A friend asked me to find her two miniature Shetland ponies.

So I did – meet Festus and Ulysses on Day 1 at their fabulous new home.

They are gorgeous wonderful little fluff-balls who met for the first time the day before.

Obviously two peas in a pod to look at and  I am struggling trying to identify who is who (sorry if I get their photos wrong – it was difficult).

Festus has the white paint/sale mark on his bottom. He came through the Marts (sales).  I had to bid for him on my friend’s behalf, which I will admit I was nervous about but I did it, and we had the winning bid.  Phew!

I am reliably informed by his new mum that the colt with a white mark on his forehead is Ulysses.  He is the out-going, inquisitive one.

Festus is the more quiet of the two little squirts.  He is a very sweet natured little chap who I think will soon be Ruling the World, like they do.  One word – Newt! It doesn’t take long.

Both chaps love peoples.

Which is, of course, perfect.

My friend already has two Icelandic horses (a mare and a gelding) in her family.  The mare is not a huge fan of the new arrivals and they are in separate but adjoining fields.

Today’s update – “they both come running when they are called”.  Darling little bebbies.

So mission accomplished.   This could not be a more perfect home for two little Shetland ponies. Thank you for the task.  Ask me any time. I love a happy ending.

Today we made the decision to return the old ladies to their herd of rescue Shetland ponies, aka The Minions.

Yes, I loved having them home but……

And there is a big buttt…….. Taktur, our Icelandic stallion, got wind of the girls (mostly because Vitamin was shouting to him) and proceeded to bully the old men, Haakon and Iacs.  Seriously not cool.

I was furious with him.  He was vile.  A whole new low of horridness and, as you know, I don’t do bullies.

We opened the gate and shouted.   Iacs and Haakon did not need asking twice.  They shifted faster than I have seen for a while, rushed through the gate, followed by His Twattness.  I swiftly shut the gate on him.

So the girls had to go back.  Due to our rubbish washing last week, not much grease has gone from their coats and we reckon they will be fine.

Anywho, Albie was thrilled to see his “mother” back.  He loves Fivla and she loves him.

Newt, on the other hoof, followed Vitamin around. He is her second in command and they shared information – please say this with an authentic Russian accent.  Newt is a Russian spy.

My dream of having the old ladies home, at the moment, was not to be.  Taktur is a fully paid up member of Berkdom with Haakon and Iacs suffering his immense Twattitude.  Once through the gate, we could quickly see that Iacs was kicking at his sheath (there was urine dripping too, which was very worrying) so we cold hosed his bits and he is now having anti-inflammatories.  He is looking much better and all symptoms have subsided.

Bloody buggering horses.  Why can’t they just get on?  Those goldfish are looking good.

We arrived at the Shetland Museum and quickly got everyone ready.

There were already folk waiting for the two celebrities.

Fivla and Vitamin were behind a small barrier so they wouldn’t be alarmed by all the spectators. Anyone (and everyone) who wanted could have their photo taken with them one at a time.  There was an orderly queue that never stopped.  I honestly don’t think the ponies had forgotten what to do.  They were professionals.

I was so proud of my ponies. They behaved beautifully and certainly hadn’t forgotten their celebrity ettiquette.  They chatted politely and pricked their ears forward for each photograph.

The Museum had very kindly offered to put out buckets for donations for the Minions and so I spent my time talking to folk and giving out leaflets.

We gave the girls a well-earned break in the middle and happily trundled over the bridge back to the van for water and hay.

And then they walked back to Hay’s Dock for the last leg of their Meet n’ Greet.

We tried to stay in the sun for the best light so the ponies were repositioned around the pier while people took more and more photos.

Once over, we returned all the sweaters (including the two that Daisy and Flossie borrowed) and gave the two VIP’s (short for Very Important Ponies) a nice bucket of grub before travelling home.

Now they have returned to their usual life of living in a field and eating.

We are all exhausted but it was a brilliant day and wonderful to see Fivla and Vitamin do what they do best – show the world that they are still superstars.  There really is nothing better than a Shetland pony wearing a Fair Isle sweater.

In my little back garden are a black pony….

and a white pony.

I am so happy. I have missed my little ponies so much.  They always used to live here.

I love having my Shetland ponies home.

It seems, well…. just right.

The girls have scrubbed up well and are now dry so went outside first thing this morning to graze in the back garden.

Every time anyone goes past, Fivla whiffles hoping for a carrot.  I have a theory that Shetland ponies have developed this talent which is why they always look chubby!  Muchos carrots.

This is the view from my desk while I write this blog.

The dear old ladies.  I am just working on a Cunning Plan to insist that they spend the winter here, at home, because we have washed the essential grease from their coats so they look nice for tomorrow in their Fair Isle sweaters.  They have a very important meet n’ greet at the Shetland Museum.

Today, Daisy and Flossie have been loading the van with everything we need, plus the kitchen sink, in preparation for the big day.

Monster has been helping.

I’ve told him he is not coming too.  No one wants to see a cat in Fair Isle sweater……. do they?

En famille we went to catch Fivla and Vitamin to take them home and get them ready for Friday.  It’s a long well-thought out process. You can’t hurry natural beauty, you know.

The girls know the drill.

And finally home.

We had everything ready.

Water had been heating up all morning.  We also kept a kettle on the go too.

And so to work.

We decided to only wash the bits that will not be covered by the Fair Isle sweaters.  It is the wrong time to be washing ponies and not fair to take all the natural grease out of their coats with winter on the horizon.  We not fans of washing at the best of times.

Vitamin was getting stroppy about not being near her best friend.

So I tied her up to the van where she then quickly settled down.

Next up, it was Vitamin’s turn.

She also makes a good shelf!

Vitamin was easier as she was not as obviously filthy as Fivla.  White is a bad colour to be.

Once done, we put the ladies in the stable, gave them some hard feed to cheer them up and left them to keep warm.

They will be dry hopefully by tomorrow and then they can go out into a little garden/paddock to eat and stay clean.

Fivla’s legs are always black.  She was pure black when I got her and is slowly turning white.  Just some bits are still black.  I will have another go at her tail tomorrow.

Fivla, 19 years ago!  Amazing, isn’t it?