I had a little part of the field, opposite the indoor school, fenced off.  A field in a field.  Originally it was to put a silage bale in during the winter so the horses could have access to the bale for a certain amount of time, but at the moment, this is not feasible.

This little paddock is where the food containers live anway and I asked for some slats of wood to be attached the corner of the fence, on the hard standing to make a bit of a shelter.

The ponies already have a high wall for shelter when there is a bitter north wind but this new part is for the easterly gales.

Why haven’t I done this sooner?

They love it!

It was designed so there is Just enough space between the slats to let the wind through (necessary as a complete barrier would blow the fence down in a good gale) but close enough to offer shelter.

Little Newt and Albie are very happy with this new set-up.

I watch them with Delia and she is never nasty to them, always sharing her food.  Anyone else would be thumped if they even looked at it.

I have had to take Gina and Gypsy out of the field as they spend most of their days standing together away from the others, looking miserable.

They are around the house now and can eat the grass and a pile of silage with the sheep.  They seem happier with this set-up and they have access to Lambie’s 2nd bedroom (no wifi, no radio – sorry), if they want.

It seems an easier solution all round.  They will be going south at the end of the next week.

The weather has calmed down so everyone is outside again.

We moved the Icelandic herd to Clothie – my five acre field.  It is a short walk across the hill.

There are a couple of old buildings, including a derelict school house, and some lovely high wall drystone dykes, so good shelter too.

I led Hjalti over, while Daisy and OH led Iacs, Haakon and Klængur.  Efstur followed behind.  Hjalti led like a seasoned pro.  No pulling, no dragging, just politely walking alongside.  He is a darling little chap.

Later, I lugged silage to them and found little heads popping up everywhere!

Being with the three elder Icelandic geldings, is doing Efstur and Hjalti the world of good.  They are learning their herd manners.

Haakon has calmed down about silage ownership and stopped being a dragon but he does demand respect from the lesser mortals in his group.

Meanwhile, the youngsters worship the ground Klængur walks on.

Klængur enjoys this adulation and has risen to the challenge.

So all is good with these guys.  They are a close-knit group with a wide age range.

Iacs is on top form too.  His silly-frilly is still work-in-progress.

Daisy rides him almost every day and that has helped to loosen him – he was getting stiff this winter.

And these two?  Well, just that – these two!  Honestly, they are joined at the hip and twice as gorgeous!  Watching them grow up is such a joy.

Yup, you’ve guessed – it is truly vile outside so I have not taken my camera outdoors.  No photos of today.   Just imagine rain and wind and then double it.  Utterly revolting outside.

The horses and ponies are all in except for the Liradale ones, who have plenty of grass and shelter.  I am trying hard not to worry about them.

Today’s blog, therefore, is a rainy day one about Waffle or The Waff, as he is known.

Waffle is one of the original Minions who stayed on to keep Storm company when he had nowhere else to go.

Silver is his 2nd cousin three times removed.  This is an interesting fact as these two paired up the day they arrived.  They have always been best friends.

However, there is no relationship between Waffle with Storm, Tiddles or Newt.

I am not surprised by this.  Storm, Tiddles and Newt are miniature Shetland ponies (up to 34″ or 86cm) anyway.

Having said that, Albie is Waffle’s 4th cousin once removed so that skuppers my size theory!  Albie is a miniature Shetland pony.

Waffle is supposed to be a standard Shetland pony (up to 42″ or 106.6cm) but actually comes in as a midi (around 36″ – 38″ or 91.5cm – 96.5cm).  I must measure him the next time he is home.  Maybe he will have grown taller.  He has certainly grown wider!

As for the black standard Shetland ponies, Waffle is related to Vitamin and Lyra – Vitamin is Waffle’s 2nd cousin 3 times removed….

as is Lyra according to my Relationship Calculator.  Can’t you just see that family resemblance?

He is not related to Delia at all.

Funnily enough, Waffle is not related to any of the Icelandic horses, although he wants to be one when he grows up!

”

“You can choose your friends but you sho’ can’t choose your family, an’ they’re still kin to you no matter whether you acknowledge ’em or not, and it makes you look right silly when you don’t.”

― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

From tonight onwards, we are in for a bit of weather.

So there is much to do – feeding horses, checking other horses, gathering up extra silage for tomorrow and battening down the hatches everywhere.

These guys will stay outside during the gale.

They are strong and have plenty of shelter plus endless piles of silage.

Apparently, Iacs and Haakon look like the pregnant mares!  Oh, the shame!

The other herd at Liradale are fine too.  There is shelter from the surrounding hills and dry-stone dykes (walls).  They probably won’t know anything is going on.

When I did a head count, I found Storm around the corner.  He was having forty winks.

This lot are indoors tonight.  I have given them the indoor school and taken their rugs off.  Old ladies and little foals sometimes need to have a break from the vile weather.

Daisy’s horses – Kappi and Taktur also live in at night.  They are in training so that is their earned privilege.

I think the only victims in this gale are going to be the spring flowers that were just thinking about putting in an appearance.

Of course, they are peaking far too early.

Q:  Why didn’t they wait for Spring?  February is not Spring.  Not even slightly close.
A:  Because it has been too warm for this time of year and they have been lulled into a false sense of security.

Their appearance will be brief and they were lovely for a very short time.

Tomorrow everything will probably be gone or looking very battered.

Sad.  It was beginning to look pretty again.

Hey ho, wish us luck.  The gale will be a 24 job with added rain too!  Yay.

I can’t ride Klængur in the school as he is determined to mix up all his gaits and even trot – a heinous crime in my book (this photo shows pace).  I can only tölt.  My back does not like any other gait.  I would lose my balance if Klængur trotted and probably fall off.  I also don’t want Klængur to find this out.  The deal is that Daisy rides him in the school and I ride him outside.  He has never once offered to trot outside (strange, but true and I have no idea why – perhaps it is because my arse is bigger!)

Daisy is very determined and works hard with Klængur.  He is ridden at least twice a week by one of us.

I really enjoy watching Daisy ride.  It is a pleasure.

We promised my younger daughter, Flossie, that we would keep Klængur in training while she was away at university.

In the school, Daisy works on bending, collection, half-halts and Klængur’s general attitude towards the outside track.  He tends to add another gait, push his rider off balance and then swerve into the school in ever decreasing circles.  This is not out of malice but because he finds his work very difficult.

Klængur’s reward is to stretch at the end.  He loves this and it is very important part to give him this.

Meanwhile we went out for a ride today – I rode Klængur while Daisy and Bjørn, our trainer, rode Kappi and Taktur.  BeAnne suddenly appeared out of nowhere so I stayed back to keep an eye on her.  Klængur went like a dream – we tölted everywhere.  Who knows what goes through his head.   We ❤️ him and his strange complicated little ways!