A certain little Icelandic filly foal is desperate to make friends with another little Icelandic colt foal.

Mother Hetja has other ideas.

Little Himself, Dreki the Dragon, is happily practising his cantering and turns but he, too, would like a friend to run about with.

Brá, Dreki’s mother, on the other hoof, is more than happy to let her little boy go and investigate the world.  She is not the clingy mother type.

Little Herself is not put off by her mother’s attitudes.  She has her own plan.

So, while Hetja was not noticing, she crept up to Brá and Dreki to say hello.

And then Hetja arrived too with her opinions on this…..

…. and put a stop to that.

Later in the day, the little foals had another go at meeting.

There is a little dance that they have to go through first.  It is lovely to watch.

I think it won’t be long before they are cantering around together.

On another good note, I took Haakon into the indoor school this afternoon. It is much cooler today and he was fine, back to factory settings.  We tölted happily on both reins (directions) so I think it must have been a combination of heat, old age and being jumped on by the little ones.

I accompanied Daisy and Taktur out for a hack.  They went off training while Haakon and I pottered along at the back.

He was not himself at all.  Very slow and tail-swishy when asked for anything else.  Usually Haakon keeps up with the best of ’em, but today, he decided he didn’t want to.

Odd things I noticed:

Efstur (with the joys of Spring) was trying to mount Haakon while I led him out of his field, which greatly pissed him off as he couldn’t retaliate as he had a head-collar on.

It was hot, for Shetland, and Haakon still has some winter coat on – he had a sweaty chest.

Haakon has been working hard all week.

So, I am not sure what to think.

Haakon didn’t even canter off with me on the way home. He always does that  – no manners and I forgive him.  So, to not do it means something is going on.

After the ride, instead of putting Haakon back in with the guys, we took Iacs out and let the old men have a break from the young bucks.  Haakon is the leader of the herd.

So the “young bucks” waited by the gate for their leader to return.

It is hot.  The sheeples are all suffering hugely too.

(Even I am in a t-shirt!)

So I am not sure what to think. As his rider, trainer and owner of 20 years (Haakon is 23), he felt like he wanted to do a big poo and then everything would be alright.  I gave him a probiotic and will reassess tomorrow.

I worry. He is getting old.  He has to last forever.  Not like Haakon not to bugger off home with me.  Please God don’t let there be something wrong.

He is eating fine, however.

There is a lovely warm shallow loch at Lyradale.

It is perfect for dogs.

And perfect for teaching a deaf little Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (or Toller, for short) puppy, how to enjoy swimming in a safe environment with her friends.

Little Zee needed to learn this special skill.

The others are all very good at it, but Zee has been reluctant to learn.

But learn she did and, after a slight tentative start, she loved it.

It was great to watch her gain her confidence in the water.

Her dog family already know what to do.  They swim and retrieve beautifully. You just chuck the dummy and it is brought back.  If it is missed, you point to it and they go and find it.

But, it really was BeAnne who helped Zee the most.

BeAnne was transfixed by the plastic floating water dummy.

She wanted it more than anything.

And openly covetting the dummy made Zee want it too!

BeAnne would steal it, if she could.

Others were better at sharing!

After lots of swimming, retrieving and best behaviour from everyone (which was lovely to see – I was very proud of BeAnne;  she was a star, no filthy language), we walked the dogs past the ponies and back to the cars.

The little deaf puppy was on a lead as certain Shetland ponies have been known to take advantage.

But, again, everyone behaved beautifully.

It was a lovely afternoon.  We must swim again. I will not be teaching the ponies, though.

We are struggling with names but after much discussion and research, we have come up with one – for Brá’s black colt.

Meet Dreki from Thordale.

Dreki means dragon.

Perfect.

He will be our Dragon.

So there it is, sorted.  He will grow into his name.

Today, Dreki was the other side of the burn, trying hard to work out how to get over to join his mother.

He didn’t panic.  He thought about his problem.  His little brain was working overtime.

But he made his decision…..

… some of his legs cooperated….

And then he was happily back with his loving mother, Brá.

Meanwhile, we still don’t have a name for Dreki’s elder half-sister.

It will come.  Her name will find her.

But Dreki it is for the colt.  He is our beautiful black dragon.

We think it suits him.

I woke up at 02:00 this morning.  I had a feeling.

Looking out of the window, I could see one dark coloured horse on the horizon standing up with possibly another.

So, wellies on, a coat over my Minion jimjams and, armed with a torch, I went out to check on Brá.  The birds were singing beautifully and it was just starting to get light.

She had her foal and they were both up and running.  Perfect.

I found the afterbirth – it looked fine.  So I left them all to it.  Hetja and her little one were one end of the field and Brá and her new bebbie were at the other.

I would find out more in the morning.

And so, this morning, after all chores were done, Daisy and I went to see who the storks had brought.

Brá is a shy mare. Over the past months, I have spent many hours working with her gaining her trust.  We have an understanding.

So, leaving Daisy and my camera behind, I approached, talking her language, gave her a carrot and had a quick check of her foal.

A beautiful colt and he is gorgeous.

We are truly blessed.

Little one does not have “The Ears” but he does have “The Legs” and moves like a dream.  Again, it is likely he is five-gaited and he is very, very black in colour.  Much darker than Hetja’s bebbie girl.

A certain someone is desperate to talk to her new half-brother.

I can’t wait for them to meet.  It won’t be long.