This was the sight that greeted Flossie and I when we went tentatively over to Leradale this morning.

One big happy herd.

Phew.  All the girls together with a sub-herd of little boys to the side.  Just how it should be.

As we have a weather forecast for rain in the next few days, I decided to open the gates and let everyone into the grassier fields that the Icelandic horses had spent their winter in.

No one needed asking twice.

They all cantered in enthusiastically.

The field has a few fences and the herd managed to split itself up.  The Minions (except for Vitamin) went one way.

While the Icelandics another.

Vitamin was by herself mostly due to her own stupidity.  She decided she couldn’t remember how to get through an open gate.

I am not too worried.  The herd will join up when they want to.  Most of the Minions have been in this field before so know their way around, though I think it is new to Vitamin and Fivla.  However, everyone was thrilled to see grass.

I am pleased the herd has settled down.  That is a huge relief. I don’t have to worry.

I popped over to Leradale this morning to see how everyone was doing in their new bigger herd.

It was a bit Us and Them but it seemed peaceful enough.  The Minions were all together at one end, some lying down snoozing (a good sign of relaxation) and then there was Brá with Lilja happily eating together and Hetja some way away from everyone.

At first glance, things were looking good.

I went over to check that the Minions were not all covered in bites, blood with broken legs – they weren’t.  All fine.

Lilja wandered over to chat too.

Everyone was most welcoming – all except for Storm who was vile and chased Lilja off.

And then he stood there looking cross.  I told him off for being mean.

The others wanted to talk to Lilja.

And she desperately wanted to talk to them but went back to be with Brá.

Vitamin went over and whinnied at Lilja.

She wanted to make friends.

And then the others arrived to ruin it.  Storm’s tail was swishing in a bad way so I put a stop to that.

As I was walking away, they settled down again.

But Hetja suddenly arrived to tell the Minions what she thought of them.  Interestingly, though, she just chased them back and did not launch into a full on attack.

So it is a bit grandmother’s footsteps at the moment but not quite all out war.  If Storm continues to be the fly in this ointment, I will move him home and he can be sat on by Newt and Albie.

Meanwhile, the hill sheep are beginning to lamb.  They are soooooo sweeeeeeet!

Today we executed Part 1 of my Cunning Plan to wean Lilja.

After feeding Brá and Lilja their buckets of hardfeed, plus one for Hetja in the hope it would mellow her slightly, we put headcollars on the ladies and led them over to the Minion field.

Theory:  If the Icelandics are not on their home turf, they might be slightly nicer to the Minions on their’s.

We were quickly seen and the little ones came rushing over to say hello to the newcomers.

First contact.

And then the big ones ran away.

And were swiftly followed by the Welcome Committee.

A small battle instigated by Hetja.  I am sure she said “none shall speak to my daughter”.

Brá was less confrontational.

Again, Hetja gathered her troops and left.

Vitamin decided to go over as she had always been a keen fan of these two pregnant mares but in a next-door-neighbour-over-the-fence sort of way.

Hetja was having none of it.

The support group turned up for Vitamin

And then they all ran away together.

Another battle started.

And everyone scattered while Lilja bunny-hopped hopefully.

Not to be deterred, little Fivla left the Minion herd and went over by herself to say hello.

The others were right behind her, just rather far away, probably hiding.

The Icelandics were rolling, which is a good sign – they were relaxing and wanted to acquire the herd/field smell.

A bit of chasing, but nothing too aggressive now.

And we left them either eating or watching.

I went back a few hours later just to check everyone was ok, and saw that Brá was now more with the Minion herd while Hetja and Lilja were standing on their own.  Hopefully, they will sort themselves out in the next few days and then we will let them into the green grass field for a few weeks.  After that, when Lilja is fully integrated with the Minion herd, we will take Brá and Hetja out when she is not looking.

Well that is the plan anyway.

I may have been over doing things a little bit these past few days.  We have been making a field sheep-proof by building walls out of the surrounding rumbled dry stone dykes, which is hard work.  Floss and I also did a Redd Up (cleaning up the litter on the side of the roads) yesterday which left my back screaming for mercy.

Last night, I gave in and took painkillers realising that I may have done too much.  This morning I could not wake up or move, so Floss and OH kindly did all my chores while I snoozed.  Floss even brought me tea and toast in bed – a wonderful luxury.

Sunday is meant to be a day of rest so I took this seriously and we went Minion hugging.

After lunch, I wanted to see the newly arrived wild primroses that grow on either side of our burn (stream) that runs through all the fields at home.

Floss and I sat out of the wind in the warm(ish) sunshine while BeAnne had fun paddling.

It really was a stunningly beautiful afternoon.

I am feelinga bit more rested now.  Minion hugging is possibly the best therapy.

“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.