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.

According to the news, Storm Henry (oh why, oh why do they have to name them? – it is so naff) missed us.

Despite the “miss”, I went out to inspect a fence in Sandness that has been crashed into and, on my way home, I stopped by Dale Beach to take some photos of the wild sea.  I sat in my little car taking photos while it was buffeted about. Outside was very noisy too.

Meanwhile, at home, previously, I had thrown everyone equine outside into the hill park and told them to get on with it.  I am fed up with lurking horses and ponies saying “feed me” all the time.  A bit of fresh air is good for everyone.

Brá seems to have settled quickly.  She had a good night’s sleep and had been lying down, so was rested and much more open to meeting the herd.  She won’t let me talk to her but comes rushing if there is a bucket of food involved.  Between her and Haakon, it is like being chased by sharks!

I have let them all come in around the house this evening to eat the silage bale.  Only Les Grandes Dames are in the little stable and the rest can come and go as they please. The door is open.

There is a silage bale out which they have taken a hatred against (it’s got a “funny taste”).  I want it finished as they started biting chunks out of it while it was still wrapped up.

These are the main culprits and I am feeling a bit “bloody horses” at the moment.

I am trying hard not to be cross with Hetja as she is still nursing but, honestly, this lot have the ruddy world on a plate and yet they go on the rampage.

Brá frá Reykjavík (IS2001225271) 

By: Adam frá Ásmundarstöðum (IS1993186930)
Out of: Björk frá Kýrholti (IS1989258435)

Brá is a 15 yo 5 gaited mare (confirmed pregnant by Álfur frá Selfossi (IS2002187662)
Red bay no white markings (Rauðjörp)
BLUP 107

Her extended pedigree:

We collected her off the boat this morning. Brá has travelled all the way from Norway where she has been living since her original importation from Iceland.

Brá seems to have travelled well so I immediately put her out with the others and left her to graze on some hay.

The others were intrigued but kept their distance as Brá made it very clear that is what she could cope with.

The snow still hasn’t gone, so after lunch I caught Brá, tied her up, tried a rug on her, took it off again, gave her a good brush, talked to her and led her around the school to see what she thought of things.  To start with Brá was very apprehensive and jumpy so I chatted away in my low calm-voice while she relaxed and I brushed away all the travel knots.  She led nicely, listening to me and stopped when I stopped.  I could see Brá was tense and very tired so I gave her a bucket of food and then put her in the small separate stable with a big pile of the silage she likes.  I dragged Iacs in by his chin hairs to keep her company in the next door bigger stall.

Tomorrow is a new day and I think after a good sleep and feed, Brá will be fine and will be more receptive to meeting everyone.

I think we got off lightly.  A slightly rumbled derelict shed wall and the sheep shed roof is a bit less attached to its moorings (the builder is on his way).

The horses all seem very relaxed and calm after their long stay indoors.  The mucking out was horrendous and done by OH who never once complained.  That man needs a medal.

So now we have snow.  Great big lumps of splatty snow falling out of the sky and everyone wants to be able to choose whether they are in or out.

I gave up and opened the gate so the herd have free access to the bale of silage and the shed, if they want.

Today’s snow brought out a certain playful side in certain small Minions.

It was lovely to see my little boys playing.  I think Silver was egging the ever-easily-led Tiddles on.  He does believe everything they tell him.  I am reminded of the blue goldfish scenario.

Everyone is disgusting – filthy and wet but I am not worried.

Delia is doing well. Her rug is a god-send and she understands she must stand still when I am trying to put it her on in gale force winds and it is flapping around her ears.  I love that pony. She has a quiet dignity that many could learn from.

Little Himself is looking good too – he is still nursing from Hetja who, of course, is the most perfect of mothers.

And then suddenly there was a crash – as in someone was doing bad things and it all went very wrong.  Lambie shot out of a shed towards me. (I must not laugh, I must not laugh – but honestly, that wool is hilarious!)

I was in a foul mood today and then I went outside and laughed at the madness of it all.

No photos, for obvious reasons.

I woke up to hear the wind blowing outside.  Nothing huge but I knew what was to come.  I shot out of bed, got dressed and OH kindly came outside with me.  The horses were already inside from last night and we had an hour before the hurricane really took its hold so time was important.

I went to the feed shed and managed to get a bucket of sheep food which I put in a safe unwindy place for later.

Then I met OH in the big school shed.  We filled up buckets and, while OH did a bit of a poo-pick, I went into the stable and pushed each Minion through to join the big boys.  They need the space and had probably irritated the girls all night.

I then swept the muck on the floor to one side, spread out the remainder of a bale of sawdust, topped up everyone’s water and opened a bale of silage, splitting it between the girls.

Meanwhile, OH fetched a bale for the boys and we took it in, opened it and split it up for everyone.

I threw a bucket of food at the sheeps and we ended up by locking them in their shed as their roof began to lift off.  There was nothing we could do, just watch and pray it didn’t go and if it did, that it didn’t take anything else with it.

The wind has been over 100mph and this was no weather to go outside (Red Alert weather warning).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-35443514

Snow is now forecast (sarcastic yay) and the gale continues for another 24 hours (another sarcastic yay).

Just before dark, the wind had died down slightly so OH and I went out and repeated the feeding and watering process for the horses.  We made the executive decision to let Lambie and Ster out of their shed as they would be safer finding their own place to hunker down in.  They were overjoyed and bounced all over the place with happiness!  Daft sheeps.