Today was the Minions’ turn to have their winter coats brushed out.  It was a job that needed doing and I had been putting it off until Daisy and Floss came home.  It’s so much easier and quicker with the three of us.

Under all those ponies was a Daisy apparently.

Poor, poor Tiddles – he always looks a bit bouffant after a good brush.  We tried not to laugh and told him he was beautiful.  “Why, Miss Tiddles, you are beautiful!”

And Silver looked like a fairy-tale pony.  To think he was red/brown when he first arrived.

After brushing, we gave the ponies the last of the celery as reward for standing still and being good boys.

Flossie was in charge of distribution.

Celery is always popular.

And then it was time for us to poo-pick the track.  We took our buckets and gloves and were followed round by the ponies with much giggling, bucking and farting while skidding to a stop when they reached the fence.

I woke early because I knew I had to go to the airport to collect daughter #2 – Flossie. She was coming home for our annual Eurovision family gathering.

Before I left, and as it was already light, and as everyone was already waiting, I popped round with the food buckets for them.

I also put the sheep where I wanted, but half of them doubled back and I put them into another field and now I was running late – ruddy sheep.  I had to drive to the airport (1 hr 15 minutes away).  I was early too and possibly the one there.

Floss and I came home via town, stopping for essential rations for Saturday night.  Meanwhile, Daisy had been doing good work, brushing everyone in the big field.

I think Daisy had brushed a whole pony’s worth of fur from Fivla who was so much happier and looked wonderful.

It was lovely to see all the winter fur go at last.  There are only 6 more ponies left to do – Vitamin refused to be caught.  Her loss.

Then Floss and I walked down to the track so I could put sun-screen on Tiddles’ little pink nosey.

Flossie fed the ponies celery – their treat as we are having lots of treats too.

It’s only fair.  T’is Eurovision week after all.   This is our family tradition.

It has been lovely today.  Daisy and I shared all the chores in brilliant sunshine and then I had to go to pack vegetables at my volunteer job leaving her and Monster outside.

A nice happy bonding time for the two of them, I thought.

Meanwhile, the dogs were inside because when I go out, Pepper can forget herself and will leave home, which is not ideal.  Daisy noticed then Ted on the windowsill looking out very jealously.

And then I saw his side-kick, Pepper, who came into better view too.  But no is no and Pepper has form for this running off lark.  It is disgraceful and embarrassing.

When I reached Turriefield, I got a phone call from Daisy saying the minute she had opened the door Pepper had gone flying out and left home!  *** sigh ***.  Luckily she found her at our neighbours and brought her home. I am not talking to Pepper now and she doesn’t honestly care.

It’s that time of year – Eurovision week and Daisy has come home for this.

Everyone is very pleased to see her, especially Monster.

He is absolutely thrilled.

In the afternoon we went on a dog/cat walk as they had spent their morning in the house, while I went to the airport to collect Daisy.

Of course Lambie came running over to Daisy.

And there was lots of this.

I looked on feeling more than a bit ignored.

I am used to it, though. These days, Lambie always ignores me unless there is something scary going and then he stands behind me.

But I had Pepper on my knee and Edna close by.

And then Lambie left Daisy and came running over to me and I nearly fell off my rock in surprise. I can’t remember the last time he gave me more than a cursory glance in my direction.

And then Daisy and I went to see the Icelandic horses and Daisy instantly started to pull out their old winter fur.

I told her there was lots to do.  I am so pleased Daisy’s home.  The first semi-finals are tonight and she has ten horses/ponies to brush!

“You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” is one of the oldest proverbs in the English language (apparently it was first recorded in Old English Homilies, written sometime around 1175.)

Anyway, I hadn’t seen the Shetland ponies all day as they were happily munching the grass at the furthest part of the track, which I had opened up yesterday (t’was Sunday when they get a bit more to eat).

And, although the ponies can see water, they can’t get to it because there is an electric fence in situ. I wondered if they had drunk anything all day as there was no evidence that they had even left this spot since finding it yesterday.

So I filled the bucket in the stream, clambered over the fence and offered it to them.

It was deemed acceptable.

And I went round each pony offering him the bucket, refilling it when necessary.

I have no idea why Albie was doing the flehmen response. Perhaps he got water up his nosey.

It was good to see the ponies all drink and I was glad I had bothered or else I doubt they would’ve gone to get water which is a good walk away – they are a lazy bunch at best.

I also had Pepperpot with me and she mingled.

God alone knows what Albie Potatoes was on!