There seems to be a lot of hanging around gates these days by some little boys.

As Hjalti spent last winter with the Minions, he is very well acquainted with their speshul ways.

Efstur is also intrigued with the small people and so desperate to find out what their unique charms are.

Luckily, there are two little volunteers, ready, willing and able.

Very able.

I think tomorrow, if it is a nice day, I know what I have to do.

If Storm doesn’t do it first.

He has personally taken it upon himself to eat his way into their field, strand by strand.

If it takes all night, too.  Whatever it takes.

Efstur needs some entertaining.  Hjalti is busy being his professional big brother who knows everything and makes all the decisions.  He is verging on boring now.

So these are the guys who want the job.

We can all see who can annoy each other more.

I’m not sure who I put my money on.

These two really are made for each other.

A match made in heaven.

So, tomorrow, I arrange a play date!

Last night, we opened the gate.

Albie, Tor and Fivla went out to live in the big 30 acre field alongside everyone else.

Today, I went outside to see how they were all getting on.

They are all fine.  Friends immediately.  Very easy.

Albie still follows Tor.  She does look out for him and, for her trouble, she gets to wash-up all his bowls.

Fivla is in the big field now.  Although she has lost some weight, we have decided that the Shetland winter will shiver of more fat than putting her in a stable at night.

Vitamin is still well covered.  The same applies for her too.  She can stay outside.

Delia is doing well.  She has started having Golden Paste (turmeric, black pepper and coconut oil mix) daily and I also give it to Tiddles, just in case he is feeling achy after his terrible ordeal.

He is doing very well and seems far more affectionate these days.  He always wants cuddles and I am happy to oblige.

Interestingly, Lyra is now the dominant mare of this Shetland pony herd.

Poor Efstur is most envious. He is stuck in the next door field with just his bossy friend, Hjalti and the mothers, Brá and Hetja for company.  They are no fun.

He is desperate to join the others and spends hours watching them.

The big guys take no interest in any of the little ones and luckily the field is big enough for everyone to have their own space.

This is the view from my back door.

Not bad, eh?

We don’t really do anything with our youngsters until we have to.  It is more important they are horses than they are trained at this age.

Today, we let the boys run round, while I took photos to update the Thordale website and just because.

First it was Hjalti’s turn.

Hetja was tied up (yes, she is pregnant, and no, she is not fat).

First, we stood Hjalti up for the website photos (note-to-self, must update).

Hjalti from Thordale

He is 4 gaited (walk, trot, tölt, canter)
Blup 106

“The BLUP method with animal model is used for genetic evaluation of Icelandic horses. Themethod is called BLUP (Best Linear Unbiased Prediction) since that describes the statisticalproperties of the method.  Animal model means that all available pedigree information is usedfor correct weighting of the genetic relationships among animals. The Best Linear Unbiased Prediction makes optimum use of the data on the pedigree and the scored traits and weights every piece of information correctly in accordance with the statistical model used for description of the real world.

The BLUP method is able to adjust for the effects of systematic environmental factors which can be registered in the data and make information on scores from different countries, years and on different gender comparable. The BLUP method has become a standard method for genetic evaluation of livestock (inclusive horses) worldwide.” – http://www.worldfengur.com

Hjalti’s Sire’s side (Taktur) …..

And his Dam’s (Hetja) side:

What a darling boy.

And wow, can he move.

Next up, was Efstur’s turn.

I had managed to put a headcollar on Efstur without much fuss (Huzzah!)

First up, were the website shots.

And then off he went round the school.  In-hand to start with.

And then by himself.

Firstly, there was the investigation of the buckets.

And then generally playing around.

BLUP  115 based on his two full siblings
5 gaited (ie, walk, trot, tölt, canter and pace)

Efstur’s Sire – Álfur frá Selfossi

Efstur’s Dam – Brá frá Reykjavík (and yes, she is pregnant too).  Not fat, no.

All very good.  All doing well.

We love the boys x

The winter weather has now decided to arrive.

Wind and rain. More wind. More rain.  This is a Shetland winter, although we have been very lucky recently.  I shall not complain.

I am still not convinced that Tiddles is waterproof after his “little episode” (cough, splutter, splutter, cough – that is what the Allergy Clinic called my anaphylaxis so this small demeaning phrase is now in regular use in our house) so I brought him in with his best friend (Storm) to where there is a shed to shelter in.  The small paddock with Tor, Albie and Fivla.

Storm immediately took up residence.

I told him (and Tiddles) that if Albie wanted in, then he had in and they would smile sweetly and let him be a Minion with them.

Thems are The Rules.

So, I went and sat in the shed to see who appeared.

And then a Dragon arrived.

But the Dragon was kept at bay. Those two budge for no one.  Years of training and blocking doors.

That was until they had a better idea.

And then the Dragon took over and none shall pass.  Even if they smiled sweetly.

Only this evening, Fivla, Albie and Tor were put in the stable leaving Storm and Tiddles to have the run of the field with the shed.  I doubt Fivla will ever get in there again.

Cos that’s how it works in this Shire!

Little Albie is rapidly growing into Big Albie.

Though always a very darling little boy, he is still being fed.  I haven’t “weaned” him because I think he needs everything he can get at the moment.

Milk in the morning and evening plus hard feed at breakfast and lunchtime.  He is very cuddly-wuddly and loves being hugged by us.  We still stay with him until he walks away.

He likes his food.

And so do others.  The vultures always circle.

Before Fivla arrived, the deal was always that Tor could wash-up the bowl.  Despite her small size, Tor is not prepared to share this deal with Fivla.

Ever.

One of little Albie’s problems are his hind feet.

He has dropped fetlocks (probably the wrong name – I am crap at horse anatomy and diagnosis but I know bad legs when I see them) since birth which has improved through constant hoof trimming but will never be perfect.  They also rotate when he walks which makes me wince.  Apparently he is not in pain.

Albie is not “stallion material”, as they say in the horsey-pony world.

More cheap nylon.

But we love Albie so he will be gelded probably in the new year and will be one of the Minions.

A Nylon Minion.

So, not dissimilar to other nylon Minions then!

I love my Minions.