Can you see Fivla and Vitamin on the far side of the field?  Well, they wouldn’t follow me like the others did when I was walking in Leradale.

I crossed the small burn that runs through the field and everyone was coming too so I thought I would show the herd that there is more grass to eat as they always seemed to be in the same place when I visit.

Tiddles had divided loyalties and so turned round to go back to Fivla and Vitamin who refused to move from their spot.  The one where they tell Brá and Hetja about just how bad pregnancy and foal-birth can be.

But the rest of my Minions wanted to come with me.

Then Silver went cantering back to the old ladies who were now shouting unhelpfully.

Sadly Albie and Waffle cantered off too.

Leaving me with Newt and Storm (yes, they are related).

And on we went around the field.

Suddenly Albie returned, having changed his mind – stay with the boring old ladies or go on a big adventure.  No contest.

So off we went again.

I was pleased with my three little lads for coming with me and I had no calorific incentives with me so I told them they were all very intrepid.

Then we had walked the full circle and were homeward bound.

The herd joined up again and next time, I decided, I am taking a headcollar so that Vitamin will not hold them back.  I am taking her with me.  Fivla will follow.

It was a good walk.  Gallopy, gallopy, giggle, giggle.

Another amazingly calm, if cold, beautiful day in Shetland.

So, armed with a pair of small sharp scissors, I went and cut every horse and pony’s tail off!  No, I just trimmed it really.

I was fed up of seeing the long tails dragging along the ground in the mud and dirt and I am sure they equally hate standing on them.  That must hurt.  So a-chopping I went.

It was very satisfactory work made much easier by everyone’s rare exemplary behaviour.  I barely needed Floss and her headcollars.

We arrived ill-prepared (wrong size of headcollars for the big ones) so I was amazed when Lilja stood there having her tail trimmed for, I think, the first time in her life.

What was more odd was that I caught Brá with just a rope around her neck and she never moved or had an opinion.

Feeling inspired, I went out and trimmed everyone else’s tail in the boy herd at home too.

The Gods must’ve been smiling – there was a beautiful rainbow as well.

So that was a job well done – 19 tails now trimmed.  I was very impressed with my horses and ponies.  They all behaved beautifully.  Like I said, most odd.  It must be Christmas!

A lovely calm day.  Everyone was out enjoying the sun and total lack of wind – a rare event this time of year.

Floss and I drove to Leradale for the daily check where we found the ladies taking a siesta.

Floss topped up the water buckets while I fed and checked the Icelandics.  Their field, although perfect, does not have a consistent running water supply and I worry.  So we have two buckets of water extra just in case because you never know and I have a thing about water being available all the time everywhere to everyone.

Anywho, once I had got over my water hysteria, we went to visit the MInions and have a little sit with them.

There really is nothing nicer than sitting on a bum-numbingly cold rock chatting to little Shetland ponies.

Tiddles kept his distance but at the same time managing to look mysterious…..

…. as well as rather splendid on the Shetland hill skyline.

In that heap of ponies is Flossie being loved/mauled.

Waffle is very taken with Lilja at the moment.  He tells he is her Handsome Prince.  She is less convinced but likes being near her Minion friends.

Fivla and Vitamin consistently hang around the gate so that they can frighten and bore Hetja and Brá with endless stories of pregnancies-they-have-known. 

So that’s everyone.  All happy, eating and enjoying their winter quarters.

It was raining and I didn’t feel like riding much, my bones were aching and Haakon was soggy (which is a pathetic excuse, I know).  I am really a human barometer.

So today was for visiting friends and distributing the last of the contents of my Christmas sledge.

These are a few photos from my travels.

On my way home, I dropped by Leradale with a bag of chopped up carrots for fair distribution to the inhabitants.

I was very enthusiastically meeted and greeted.

Soggy noseys were kissed.

This is Storm’s “I’m a good little boy” face.  Bless him for trying.

I don’t actually think the Minions have moved around their ginormous field since we put them in over ten days ago.  They are all very settled and Waffle stop sticking your tongue out.