomorrow it will be Newt and he will bring his “leetle book” to write names down in.

Anyway, it was lovely to see my boys while sort of funny to see them in a different field from where I usually see them.

Newt and Tiddles had better not get used to this way of life. I am not brushing every day!

I was getting into the car to visit Albie and Newt in their five-star hotel down the road when I saw a small group of reprobates looking very dodgy.

Daisy had started the annual ragwort pulling marathon.

And Efstur and Dreki were “helping”.

Helping in the only way they know, ie sniffing, getting in the way and generally being, well, unhelpful.

They had to investigate everything because you know Daisy could be pulling up chocolate cake and then hiding it in her wonderful crunchy-but-possibly-scary black bag.

The pursuit of knowledge is obviously a two-horse job.

While Taktur was observing.

Dreki was the braver of the two.

But this is the one perk of the job.  You get wonderful nose-kisseys.

We have a new pond!  The ducks are not very sure as they have always been very keen on sitting in the purple bucket when it is full of water but I am determined they will love this new-to-us pond.

So I upturned the purple bucket so they could use it as a step.

It took a while for the ducks to take an interest.  We moved the pond (luckily very portable when empty) nearer to their feeding area so they couldn’t possibly miss it. Silly ducky-wuckies – they are always very suspicious of anything new.

They started by drinking out of it.  Ducks drink like they are tasting a fine wine.

So if one has a go, the others follow along.

But they weren’t swimming, just drinking and I wondered if the height of the sides might be a problem.  I rummaged through our wood pile and found some old fence “stabs” and made a neat little runway/step up to the pond edge.

And that worked a treat.  They are taking it in turns to have a good swim, diving and cleaning themselves up.  I know this because a) I have seen one swimming and b) the water is filthy now.

A huge thank you to the person who gave us the pond.  You know who you are and we are very grateful.  We have very happy ducky-wuckies.