I have been noticing, these past few days, that the fur on Newt’s head is falling out in tufts.

He is especially woolly all over but it is like he is losing his foal coat whilst getting ready for the summer as if the underneath one is coming through.

But it isn’t.  There is no coat growing underneath – just bald patches (as you can see).  This is not right.

So, feeling worried, I rang the vets and they dispensed a dose of Switch Equine (an external pour-on permethrin for lice and sweetitch).  It was difficult trying to decide on Newt’s weight so we just estimated hopefully.

While we were treating Newt, we looked for signs of “rabbit’s friends and relations”, but saw nothing moving!  However, he is very scurfy in his thick woolly mammoth winter coat.

I now feel very riffy!

Newt was a very good boy.  In a 30 acre field with helpers, he just stood there while Daisy applied the nuclear deterrent.  No headcollar, no nothing, no need.  He saw us and walked up with his little Shetland pony foal noise and his nose a-wuffling.

Obviously, there were helpers. There always are.  They are experts in everything we do.

Dear little Newt has settled in very well.  I am hoping this is just a small healthcare blip and he will be fine.  It has been unseasonably warm this winter so all sorts of revolting things may raise their ugly heads.

Newt is definitely a speshul soldier.

Yes, and so is Albie.

Yes, and so is everyone else.

Going to talk to the Minions always reminds me of Joyce Grenfell….

And Sue, we don’t want GRUMBLERS in our fairy ring, do we?  We only want smilers.
Yes David, you’re a smiler – so is Lavinia – and Peggy and Geoffrey. Yes, you’re all smilers.

The weather outside is pretty dreary but us Taylors are made of tough stuff.

As it was not actually raining, we decided to go out for a ride on our Icelandic horses.

Floss rode her horse, Klængur (pronounced Klang-gur)

Daisy rode her stallion, Taktur (Tack-tur).

And me?  I was on Haakon (Haw-kon), King of the North.

This is probably my most favourite view in the whole world.  There is nothing like it.  No other horse, ever.  I instantly feel safe and happy.

Haakon likes to always be first and the others follow along behind.  Haakon would race if anyone went past.  He likes to think he is not old and still the boss.

It was windy out so there was some mad hair going on!

On a ride out, there are not rules except for have fun and stay safe.  Everyone went along at whatever speed they wanted – turn up the sound if you want to hear the wind – it was blowing hard.

We walked.

We tölted.

Some trotted (I am so not doing that).

I didn’t have to worry once about anyone on the ride.

The horses were behaved beautifully and despite the wind blowing, it was a wonderful ride.

(I think I even saw an alien spaceship landing, though I could not be sure!).

Going out, all three of us, is rare for whatever reason but when we do, it is fun.  Great fun.

Riding out with my two daughters is my happiness and a treat.

It is blowing a gale here.  Quite vile.

Floss and I checked the herd over in Sandness.

All was well.

Carrots were dished out.

Four.

One each.

This is the look of one very determined Shetland pony on her carrot allocation mission.

“So, where is it?”

Silver always says thank you very much.  He has perfect manners.

One carrot down, leaving now!

And so this afternoon, because of the revolting weather and because no one wanted to ride or do anything much, we made biscuits!

Little Prince biscuits, to be precise.

I was given a wonderul Little Prince Cookie Cutter set.

This was our first attempt and there was a bit of experimentation.

To chocolate or not to chocolate

Brilliant and delicious!  Obviously, in the name of science, we had to test each batch.  For science, mind!

This is the end result, minus some for testing!

The Little Prince is one of my most favourite books as well as the illustrations. The sheep is the best, and I am always reminded of my little Boyzenberries.

The quote “you become responsible forever for what you have tamed” is my mantra.

Nummy biccies too.  They won’t last long.

Flute lesson day and then on to Lerwick to do the last of our Christmas messages.

There were some beautifully Christmas decorated windows.

This is the Shetland Times Bookshop.  Excellent (ps – they sell two of my postcard books – they were published a few years back but I am still proud of them).

Just sayin’.

Shetland ponies are …..

The book is based on this film.

Flowers from Shetland

Then onto Jamieson’s Knitwear.  I love the wool ball Christmas tree.  Very clever.

As usual, there was the Christmas tree at the Market Cross.  The tree (plus another for Scalloway) are gifted, I think, to Shetland as a gesture of goodwill from Norway to commemorate the Shetland Bus – “a Shetland based boat operation to and from Norway, that took place during the Second World War (1939 – 1945).”

The Shetland Bus, by the way, is an incredible part of Shetland’s history.

Father Christmas is called Santie or Santy here (in our house, I am sorry but he is Father Christmas and always will be). So, here he is playing a guitar at High Level Music.

Charity shop are hugely popular in Shetland and do very well.  We are huge fans and many a-bargain is found.  This is the Red Cross and we always pop in to have a quick rifle through.

Living Lerwick’s ran a competition for the best town centre Christmas window display.

And this is the winner!   Ninian – “Ninian showcase exciting collections of Shetland knitwear designed by Joanna Hunter“

It was nice wandering down the street, seeing friends and stopping for a quick natter.

That is the way it is here.  You always see someone you know.

And then we all wended our way home.  The full moon was looking glorious.

So are we pregnant?

Hetja?

Brá

I think we are going to be a grandmother, if The Gods smile on us.

Can I just say that absolutely no one is getting any extra feed.  Hetja must be pregnant because if she is just fat, then she is a heffalump!

Yesterday, I moved the mothers and sons out of the mud and into a better field.  I had some reservations based on Hetja’s shape but she is feeding for two and from now on what is inside will be developing and growing.

I found this on ‘tnet – “By 180 days, the foal will weigh nearly ten pounds and will be growing whiskers and eyelids that are capable of blinking.”  Hetja is around 26 weeks pregnant while Brá is 25 weeks.  So exciting.  The Sire is Daisy’s stallion, Taktur.

However, the boys are still with their mothers, though Hjalti is weaned (from last year).

Hjalti is a year older and just there as company for Efstur.

Brá is doing well.

She is still feeding Efstur occasionally but I watch her trying to dissuade him from nursing, ie wean him.

As Brá looks good, I am not worried about her.  We will shuffle everyone around in a few weeks and wean Efstur as well and then the girls can concentrate on growing their babies.

I want Efstur to be weaned as unstressfully as possible.

Hopefully being with the boys, including Taktur, and his bestie, Hjalti, then everything should be ok.

We will see how it goes.

(gosh, it gets dark early – I took these just after lunch yesterday).