After Haakon’s awful hoof abscesses earlier in the year (here is the latest bit trimmed), he is still struggling up the metaphorical slope to recovery.  He is in for the long haul and I worry.  As the weather deteriorates into the usual harsh Shetland winter, I can see it takes a great deal of effort.

So I bought him a rug for when it rains.  A rainsheet, as it is known in equine circles.  Haakon has never had his own (always borrowed) and he is not a rug fan as he finds them very restrictive so I bought one with a front leg pleat allowing him to move more easily.  Last night the forecast was for a good few inches of rain so I unpacked the new rug and plonked it on him.  I think red suits Haakon.

Of course, Efstur had to come and take a look.  In fact I would go so far as to say that he was actually a bit obssessed with this new wardrobe addition.

Of course we had words and I waggled my finger at Efstur to say “don’t you dare.  Don’t even think about it!” hopefully in an effective fashion.

And then I made this……

Enjoy!

I left the field saying “That rug had better be like new when I see it again!  Just sayin’, Efstur.  Like new.  Or else…….”

We had a little bit of fog today and outside it was very eerie.

From the left:  Kappi, Iacs (top half), Taktur and Dreki (legs only) and Efstur standing in a manly way!  A leg in each corner.

A background Klængur with Kappi looking rather masterful.

Dreki and his father, Taktur with a shrunken Iacs.  Magic or perspective.

Father and son combo, again.  They spend much time together.

Klængur having a solitary thought.  I love his shape – the tummy is rotund.

Taktur and Dreki (again).

The old men – Haakon and Iacs.  Always near each other. Always friends.

Dreki looking slightly soggy.

Efstur – he is growing up fast.

And then I noticed the fog was lifting.  The boys went to sleep.  It’s hard work being photographed.  Any supermodel will tell you.

I spent a very happy sunny Autumn afternoon with Sóley the Foalie introducing her to little bits of carrot that I had bitten off for her.

She seems much calmer in this new field and much more open to suggestion, which is why I offered her a little bit of carrot when I went to check on them all.

To date, Sóley would gently take the carrot and then spit it politely on the ground hoping I wouldn’t notice.  Possibly like me with Brussel sprouts!

So I had rather given up and put it down to the fact she is a baby and maybe the carroty taste isn’t of any interest to her.

But perseverance is my middle name (actually it isn’t – it is Susannah after Muriel Denison’s book “Susannah of the Mounties”, so you know).

And when giving Hetja and Lilja their daily carrot, I would always offer Sóley one fully expecting to see it quickly appear by my feet.

I was very nicely surprised to see no carrot by my foot and even better, there was the sound of happy chewing and then even asking for another piece.

It is always good to have magical (a treat) up my sleeve when training.

One can achieve a great deal with bribery.

I think it also helps to have excellent role models too and lucky little Sóley has the very best.

The girls and I spent our morning putting up an electric fence as my neighbour, despite my protests, replaced my wire fence with a wooden one that he wanted to surround his garden.  I told him that the Minions have chippie-chipmunk tendancies and I could not guarantee they would stay away from his beautiful wooden fence.

So we had to build an electric fence to protect this work of perfection.

While we worked, we were watched.  We were accompanied by the sound of wire fence twanging – thank you Storm and Tiddles.

Once built and said to be working (Daisy’s exact words were “I am now 99% sure this fence is electric!), we led the Minions and ladies, two at a time, over the road to their new field.

They will only be in this field for a few weeks, ie when it is eaten down.

It is not the biggest field so won’t take long and the grass is not particularly good but it will do for a while.

Everyone was immediately “head down and eat”.  All I could hear was the peaceful sound of munching….

….or rather stuffing!

I had words with each pony and asked politely that they avoid their neighbour’s new and perfect fence.

My neighbour has this delusion that if he brings carrots, they won’t eat his fence.  (insert hollow laugh)

Fivla, who is obviously perfect, would never eat a fence.

She is not that kind of pony.

Tiddles is.

And yes, he did try the fence and though it didn’t quite zap him (clever boy counts the pulses), he does definitely know it is on.

I am not holding my breath, to be perfectly honest.  There just aren’t enough carrots in the world.

I was out late last night (a friend’s leaving do), therefore a lie-in this morning to recover, plus visitors this afternoon, and I didn’t get out to check Brá and then the Minions until the late afternoon.

Still, Shetland was still very beautiful.  It always is and this time of year is the start of great skies and beautiful sunsets.

Brá is en route to the Minions, so I clambered over her fence and went up to say hello.

Ronas Hill is in the background of her field – this is highest summit in Shetland (apparently a Marilyn but not a Monroe at 450 m/1,480 ft).

My old mare was on good form. She had been relaxing in the evening sun and happily accepted my proferred carrot.

I didn’t tell her friends that I had brought carrots so she had the lot.

Our relationship is very much work-in-progress but every so often I see a change, a different light in Brá’s eye and I know know she is happy where she is currently living.  That means a lot.

And my last stop was the Minions.  I had carrots (obviously) and went amongst the little ones fairly distributing rather than just throwing randomly and hoping for the best.

An autumnal evening in Shetland is very special.