“Da Voar Redd Up is the UK’s most successful community litter pick, with over 20% of Shetland’s population volunteering their time annually. This annual spring clean makes an invaluable contribution to Shetland’s natural environment and wildlife, clearing Shetland’s beaches, coastlines and roadsides of litter and the debris washed up by winter storms.” – Shetland Amenity Trust

We had our bags and we were ready to tackle the “roadsides of litter” we see when we go riding.

This weekend is the Shetland Redd Up weekend so Flossie, BeAnne and I did a bit along our roads in the afternoon.

We walked what felt like miles, hopping over drains along the road.

Into the hill if we saw a gleam of rubbish.

We walked in the ditches that line the road.

Floss even climbed into a cattle grid.

It left me feeling totally disgusted with lazy-arsed people who can be bothered to put the wrapper around their ice cream lolly sticks but cant be arsed to take it home.

Some twunt deliberately tied a knot into his neatly folded crisp packets before chucking them out.  Twice. Why, just why?  Who thinks like that? Why would anyone do it?

I also found numerous Lambert & Butler cigarette packets and if I meet the person who smokes them, I will not be answerable for my actions. I was provoked.  You have been warned.

Having filled two bags with roadside litter, we went home loathing the human race.  What really got to me was that we cleaned up these two exact roads this time last year so all this rubbish was new.

Enraged, Flossie and I needed to spend some quality time with Albie and Newt to find our sanity and regain our perspective.

People are awful.  Horses and ponies are much nicer – and tidier too.

We havent finished our Redd Up and will continue to fill a few bags each day over the week.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch a few things have been happening.

BeAnne is very down, refusing to eat and losing weight.   The vet checked her over.  I needed to know there was nothing sinister going on.  I am now obsessed, obviously. He diagnosed depression brought on by the loss of her two “friends” in quick succession.  It has been all too much for Her Maj.

When we were south last week we had to visit Pets At Home in Aberdeen to get some cat things.  We also bought BeAnne an array of new toys, which she is quite likes.

If you have seen Best in Show (brought to you by the same folk who made This is Spinal Tap) then you will know about Busy Bee.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib0Xv86kyIk

So we had to buy one for BeAnne. It is to help her through her depression/neuroses.  Here is a link to Busy Bee which I highly recommend if only to make you smile because of the film.

BeAnne and I also go for long walks along the road as exercise releases endorphins.  She is beginning to turn a corner and plays more with her new toys.  Monster is nicer to her as well.

The vet had a bit of a list when he visited – he had to check Monster over too.  Last up was gelding Dreki Dragon.  It was done and he is still talking to me, just.

What with everything going on, we totally managed to miss Lambie’s third birthday.  He doesn’t seem to mind and is enjoying life.

So, that’s us.  The Spring grass has started to grow, if slowly, and everyone is very happy.

We are having some lovely sunny days and it is getting warmer.

With that, I bet it snows next week as lambing is in full force.

These are the photos from our second day’s training from Elisabeth Jansen, Assistant Professor at Hólar University College, Iceland.

In the morning, Daisy went in with Kappi.

And the poles were out!

Kappi has not seen trotting poles (with us) so he made the executive decision to jump them.

I love this – he sniffed, he thought….

And his next stride was to jump.

The poles were put up and the jump therefore became bigger or “scopey” as it is known in show-jumping circles.

And then Elisabeth and Daisy concentrated on Kappi’s gaits.

A little break and it was Taktur’s turn.  He got the same pole training.

Again, Taktur has never seen a trotting pole.

But he managed and stretched.

The poles helped him to lift his legs up.

The girls were impressed!

Poor Taktur, he was looking so beautiful but was totally ignored.

What’s a guy supposed to do to be noticed around here?

The spectators spectated.

Last up from Thordale was Flossie on her horse Klængur.  Again, he has never seen a trotting pole.  We just don’t do them.  Perhaps we should.

First they managed fine in walk.

And then in tölt.

There was even some jumping (Floss has never “jumped” before but gave it her best). Klængur looks like a medieval tapestry horse!

They were soon taking it all in their stride.

There may have been bribery involved too.

So all in all a good two days training for everyone.

A change of scenery for us anyway is always fun – It was nice to meet new people and to see old friends.

We have tried every name for a day that we could possibly think of for this new cat.

Leopold?

Napoleon?

Ulysses?

Titus?

Gus-Gus

Despot (though he is a lot better with Her Maj).  The attacks have stopped.  There is the odd bit of hissing but he is mostly realised BeAnne is no threat.

Pol Pot

Mac

But we have settled on Mons, short for Monster.

He is a very nice boy. I am glad we have found his name. It took a while but we think Monster is his name.

Edit:  Just to say that Monster is registered with our vet as “White Panther” – this was before we came up with his name.

As we arrived on Sunday morning, we met Esja and her owner coming up the track.  Esja used to belong to us and it was lovely to see her again and looking so well too.

There was a diligent group of spectators perched on the side of the arena, now possibly suffering from hypothermia.

Daisy went in with Kappi.

Kappi’s has lovely hair.

They both worked very hard.

Midway through the lesson, someone brought their sheep up to meet and greet the on-lookers, as you do.  It’s a Shetland thing.

BeAnne also did her best to entertain the troops.

Straight after her lesson on Kappi, Daisy rode Taktur.  Luckily she is used to this kind of set-up at home so just tacked up and got on with it.

Taktur tried his best but the Lady-Girls kept distracting him.

Flossie was on Kappi duty while he cooled down and had a bit of grass to eat.

Taktur, I think, won the Best Hairdo of the Day Award but he is always very handsome.  It’s his job.

Icelandic horses were coming and going all the time.

The fog also came down but, as usual, we all just got on with whatever the weather threw at us.

After the day of lessons, there was a bit of a break, then a Chinese takeaway in the hall.  Elisabeth Jansen, our trainer, gave an interesting lecture on the bio-mechanics of the Icelandic horse.

It was a very long day, but a good one.

(BeAnne slept through the lecture – I brought her “travel” bed in for her.  I always keep it in the back of the car.)