We had an early vet appointment so Daisy and I had to rush around in the almost-dark looking for Waffle and Kappi.

We drove the boys to the vet for their annual booster injections for equine flu.

I sat in the van and admired the view while Daisy went inside to say we had arrived.

The boys waited patiently.  They are both experienced travellers.

Waffle was first.

He knows this.  Smallest first!

And of course he was a very good boy.

Next up was Kappi.

(I got Waffle out so he could eat the roadside grass to make room for the vet to get to Kappi).

You can rely on Waffle to behave.  He knows his job.

Then we loaded Waffle up again, drove them both home, took Kappi out, put Fivla in and drove them to the MInion field.

So that’s done for another year.  At present we have no plans to go south but boosters are better than starting the vaccination course again because we missed a year.

Shamelessly stolen from Wikipedia….

Once upon a time a farmer went to a market and purchased a fox, a goose, and a bag of beans. On his way home, the farmer came to the bank of a river and rented a boat. But crossing the river by boat, the farmer could carry only himself and a single one of his purchases: the fox, the goose, or the bag of beans.

If left unattended together, the fox would eat the goose, or the goose would eat the beans.

The farmer’s challenge was to carry himself and his purchases to the far bank of the river, leaving each purchase intact. How did he do it?

🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸

Well that was us today.  We needed to move Lilja, Brá and Hetja.  One horsevan for two horses and no one can be left on their own.

So, with the help of Daisy and Flossie, we caught Fivla and took her out of the field.

We caught Lilja and loaded her (she was such a good girl – huge hugs and nose kisseys for my princess) and then loaded Fivla leaving Brá and Hetja behind.

We drove Lilja and Fivla over to Leradale.

We left them there.

Then we drove back, caught and loaded Brá and Hetja.

And drove them over to Leradale, quickly removing Fivla before we put them in (as Hetja hates all things Shetland pony with a terrible rage).

We re-loaded Fivla and drove her back to Thordale leaving Lilja, Brá and Hetja now happily munching in their new winter field.

Once at Thordale, we unloaded Fivla.

We took Fivla over to live with Waffle, who is here awaiting his travel injections tomorrow.

We removed Haakon and Iacs, who had been keeping Waffle company these past few days.

We put Haakon and Iacs into the big field, opened the gate and shouted for the others to come through as well.

There was a lovely reunion.  They do all hate being split up.

And the sun was going down.  Many jobs well done.

So how do you move the goose, the beans and the bloody fox then?  Pretty much like that!

A trip to town in more filthy weather for a hair appointment, a few messages and lunch – chips looking at this perfect view.

While Floss was finishing up, I wandered around with my camera.

This is the one of the propeller blades salvaged from RMS Oceanic, a transatlantic ocean liner built for the White Star Line.

The Oceanic’s maiden voyage was in 1899 and she was considered the largest ship in the world until 1901.

In 1914 she ran aground and was wrecked off Foula (the island opposite us).

The Oceanic has a close association with RMS Titanic, one of her sister ships, very nearly colliding into her in Southampton.  Bits of the Oceanic were salvaged in 1973.  The story of her history, demise and salvage is fascinating and can be read in a great book called The Other Titanic by Simon Martin

I made friends with this dear little seabird taking shelter from the fierce wind and sporadic rain.  I have now given up trying to second-guess what breed for the blog.  It was a bird, that is enough for me.

As Floss and I were early for the hair appointment, we went for a little drive to see where we could photograph the best waves.

The Mental Health Unit carpark came up trumps.

I parked the car perilously close to the edge (a drop down to a small dogwalking path) and the sea.

It was a tad feisty out and exhilerating trying to take photos.

I strongly recommend researching RMS Oceanic on t’net.  It is a fascinating part of Shetland’s history.

A klibber is a traditional wooden pack saddle worn by the Shetland pony to carry either kishies (willow or docken baskets) or meshies (nets).

They were used to carry the peats home.

Here is a young Fivla wearing one with two kishies and two terriers, Jack-et Potato and BeAnne Duvet when she was a puppy.

Many moons ago, we used to make klibbers complete with straps and girth and but haven’t done for a while.

A few weeks ago I received an email from someone asking if we made klibbers.  My OH, who did the original woodwork constructing bit, agreed to make a few.

So, the Shetland klibber is back in production again just minus the straps.

They are incredibly useful and can be easily kitted out by the purchaser.  Any reputable leatherworker could attach some straps to go with a girth.

Once made, we carefully wrap the klibber and post it out, minus Monster, the cat!

Cost?  £60.00 plus postage which was £13.14 to an address in the UK.   We are happy to post abroad if you are happy to pay the postage.

So let me know if you are interested.  Klibbers are incredible useful for a number of tasks that a Shetland pony, or any equine for that matter, is willing to carry.  They can be made in different sizes too – bigger or smaller.

Look, look, a young Daisy too (she is going to kill me!)

I will be honest, I am not feeling the love for much today.

Despite exhaustive (and expensive) efforts, I never found the lost photo.  I doubt I ever will. I just have to let it go or go mad in the process.

Today we are “between weathers”. There was a filthy gale last night and another one is looming.  Much rain tonight and then the wind arrives tomorrow morning.

I took these photos a few days back when the sun was shining – hence the bright orange light thing in the sky rarely seen at the moment.

When I check on the Minions I like to get them to move into their other adjoining field so they remember they have it.

There is more grass but takes a bit of effort to get there.

The Minions tend to come when they are called in the hope we have a calorific reward with us.

Newt struggled with the mud. As he is the smallest, for him it is the hardest work.

But the carrots made it worth all the effort.

We always have a daily Roll Call:-

Albie

Tiddles

Waffle

Fivla

Vitamin

Storm

Silver

And Newt.  Never forget Newt.

After distributing the carrots very fairly (so important), Flossie played “The Silver”.  A new silent musical instrument which involves nose tickling.  It was very sweet to watch.   They both enjoyed themselves.

When Norman Thelwell wrote his wonderful books all those years ago, I am sure this is what he meant when he said “A leg at each corner”.

When I see just how fat the Minions are, I refuse to worry about them.