Yesterday, the sun shone and it was lovely.  I spent the morning finishing off a very short animation film and then did some sewing (joining Chinese silk embroidered panels together). I hate sewing and so I am breaking it down by setting myself the task of one panel a day.  I didn’t have the heart to move BeAnne who had made herself comfortable on my chair so I sat in her dogbed and sewed.  It was quite nice, really. The things I do.

After lunch, Daisy and I decided to take the old men out for a little potter – Iacs and Haakon.  This is a typical action-shot of Iacs.  He can’t walk in a straight line.  He has to wander from one side to the other, tacking down the road like a small, if slightly rotund, sailboat looking for the wind.

Haakon on the other hoof, maintains a steady direction.  Never wavering.

I will never get tired of this view.

When I looked behind me, I saw Iacs and Daisy were on my right and then the next minute they had disappeared to the other side of the road.  Iacs will never change.  When we had gone a certain distance, both old men flicked their ears, said something unspoken, turned around and we suddenly found ourselves going in the opposite direction and home. Daisy and I just laughed.  There was no point arguing.  And then they raced home like silly youngsters.

We just keep on keepin’ on.

The Minions were all standing in a line yesterday waiting for us and in another part of the field (huzzah – not lurking by the fence with Lilja).   They all turned to a pony to watch Flossie and her box of carroty bits walking round the bog – I went through!

She was, of course, immediately mugged and don’t worry, everyone got their fair share.  Floss is adamant about that.

Once empty, the box was thoroughly examined just in case, because you never know.

Everyone had to check, again, thoroughly.

And then I told her to give it to Tiddles as he had the best smile.

This sight particularly warms my heart.  When Tiddles arrived he would not play. He just stood there watching everyone else and not really getting it.

https://myshetland.co.uk/more-toys/  (2014 – it seems an age away – how we have all changed, including his name – Tiddlypom, what was I thinking?)

Storm is the master of this box.  He knows what to do. A good toofy grip.

Meanwhile, the ladies were enjoying their piece of the sun and were staying well away from the reprobates.  Perhaps they just wanted a holiday from the endless little-boy sniggering.  They have a point.

Our trainer, Bjørn, came up today to show us how to lunge Hjalti.  This was Hjalti’s first time being lunged and Daisy tacked him up  – he behaved like he did this every day.  Bit in, bridle on, reins over.  One clever little horse (the reins came off as it was quickly evident they were annoying and a potential hazard all round).

Bjørn taught Hjalti how to go forward (by standing in the centre and being behind the forward movement), how to maintain the circle and how to come into the centre when given the signal.

Hjalti was lunged on both reins.

And he was, mostly, a good boy.

He has a very strong trot, a very strong one indeed.  A wow trot.

And it was not all plain sailing.  There were a few blips, and the odd tantrum.

But blips are for learning from and Hjalti calmed down quickly and agreed to stick to trot.

He was then a good boy.  He had learned a valuable lesson.

The result was Hjalti listening and learning sensibly, which was the whole reason for lungeing.

Next up was the rein thing again.

Both reins to start teaching direction and turning in response to pressure on the rein so that when Hjalti has a rider, steering won’t be too big of a surprise.

So there we are. Another hurdle attempted and over.  Of course it is very early days and Hjalti is showing he is ready for what we are asking.  Whether we back him or not yet is a different matter.  At the moment all this in-hand training builds valuable foundation blocks.

We have been working hard.

BeAnne and I.

We have, really, we have.

I have been commissioned to make a short film for a local community group and they want to use my amateur animations skills.

By actually working (and not playing) in my shudio, I am discovering it’s little ways, like I need proper curtains. To start with I used an old throw of Floss’ and tacked it to the window but today I found I definitely need working curtains.

As I didn’t have any to hand, I ended up taking off my thermal vest and hanging it to block out the light.  Don’t laugh, it worked a treat.  Necessity is the mother of invention.

Outside Spring is thinking about appearing, if rather early.  We have snowdrops and their arrival always put a smile on my face.

The rosa rugosa is starting up again – OH gave it the hacking, sorry, pruning, of a lifetime.

The daffodils are up and away too.

The horses are enjoying the weak, if slightly warm(ish) Shetland sunshine too.  Haakon is resting with Kappi and Iacs in the background.  Some days he is a tired old boy with no energy and then I suck my teeth and worry about him.

Having said Spring is on its way, I fully expect it to snow tomorrow.

Daisy and I did our now routine walk with Efstur and Hjalti up the track and back.  They had improved, which was good – better listening and watching our body language.  They both saw a cyclist and stared and stared and stared…… (and probably still staring if we hadn’t taken them back to the indoor school).

Daddy’s bridle went back on.

Efstur practiced his special skill (that would be standing still without fidgeting because fidgeters get no attention, you know!).

Then Daisy attached the reins to Hjalti’s bridle.  She put them over his head and back again a few times so that he got used to the movement.

Next, she gently pulled each rein so Hjalti could become used to the idea of turning his head in response.

Another walk around the school, this time using the reins for leading.

And then on with Mr Nosey-Band on the first hole – the loosest it could be.

Lots and lots of praise and being told how clever he was (and he was – we really meant it!)

I took Hjalti for a walk and all was fine.  Absolutely lovely.

And then off with everything and out with the reward bucket of grub.

Hjalti has grown a bit since his original encounter with the bucket.

He still has the softest nose, though.