Today I had a day off.  Once all the horses, ponies, ducks, chickens, Ted’s eyedrops (he has dry eye) was done, I climbed into clean clothes (that would be anything without mud or horse, pony, duck, chicken, dog or cat involvement) and shoes, kissed everyone goodbye and left home, never looking back.

(sorry, Pepper, you are not coming too)

Clean clothes and shoes do not go well with our home environment.  I ended up walking on the grass trying to avoid being covered in mud, which is everywhere.

Making it out fairly mud-free, I drove off to collect my friend, Monika, and off we went to Lerwick. To Mareel, to be more precise.  “Mareel is a multi-purpose entertainment venue located on the waterfront of Lerwick”.  The cinema, in other words.

Tickets pre-booked, a sandwich (lunchtime viewing), plus a Pepsi and my weight in Haribo and I was set for a lovely afternoon not thinking about ponies, cats, dogs, yada yada yada…..

We had a quick perusal of the Lovely Things in Mareel’s shop.

Can you tell what film we were going to see?

A bit of a clue here.

It was Wicked and I was mesmerised 100%.  A brilliant film, soundtrack, everything.  Would I watch it again? definitely.  As the titles came up at the end, I just said “wow” and I meant it.  Possibly because they don’t have mud in Oz, just a brief talking horse.

Then we wended our way home and I dropped of Monika and came home back to my life of mud and horses, ponies, ducks, chickens…..  I changed back into my filthy (with a funny horsey smell that follows me) clothes and went out to put the ponies to bed etc.

It was a lovely day off.  Every mud-free minute.

Only two horses were up waiting for their breakfast this morning – Kolka and Iacs.

Haakon was waiting at the bottom of the hill requesting that I brought his down to him.  No chance.  I am not his servant. Well, of course, I am his servant but he knows I am a determined person and I want to see him walk as well as eat.

So Haakon said he could, and then he couldn’t and then he did that head-shakey, silly front leg flicky thing, caved in cantering up the hill to his bucket, which I had set aside from the others so he could eat in peace.

There was obviously a small hoover attachment too.  Ever vigil and at least she was here and not with the neighbours.

My job was to stand between Haakon and the now descending vultures as I knew Kolka and Iacs would finish their buckets earlier and then come to hassle/steal his food, which is an absolute no-no.  Haakon’s food has a special very-expensive supplement exclusively for him.

I was right.  As if by magic, Iacs appeared by my side.

While Haakon ate, Iacs went through my pockets with all the expertise of airport security on High Alert.

But I wasn’t going to let him get Haakon’s breakfast.

Then I could see Kolka wandering over with full intent to steal as well.

While I was watching her arrival, Iacs quickly snuck past me and Haakon told him what he thought of his breakfast heist.

Luckily, by now, Haakon had finished his breakfast so there was nothing to steal.  I know these guys.  I know what they are thinking.

And then we had a brief glimpse of the winter sun and our day began.

Yesterday morning, while OH and I were busy mucking out, and feeding ponies/horses, I suddenly thought to myself that I hadn’t seen Pepper recently.   This was not like her, she is usually around with Ted while OH and I are working.

I thought I trusted her.  I had just been thinking how well behaved she was.

How wrong I was.  A rookie mistake.

So, I looked at my phone to check to see if anyone local had seen her……

(photos courtesy of my neighbour!)

**** sigh ****

It is a new low when my dog goes for walks with my neighbour’s dogs.  I live over the hill about another 1/2 mile.

Apparently Pepper got on very well with the three dogs and had a lovely time.

I am so pleased.

So, I drove over and fetched my ungrateful wee dug home, trying hard not to ask if they would like to keep her since she got on so well with everyone.

Pepper, of course, is not sorry for her excursion.  She knows I am disappointed but she also knows I will apologise for feeling this way if she turns on the charm!

Recent miserable events have resulted in some rather large bills, mainly vet bills for Storm and Newt.  It will not be cheap, I know that much.

So I have decided to make some very special Lambies adhering vaguely to his original markings.

Lambie is my special fleckit (white with large black spots) Shetland sheep.

(old photos so you can see his markings. No one is this clean now)

I don’t normally make Lambie as they are much more work trying to get those spots in the “right” place.  But I made these guys and I would like to sell them to help towards Storm and Newt’s vet’s bills.  If anyone would like to buy one, please contact me at frances@fstaylor.co.uk

Prices:

Adults – £25 each (or a donation) plus postage at cost
Lambs (little one with no legs) is £15 (or a donation) plus postage at cost.

Each sheep is handmade from pure Shetland wool and, like Lambie, is an individual work of art!

Oh, and I made a Newt type lamb too!

Anyway, update on Newt – he spent the day looking at me and not eating so I spent my day popping outside to see if he had his head down and was munching.  Later, when I took Tiddles into the shed for the night, Newt designated himself Tiddles’ BFF/stable buddy and took off lickety-split into the shed without a head collar to find his bucket!

Last night’s check found Newt lying down on the hard-standing outside the container.  I managed to get him to stand up, while I quickly tied down some haynets for the others and  found him lying down again, soaked to the skin (it was sleeting).  I got him into the shed and he lay down in the sand, phoned the on-call vet (locum) who said he be there as soon as he could – he was just finishing up on another animal first.

So, I decided Newt would learn to lunge.   Not a skill he knows. I got him walking and trotting (his choice) round and round on the end of an old driving rein (I couldn’t find the lunge line – one of two – anywhere) urging him on and on.  He couldn’t stop, he could walk if he wanted and he couldn’t sit down again.

After about 30 minutes, he decided to canter his way around, so I prayed he was feeling a bit better.  Well aware heart attacks go with exercise after colic, I put him into a stall with Tiddles (who is very stiff again) and watched Newt begin to eat and eat and eat.

The vet phoned to say he was nearby and I told him the update.  Good, but I still wanted him to come. He thoroughly examined Newt and gave him two injections, said he had strong bowel sounds but felt tender in one place.

Later, I left for the night leaving Newt eating hay with Tiddles thinking to myself “please God, let him have dodged this bullet”

Opening the shed door this morning saw me nearly sick with fear but happy faces all round.  Newt’s little bouncy bottom was working over-time – buck, buck, buck.

Newt’s been out all day. I saw him roll (OMG, worry again), but he was eating immediately after.  He’s now in for the night with Tiddles just in case.

I don’t really know what else to say except my nerves are shot to pieces.