The Minions are living in their summer camp now. They are about 7 miles away but it is a nice drive through the Shetland hill and we visit them daily.

When we go, we always have a chat.

Newt and Albie are very happy with their new friends and Vitamin is much better about their existence, which is good.  I was so worried last winter when she made it her business to hate them and make their lives so miserable they couldn’t be with the other Shetland ponies (Minions).

Anyway, now Newt has made himself Vitamin’s second in command.  Obviously she defers to him about everything and sees him as a huge help in her attempt to keep the herd under control.

Newt is one of those ponies – he may be small (in fact the smallest) but he works hard on his relationships.  Sadly, it was Albie that Vitamin hated.

Newt finds it easy to be one of the boys.

Albie has always struggled as he was orphaned as a foal so had to rely on a different upbringing, despite our best efforts to make things right.  Now he is settled and happy and that’s all I want for him.  At last, he is accepted by the Minions.

We have given Taktur another orange field companion.  We hope he doesn’t notice the difference.  Today Kappi went on his travels.

We went to see the vet.  Kappi (Taktur’s original field companion) plus Waffle (now Kappi’s official travel companion) had the last of their injections before we trek off next week to Scotland for the British Championships.

The mountains came to Mohammed, so to speak. It works out cheaper.

Waffle took it all in.  He loves travelling – seeing new places, meeting new people.

After the injection, carrots were forthcoming.

We try to come equipped.

Home again, home again.  Waffle went happily back to his field.

The others were obviously concerned and missed their friend.

He definitely missed them and had lots to tell them.

So that’s the jags taken care of.

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.

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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…..