We will soon have to catch the foals to move them with their mothers over to new fields.

Earlier this year, we caught the foals to have them microchipped but, since then, we have mostly left them alone to be with their mothers and to be foals.

So today I made the decision to at least show the foals the headcollars so they get used to them, if only in their heads.  We did this with Efstur last year with absolutely no success but, having said that, when we actually started working with him properly, he quickly got used to the idea of having a headcollar put on so I think some of the preparation work we did before had some merit.

I am also an optimist.

We started off by showing the foals what we wanted.  Hetja was a very obliging volunteer.

We put one on the floor and Dreki investigated.

He stood on it.  Well, it’s a start.

Dreki was in a very receptive mood.

Lilja was not.

So Flossie, knowing the best way to approach Lilja is to be smaller than her, crouched in the field until Lilja’s curiousity got the better of her.

She had “helpers”.

And it didn’t take long.

With lots of encouragement and rewards (tickles)….

….. Lilja decided she might be able to think about possibly doing this.

Floss showed Lilja there was no point being a silly-billy.  Nothing horrid was going to happen.

Then it was my turn.

My two little foals were getting braver.

And of course, there was the statutory reward.

Floss and I will take two headcollars to the foals on a regular basis.  We will let them play with them and see there is nothing scary.  I doubt we will get to put them on but we will at least we may move along one step in their training.

Hello everyone.  We are now back from the Land of No Internet.

I could rant about my service provider but suffice it to say, having had the full gamut of emotions, I am now in a calm place.

What has been going on since my last proper blog?  Quite a bit.

Newt has been castrated – huzzah!  He is now a de-nutted Newt and that is a good way forward for our little boy.  It all went smoothly.

Flossie has been to a horse show (Houlls Horses and Hounds End of Season Show) with her Icelandic orange rocket, Klængur.

They won their first red rosette (1st) too.

First in Any Speed Tölt Class.

The weather started out revolting – wet and windy.

We came prepared and decided it was “a typical Shetland show day”.

It did clear up as the day went on

We were a tad nervous about travelling Klængur by himself but he loaded like a pro, travelled quietly and stood happily munching his hay taking it all in.

Another class – Four Gait – and, apart from no trot because Klængur was very excited and speedy, he managed a very credible canter, another awesome tölt and a good walk.

What can I say? Klængur and Floss made a great team.

Fourth for that effort.

Lunch and then onto the fun stuff.

The Beer Tölt. A traditional Icelandic horse pastime.

Yup, you’ve got it, you have to tölt around the arena carrying a full mug of beer.

This, perhaps, is not Klængur’s strongest class – he bombed round, while Floss giggled helplessly trying to ride him with one-hand and they ended up with no beer.

This is the winner and you may recognise Esja who has belonged to Lauren for a few years now.

Beer Tölt, however, is not all about the riding on both reins with a full glass of beer.

Afterwards the judge calls you in, makes all the drinks the same level and then you have to neck the lot as quickly as possible.

And stick the mug upside down on your head!

So, yes, we have been busy having fun!

(no cheating is allowed!)

————————-

(I will sort out the dvd’s and who sent what.

Postage costs are –

£3.80 to Europe
£5.05 to the Rest of the World)

Sorry for the radio silence.   We are still alive just with no internet.

So far I have wormed all the ponies, brushed them all, learned another language, reconquered the piano.

I am currently working at the veg and blagging a signal off them.

Talk soon. One day.

Fx

I have an offer.

Would anyone like a dvd I made about Shetland in Autumn?

The dvd contains 3 short films that I made a few years back, based on a poem by John J. Graham, containing Shetland dialect and traditional Shetland music set to my photographs

The three films are:-

Whaar’ll I in Hairst Fair – a 3.75 minute film showing photos of the Shetland landscape in the Autumn (one of my favourites and the music is lovely) – yes, there are Shetland ponies!

Scalloway Castle and Scallowa’ – a little film (nearly 5 minutes) around and about Scalloway and its Castle.  The music is very evocative and beautiful.  The photos aren’t bad either!  Scalloway is Shetland’s original capital.

Whin Lizzie pat da coo tae Culswick – Lastly, a film (7:44 mins) of a story told by my neighbour about her sister-in-law, who walked a cow 12 1/2 miles down the road to its new owner.  A beautiful story that illustrates Shetland crofting (farming) life.

All I ask for is a donation plus your address to cover postage plus whatever you feel like giving to The Minions.  The dvd can be played on any computer – it is Region 0.

Please send your donation via Paypal to deftaylor1@gmail.com – and I will post a dvd to you.

The bills for the Minions are arriving.  Newt needs to be gelded.  Winter is coming.

Any donation is wonderful. Nothing huge, please.  Just let me send you, in return, a piece of Shetland life in Autumn.

Like I said previously, everyone has now been moved to their Autumn fields.

The mares and their foals are “taking the top off” Clothie, my 5 acre croft that is a 50 yards across the hill from home.

They seem to have quickly settled there.  The pregnant mothers were in Clothie when they came home this Spring before they were moved down to the Antenatal Unit where they remained because it suited everyone fine.

We easily caught the Brá and Hetja, and their foals Dreki and Lilja followed happily along too.  We walked quietly over the hill with no distractions, waiting for the little ones to catch up and not drift off, and through wide open gates into the field.

Yesterday afternoon, I did my usual thing of sitting on a rock and waiting.  Dreki came and stood behind me.

Of the two foals, he is slightly blacker in colour.

It didn’t take long before Lilja brought herself over for a chat.  She is the nosiest foal alive.

They are two very funny little friends.

They make me smile whenever I spend time with them.  I always wonder if Taktur was like this as a foal.  Did he have the same silly-billy idiotic but vaguely optimistic face?  I hope so.

The foals will both be staying with their Mums this winter.  They are both growing their thick winter woollies.

This is Lilja’s lady chest!

And this is me trying to take a selfie with Dreki.

So, I sat on my rock (a dry if cold bottom, please) admiring my view.

Best view there is, in my opinion.