It all started yesterday with the cleaning of the tack.

While my guest and I were out and about (eating white pudding and shopping), Daisy was hard at work.  Obviously, she had help, or woolly support.

We are off to a show tomorrow – Shetland Spring Show schedule **BLAIR QUALIFIERS.

(I have to say I am not quite sure what “Blair Qualifiers” is but it is all good experience for Daisy riding Kappi and Bjørn on Taktur, who needs to get over himself about girlies and girly smells).

I spent the morning creating a Stallion Badge – (please feel free to message me if you quickly need one).

And, today, we were all washing.

First up was Taktur.

He was not happy, but he had a full bath.  Handsome Princes don’t just appear, you know.  Beauty needs work.  Hard work.

And then it was Kappi’s turn.  He had a bath too.  All objections were ignored.

Being my daughter, Daisy made a list.  A lovely list.  A proper list.  In this family, we love lists.

Daisy to filled the horse-van with all that she (and Bjørn) will need. I added string and a radio.

After washing the horses, I realised I was soaked because I was stupid enough to wear the wrong clothes.  They are now in front of the stove, drying, ready for tomorrow.

So, an early start and all your winning vibes please.  The forecast says rain. I hate horse shows in the rain. I will not be wearing my happy face if I get wet.

I needed to go to Lerwick (hay, sheep food, stuff for pizza tonight and my visitor’s Shetland chocolate requirements – Puffin Poo) and so we went.

It was funny weather.  I left home giving Daisy strict instructions about what if there was thunder/lightening – it was very close this morning (nothing happened apart from a few drops of rain – but, still, I worry).

Messages (shopping) done, and Karen and I sat on the harbour front eating white pudding and chips (Karen is now a convert) while watching the harbour traffic.

A boat came in from, I think, a tour, with an accompanying grey seal.

I have never seen this before and it was lovely to see.

This seal was wonderful.

He was playing the game.

Working the audience.

He had A Winning Smile.

It was a superb sight, as we ate our delicious traditional Shetland lunch.

It was very evident that this grey seal was an old pro.

And this made me instantly think of another…..

Someone else who knows how to work the crowd with his Winning Smile

Darling not-so-little Lambie who spends the best part of his morning smiling sweetly so I will feed him Rich Tea biscuits!

I took our visitor, Karen, to see Lyradale and its inhabitants – the Minions (my rescue Shetland ponies), plus Lyra and Delia.

Obviously, I put Karen to work.

It would be a waste not to.

And she seemed happy enough – enthusiastic, even!

Lyra worked her magic.

After a good session of brushing, being hugged and now covered in the winter fur that is fast falling out, I showed Karen around Lyradale – the 50 acre croft I bought last December.

Lyradale is a wonderful croft.  Set in a glaciated valley, it offers abundant shelter and grass.  I have only seen Lyradale in the winter so it is also lovely for me to watch spring appear and see what plants are growing.

I feel very lucky that I can give this to my Minions to live in.  They are very settled and happy here and for me, that is all that matters.  Watching them grow and thrive is the perfect reward and I hope it makes up for the terrible start some of them had.

I have plans for the derelict croft house too…..

(just need to win the lottery next)…..

Taktur is fence-walking up and down.

He wants to be with his ladies, who are two fields away (to be fair, though, Hetja spent the afternoon shouting back, which is just plain wrong and a little bit slutty).

So, this afternoon, Daisy, Karen (our guest) and myself constructed our extensive electric fence.

The fence goes from one end of the field to the corner.  A long way, even crossing the burn that runs through all the fields.  It is on the top so if Taktur pushes the fence, he will be zapped.  If he starts pawing it, we will run another line along the middle.

Whatever it takes.  I do not want Taktur to get over and to hassle the girls.  This is a crucial time and any stress can start a bad birthing.  This has happened to us before and the results were terrible (Vitamin’s dead foal – she was chased by cows in the morning).

Anywho, this afternoon, we had equine help.

Perhaps, it is an orange thing.

Meanwhile, the old hands ignored us.  They knew what we were doing and we weren’t interesting to them.  They have seen this many times before.

Now we just have to wait for OH to come home from town and connect the fence.  For the moment, Taktur believes as it exists, it is therefore on.  We haven’t told him it isn’t attached yet to the mains.  Need to know basis only.

Afterwards, Karen and I sat in the field to be hugged by the little ones.

Karen was testing the foals’ fur coat for spinning/knitting potential.

Newt’s is fine.  Albie’s is not good enough.  I always knew that.

So, tomorrow there will be muchos zapping to those that test the fences.  I am bored of this fence-walking.  Taktur will learn.

Every day, I go down the bottom field to visit my pregnant Icelandic mare ladies.

Firstly, to keep Brá in her routine of being used to having a headcollar put on every day….

(she would like to be feral if she could – I am generously putting this down to her hormones)

… Secondly, to see how the ladies are feeling (and I clean their eyes with cottonwool pads soaked in cold tea as they tend to be gooby as their winter facial fur falls out) ….

… and thirdly, for the daily bewb-check.

The top ones are Brá‘s and seem a bit more advanced than Hetja’s (bottom pic), which is strange as Hetja is due a week earlier than Brá.

The Icelandic girls are nearing their time and now it is becoming a reality.

They are not due quite yet but today, I put my hand on Hetja’s flank and felt a little foal kick!  My first time ever.

My heart melted.  It was a magical moment and one I have never experienced.

Obviously, the midwives are on hand, ready and waiting.

And, obviously, as the time gets nearer, Daisy and I will be on hand too.  We are just not quite at that point yet and no one needs us.

Ooooh, exciting times ahead.