Brá is gradually coming out of her shell.  She comes up to talk to me and waits for me to let her out into the yard to eat the silage.  I think she is beginning to put on weight as well, which is good as she ran up a bit thin after her long trip.  If it is cold, Brá wears a rug as her coat is now coming out thick and fast.  Mostly I can take the rug off and on without having to catch her first though I do have to constantly remind her that no one has actually died having a rug put on.

I like this mare – she wants to be my friend and she is quickly getting used to our little ways or “oddness”!

Brá has two hard feeds a day (morning and evening) and then unlimited silage all day.  She rejoins the herd at night and is far more accepting of them.  In the morning, I find her stood in a group with everyone and she seems to be less aloof.

Here is one “oddness” who came running when I shouted his name.   I have had dogs who are not nearly as well trained as Lambie!

OH spent the morning mending the wheelbarrow (with helpers of both the Minion and sheep variety) and then set off with it to sort out the craters on our track (his constant Nemesis).

As well as Brá, The Minions are allowed out en masse to eat the bale during the day while the big ones get given piles of silage in the afternoon.

So my day is spent feeding, moving, switching horses and ponies about.  It is like a nightmare restaurant.

There are two things Minions want.

The First – to come into the house.  This is Storm’s biggest wish.  He loves the idea of living in the house and is determined to achieve his dream  (just like two other woolly beasts).  He thinks nothing of wandering in.

I kissed the nosey and used the No word.  Storm could not believe I could be quite so mean and negative.

(OH is going south next week.  I will say no more……)

The Second – carrots, lots and lots of lovely carrots, please.

All for themselves.

With no sharing with the Big Ones.  All for The Minions.

I was feeling kind and threw them half a sack of carrots and the little boys were in heaven.

I was told that carrots are good for “digestive support”.  I just think it makes everyone smile and love me very much.

Silver’s Best Behaviour Face!

Tiddles asking if there are anymore sacks left that need finishing or using up.

And Waffle feeling a bit over-carrotted, I think (note Storm’s bottom in the background.  He had kindly volunteered to stay behind and do the washing up).

So now you know.  Two things.

A lovely cold calm day today.  Few and far between in Shetland, but days like this make the long winters worth it.  The days are getting longer too by about 10 minutes a day (happy, happy).

I had the place to myself and I loved every moment of it.

Having finished my chores, I pottered about with my camera.

Vitamin is, as ever, the model.  Its her eyes.  She has beautiful expressive eyes.

All the horses and ponies were out in the fields. They had free run of all the fields.  You would think everyone would love this but no, two little boys (Storm and Tiddles) turned back to be with Les Grandes Dames.  I didn’t force them out as they are not huge fans of mud or ice.

BeAnne was chatting with Lambie and Ster.

I think she employs them as her two body guards.

Ster decided to see what Storm was all about.

They got on very well.  Storm loves a good game and Ster loves a good butt.

I spent the rest of the morning sat down on my rock and watched Lambie and Ster together.  They are a comedy duo and make me laugh at their endless games, expressions and general floofiness.

They like to sit outside the front door while my anti-sheep door (patent pending) works like a charm.  I put the radio on for them.

Meanwhile, quietly, telling no one, Tiddles had kept himself busy.

He was eating the muck heap.

Remind me not to kiss his nosey – I know where it’s been!

Loki arrived in July 2013.  Rescued from the mean streets of Elgin, he has never ever really got on with Wu, our resident rescue fat cat.  Everytime he saw Wu (short for Wussums), Loki’s ears would prick up and he would chase him meaning business.  We tried many methods to stop this behaviour with absolutely no success.  It ended up with Wu living in our bedroom upstairs and coming and going through the velux window at night.  Not ideal, but we all managed and Wu stayed alive timing his goings out when he knew Loki was safely in the house.

Previously, ie pre-Loki, Wu had been a fairly sociable boy, living on my computer chair and coming for walks or rides with the dogs.  But the arrival of Loki quickly put a stop to that.

I think it was the arrival of Lambie last spring that made Wu realise that, if a teeny tiny lamb could live in the kitchen and stay alive, why on earth was he running away from Loki.  It was the running that made Loki give chase.

So Wu gradually became brave again and started by coming into the sitting room, walking slowly past Loki and now, guess what, after two and half years, they all live in peace and harmony.  There is no chasing.

Our First Family Photo (so proud *** sniff ***).  This is a beautiful moment.  Wu is back to normal.

(Note to self – I really must clean the house, but then again.)

This is Wu’s Bond moment.  “So, Meester Bond, we meet again…..”

I am pleased with Loki.  He and Wu have finally reached a truce.   Like I said, it only took 2 and a half years!

Brá (pronounced, I think and don’t quote me, Brow – like eye-brow and not like lingerie 😀) spends most of her time by herself.  Today, after letting everyone outside, she just stood at the top of the field on her own.  I didn’t like that so I brought her inside to talk to.

So far, she has not been letting me very near so, armed with a carrot, I approached her quietly, gave her the carrot and put the headcollar on.  I led her, on her own, to the indoor school where I tied her up and gave her a bit of a brush.

After her brush, I led her around the school and we spent some one-on-one time together.  I talked a lot to her and she listened, probably slightly bemused, while I stroked her face and worked calmly and slowly.  Eventually she relaxed and let out a huge breath.  While leading her, I realised she had joined up with me so I took the headcollar off and she followed me round the school, stopping when I stopped and a connection was made.   This was a huge breakthrough and her eyes definitely softened (I love her light brown eyeliner and muzzle).  I gave her a little lunch (she had breakfast) and then some hay and left her alone.

A bit later on, I let two Minions in to eat with her.  Tiddles is very taken with Brá and she doesn’t seem threatened by small ponies.

As it got later, Storm and Les Grandes Dames went in as well.

(I think Delia is looking good)

Of course Storm had to annoy Brá.  She has a very low tolerance for rudeness and presumption.

Anyway, she is spending the night with this lot – I added Waffle too but it was dark by then.

I hope the vile Shetland weather is not a huge shock to Brá.  Sadly her coat is coming out in handfuls so I may end up rugging her.

Meanwhile, that silage will be finished.  Once I see a clean plate, I will put out a nicer bale.  I am being tough!

More bad weather, of course, is looming.