Here we are on our daily visit to Sandness to see Lilja and Fivla (plus the Minions and the Icelandic horse laydees) and we are always enthusiastically greeted by “Step-Mum” and her sort-of daughter.

There are two other Shetland ponies in the field – not mine, I hasten to add, but Fivla and Lilja are lodgers in this field for a few weeks while we are in the middle of weaning.  Hetja is a few fields away and Lilja can’t see her but probably knows she is nearby, just by smell.

Liljs has changed.  Suddenly she is a different shape.  She still has the same donkey ears, though.

She was born with them.

Lilja has grown in the last few days – it is very difficult to show in the photo, which is an appalling angle however I took it.  She is also losing her now-revolting winter fur.

She seems to have acquired long legs that go on forever and I expect her to probably mature at about 17hh. Little Fivla is about 36″ high – for scale.

I am pleased Lilja has Fivla.  They are very fond of each other and that is perfect.  Everyone should have a Fivvie.  Essential kit.

s

In our family during moments of endless boring waiting, like when we have an unexpected power-cut for an uncertain length of time and no one can be bothered to light the candles or bring out the stack of board games, we play “I went to Lerwick and I bought…..”.

Yesterday made me think of that game.

So here goes.

I went to Lerwick and I bought….. a dog

I went to Lerwick and I bought….. a dog, a sheep

I went to Lerwick and I bought….. a dog, a sheep, a cat

I went to Lerwick and I bought….. a dog, a sheep, a cat, a Flossie….

At the end of our track, Flossie put BeAnne on a lead because we were going on the road.

Lambie and Monster happily followed.

We were going along quite well as a group, albeit rather straggly, until we met two cyclists and that was the end of Monster.  He ran for home.

Lambie met some lambs and had a little chat, which was lovely to see.  Best of all they didn’t run away from him, or us.

Miles we walked.

Lambie kept lingering to investigate interesting thistles and then, when I called, he would canter to catch up.

On the last leg, Monster came back to greet us.

He was very keen to rejoin our strange little group.

And so we wended our way home like a scene from The Incredible Journey.

I think these three make a good team.

We are followed.

Nowadays, we are always followed.

This is lovely and makes us feel Monster wants to be included in the Family.

The problem, however, is that Monster (aka White Panther – his registered name at the vet) is not very well camouflaged.

And he can’t fail to be seen.

Dreki takes a huge interest.

While Flossie diverts. Monster beats a hasty retreat.

He considers his options.

We sit down to chat to anyone who wants to talk.

(It’s an orange thing, apparently)

Monster wants to be ignored so he can be part of the scenery.

After all, BeAnne just looks like a walking piece of the hill.  No one chases her.

Not anymore.  No, Dreki, they don’t.

But I guess they have all known BeAnne since they were foals.

Can you just see Monster to the right of Dreki – that white little head sticking out?

He tries so hard.  The young boys wouldn’t leave him alone so Monster went home muttering something about hateful Icelandic horses.

Feeling bad for Monster, we went home too and comforted him by going on a proper walk.  He shouted all the way.

More tomorrow…..

A few pics I took today of our Handsome Prince, Taktur.

As you can see, we took out the mane plaits – to be honest, they didn’t work and we were risking ruining Taktur’s luscious mane.

We gave it our best, though.  We tried.

Taktur is always a dear boy.

A real pleasure to have around.

He is very special.

Everyone should have a stallion as nice.

(sorry, been asleep all afternoon, trying to escape my bl***y back – had enough really).

My back has still not forgiven me for the coat-stripping morning.  I ache all over and I twinge with every step I take.  Unhappy days.

I hate feeling like this and I hate taking painkillers.  I avoid them at all costs because the side effects get me.  Alternatives include lying on an acupressure mat in the evening and a tens machine.  All this helps but it is not helping enough so I am trying to walk out the pain.  Exercise and endorphins.  That route now.

BeAnne and Lambie come too.  The hill sheep are still in the middle of lambing so BeAnne is on a lead, even though we are just walking along the road.  It is a gentle walk and one we all know very well.

Lambie could be on a lead if he or I wanted but he is happy to follow along.  We get odd looks from passing cars.  Occasionally Lambie will take himself off-road to see if the hill sheep will talk to him. They won’t.  They look around shiftily while moving away, swiftly disowning him as one their species.

Lambie is quite intrigued by the new little lambs following their mothers, but then I call him to keep up and he remembers and runs back to us – his real Muzzahs!

(one of Lambie’s “baby photos” – awwww, in the days when he was small, floofy and could fit in his favourite spot)

Lambie still loves BeAnne.  He still remembers all she is to him.

He is just a bit bigger now and funnily enough, in her way, BeAnne still loves her little Lambie.

I love seeing them together.  The other sheep just don’t have this relationship with BeAnne.  They are more sheep, than sheeple.