A certain little Miss Fluffball (FB) has gone feral!

Who me?

So Floss and I have been working (weather permtting – and I say that because there is absolutely no point in trying to talk to Little Miss FB when there is a Force 10 blowing plus horizontal rain – she goes all suspicious and silly).

Today was lovely and calm so I brought Mr Headcollar out to play.

And I quickly gave Floss that particular short straw!

While I kept Lilja entertained, Floss worked her charms.

She is good.

I was very impressed.

They obviously have a rapport.

And Flossie obviously has a pocketful of carrots.

So that was a huge success.

Good things come to good little fluffballs.

I am quietly hoping we have overcome the headcollar hurdle….. again.

And we will repeat this process for the rest of her life now.

Today the vet came out to check les girls.  We had been in conversation previously by phone and quickly came to the conclusion that they could do with a visit.

Easily caught with a bucket – the Boyzens included who were in the other part of the stable grumbling – something about incarceration with hay and water….. I wasn’t listening.

Our vet checked teeth, mouths, feet and answered all my sheep-related questions.

We caught the youngest first and tipped her. I put a collar on each of them. I am not a fan of them but they make good grabbing handles if necessary.

She was a good girl about everything and then, once released, went back to her bat-shit crazy (BSC) ways.

They were given an antibiotic injection and the potential lamb situation was sorted.  Both ewes are not healthy enough to go through pregancy.  Photos never show just how thin an animal truly is.

Then mother sheep was then caught and I tipped her (my first tipping – my poor back was very unimpressed).

She is “broken mouthed” which means teeth are missing.  There was also some evidence of foot rot on her so the vet sprayed her hooves with antibiotic spray.

While we were working with “Mum”, the BSC daughter constantly did the Wall of Death around the stable so we ignored her.

So that’s them all checked over – one more thing to do but I will wait a week – they need some pour-on anti-lice stuff in case they have any nasties hiding in their pathetic thin fleeces.  My lot look quite luxurious by comparison.

We did our best. I think they were fairly unimpressed but I know they have been fully checked over by a vet and the only way is forward.  Also they have calmed down hugely about BeAnne, which is good.  There was a definite atmosphere from both side.

First thing this morning, I received message – “Do you have time to ride today?”

The answer was a conditional yes – ie horses checked and fed first.

I felt like Klængur and I hadn’t been out for blast for ages. I had almost forgotten how to tack him up!

Luckily I remembered and even more luckily, Klængur was thrilled to be out and about.

In this photo, I am finding the carrot-for-standing-still-while-I-get-on-and-then-attach-my-air-jacket. Klængur is such a good boy. He stands like a rock for a motivational carrot.

We waited while my riding companion, Peter, mounted his own Icelandic horse.

And then off we went.

Lovely, lovely, lovely.  Utterly perfect. Klængur and I had a good clean tölt of varying speeds as well as lots of Icelandic horse willingness.

Klængur and I came home with huge smiles on our faces – equine and hooman.  Perfect. I had forgotten I like riding my horse.  Winter has taken over my life far too much.

So how did it go? I hear you ask.

Well, the Boyzens sloped home this morning for their breakfast and I fed everyone first separately. I had initially thought I would keep the two flocks separate for a while but then thought the only way to find out if they will get on is to actually bite the proverbial bullet.

The Boyzens knew there were girls about and ‘Bert, on his way home from the pub, did his best silly bouncing!  Lambie was sulking.

But he soon stopped when he remembered that he likes girls.

It was all going fairly well.

Except Lambie and ‘Bert wanted a bit more from their new relationships and the girls were unimpressed.

Floss and I did our chores leaving them all to sort themselves out.

The girls seemed fairly calm and just walked away from any undue attention.

‘Bert was fairly persistent.

Lambie was a creepy stalker.

And ‘Ster just wanted everyone’s biscuits (but he is very handsome).

After a while, I let the Boyzens back out into the hill to give the girls some peace.

I also had a fence put up around the paddock behind my house and opened up the shed so they can have their own space rather than the stable.

The girls look at me through the window, which is lovely.

They still have no names.  The older one follows me everywhere not for food, but to chat.

Daughter is getting braver.

Today, I drenched them both, plus gave them some ovaloids (condition and immune system boost) – the limp and the cough have gone.  My sheep expert gave them a quick once-over and we agreed they should have three meals a day plus all the grass they can find.

So that’s how we are getting on. Thank you for asking.

Every day, Floss and I drive over to feed Brá who lives about 7 miles away with her friends.  Recently we have been seeing a lone sheep talking to folk. So two days ago, on our way home, I stopped the car, and asked if anyone owned the sheep.  I then fed her and found she had a friend too.

The older sheep was very tame.  She came straight up.  She was very obviously someone’s caddy (bottle fed).

Her friend was shyer, so we put more food on the ground for both of them.  They were both very thin.

Yesterday, we fed the ewes again and I asked a few more questions. No one owned them. The first one had turned up in December and then a few weeks later the other one appeared.  Neither had tags though holes where tags had been…..

I phoned the crofter who has sheep in that particular part of the hill and he said they were not his.  I also phoned our Grazings Clerk and told him I wanted to offer them a home.  He agreed this would be best.

So today we took the van and went about our usual activities.  Once finished, we stopped off where the sheep were.

Floss and I were nervous about whether they would load but no, they both walked straight in, no fuss, no discussion!

A quick drive home and we welcomed them to Thordale.

They girls are very good about following so, as there was about to be torrential rain, I took them into the stable and put down more feed plus some hay.

After my lunch, I went back to the stable, sat down on a horse-rug and waited.

While the older ewe is very tame – like a kind gentle big dog – the younger one is apprehensive.

This old ewe is a sweetie.  She is lame on her front left (holds it up while standing) and limps. I think it is arthritis so I offered her the TurmerAid and she wolfed down a good quantity. That should help.

She also quickly plonked herself down.

Friend sheep (who I think is her daughter) kept her distance.  She is coughing so tomorrow I will drench them both.

I also think they may be pregnant – the rams are in the hill.  The vet is coming on Monday to check them over and we will discuss how best to deal with this then.

They are not thrilled with hay and I want them to be eating all the time, so once the rain had done its worst, I let them out to spend tonight outside if they want.

I am glad they are home now.

As for the Boyzens?  Well, after breakfast, they went “down the pub” and when they come home tomorrow morning, we will make the introductions.  Well, that’s the plan.

I just couldn’t keep driving past. They need to be loved.