I took rugs off and let the little ones out of their field today.

They are particularly fed up with endless mud and it is not really drying up in their field.  It seems to be much wetter in their field while the others can get to dryer ground if they want.  Poor little Newt was losing the will to walk over to his bowl of food, which is always a dangerous sign.

I could see that it was really getting him down.  The minute their gate was opened, they all came out and cheered up instantly.

So now I have three little ponies around the outside of the house, with the sheep, which is fine and I nip out every so often for hugging.  I could actually spend the whole day hugging these two little chaps.

Of course, they all discovered the sheep paddock and I opened Lambie’s best bedroom (wifi and radio) door as they are too big to go in via the lamb-flap.

I left them all piling in to investigate.

And a few moments later, I came back to find they had made themselves at home.

Zzzzzz…… sleepy bye-byes and happier little ponies.  I don’t blame them.  The mud is very depressing.

As I mentioned, after Lambie’s visit to the vet, Lambie has osteoarthritis.

To be honest, I am not surprised.  He had a horrid start to his life with joint ill, his twin sister died, and then his mother.

He had no colostrum and arrived a week early.   It was touch and go for a while to start with.

Anywho, it is Lambie’s second birthday soon so it is fairly amazing we have come this far.

Lambie’s diagnosis of osteoarthritis is not a nice one.  My poor precious boy.

I have been busy these past few days trying to find out how best to help Lambie.  There are so many differing opinions and I prefer to use medicine that has been proven to actually work.

I have made a list of remedies that are supposed to help:

Chondroitin – not sure I want to give to a ruminant (I think it may even be banned)
Glucosamine – high doses of glucosamine have detrimental affects on ruminants
MSM – MSM is prohibited for use in ruminants
Turmeric – looking hopeful
SAM-e (S-Adenosyl methionine) – dunno
Frankincense – dunno
Green lip mussel – not sure I like the idea of feeding fish to a sheep
Manuka honey – again, not sure

There is so much hearsay information on the internet and very little actual studies.  “Research shows”, “Studies reveal” is not actual fact and I work on fact not stories.

I think I will go down the turmeric route first and I have a sample of Golden Paste Company grass pellets on its way to Shetland for Lambie to try.

I think he would hate a powder mixed in with his food.  He can be very fussy.

If he has a daily capsule, it could go two ways  – a battle he (and I) will dread or he will be nice about it.

I will keep you posted.

I would like to design a lick supplement for him.  The feed lick company that I approached haven’t returned my call. Perhaps they think sheep are not important.

I am counting the days.

I need my little boys (aka The Minions) home.  I miss them so much.

This winter, Lyradale has been a perfect home for them.  It is the perfect place.

I visit Lyradale daily (or someone does if I can’t go) armed with a carrot each and a hug/kiss – plus I have to put a headcollar on Brá no matter what as she is determined to be feral, if she has her way.  Sadly, for her, my way is to catch her, no matter what.  I am winning this battle.

Sometimes I sit on a stragically placed rock and whoever comes to talk to me.  Today it was Lyra and Tiddles.

Lyra and I practised our selfie skills.

(please excuse my double chins)

Meanwhile, while Lyra and I were busy being the beautiful people, Tiddles was busy eating the camera!  We had words about this speshul skill.

When the weather warms up just a tad, I am going to get my little boys home.

They need to be home.

And I need them.

The Minions make me smile all summer.

I think Albie and Newt (and possibly Efstur and Hjalti) need The Minions too.

Everybody needs a Minion.

It has been raining all day and so not the right weather to take a camera anywhere.

I also have had a stinking headache all day, which won’t go away, so I am not in the mood to write much – sorry.

Anywho, I dug out the films Daisy took (you can hear me snapping away with my camera in the background).  I have been saving them for a rainy day!

The first film is of the reindeer and their Saami handlers who were at the beginning of the Opening Ceremony at Rørosmartnan.

This film is the Opening Ceremony with the horses and sleighs arriving.  It was incredible.

In the afternoon, we went on our own sleigh ride, which was probably one of the most magical events in my life.  Utter heaven.

The next day, we went back to Røros as there were less crowds.  Everyone was in very festive mood.  There were small gatherings of folk in the little courtyards where the horses were stabled.

On our way back to the car, we passed the park where the reindeer were living for the week.  We had a little chat.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the films and I hope my headache will finally go and the rain will stop. We are all rather bored of it now.

Kappi and Waffle are going to the Icelandic Horse British Championships in Spalding, Lincolnshire in June – Kappi to compete with Daisy onboard and Waffle as company for Kappi.

We chose Waffle because he is the best behaved in any situation.  I trust him.

While we were going to the vet, we decided to carry another potential patient.

Dear Lambie.  He is lame on and off and it is worrying me.  I have cleaned and sprayed his feet (foot rot) but he still doesn’t run right.  A Muzzah knows.

So we collected Waffle en route from Lyradale drove down the road to Bixter.

Lambie was first up and he jumped out happy to be freed.  He has never been in the van and bleated every 10 seconds.  I led Lambie across the road to be examined.

Jim, our vet, made a thorough inspection of Lambie.  The diagnosis is that Lambie has arthritis.  Jim could feel crepitus in his left shoulder.   Poor Lamb-Lamb……

…who was furious (this is his very cross face).

Jim asked me to take a photo as it is rare for tame sheep to visit like this.  Lambie refused to co-operate.

Utterly.

\

This is Lambie’s parting shot of complete loathing before I bundled him back into the van.

Next up, Jim introduced himself to Waffle.

And then Kappi.

The two boys had their jags – tetanus and flu – and we will back in a month for the rest.

I don’t think Waffle even noticed.

He was happy to come out of the van and eat the grass on the side of the road.

Jim could then inject Kappi.

Waffle loaded back in and we drove him back to his field.

Kappi said goodbye to his little friend.

The first ones up to Waffle were his original Minion friends (interesting to note).

Then everyone else arrived.

We went home to those we left behind.

Now, what to do for Lambie.  Arthritis is miserable.  I am looking into turmeric for him.    Do not Google “turmeric shoulder lamb”.  No good will come of it.