Here are a few photos on my way home after the weekly flute lesson.  I took OH’s 4×4 eggbox-on-an-elastic-band, or Fiat Panda 4×4 as it is known.

IT IS NOT A LAND ROVER DEFENDER!

(I may never get over my loss)

Anyway, I was blown away by the views – the snow coming in over Weisdale Voe.

Grass Water, looking north west, totally solid – I had a very brief urge to go skating until I remembered I hate skating.

A panoramic view of Grass Water and Hulma Water.

The sea at the Bridge of Walls was nearly completey frozen over.

There was only a thin stream of water from the current.

Where the sea stops, the ice starts.

It was hypnotising and very eerie.

The bladderwrack seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus) and the ice are not something I see together much.

Tonight’s sunset was pink and it made everything pink as well, reflecting off the snow.

So, with this incredible backdrop, I fed and watered all the animals.  Les Grandes Dames were fed up of being in the field and barged past me, totally ignored Taktur who was screaming at them to come and “talk”.  They ran into their stable, complained about the quality of the hay and demanded a new bale was opened.  I did as I was told – they were both on the warpath.

It will all go soon. The weather is going to warm up.

(apparently)

This is my view from the front door – four fuzzy bottoms.

Although the snow is not very visible, the ground is rock solid and frozen.

Yesterday, feeling sorry for Storm (he fell over in the field) and Tiddles (he got himself stuck and in a witter), they spent 24 hours with Les Grandes Dames.

(Since taking the blog photos, I have evicted everyone as certain Minions raided the small silage bales and bit holes – FFS, they have a huge silage bale to themselves – so everyone is out in the field causing no more evil or destruction.)

I went amongst my little house herd with my camera seeing what silly photos I could take.

Apparently lots!

Tiddles – he was very keen to be kissed more than photographed.

Delia – who was very un-Delia looking but she is happy and doing her best to ignore the Minions.

(she is such a lovely old lady)

Then there is Vitamin (you can tell it is Vitamin by her hairy whiskers and Indy, her son and our stallion, looked just like her – same eyes)

And then there is Storm, ever the comedian.

Though, this is Storm’s face after he had a telling off from Delia.  It does not last long.

Before he puts on his “I-don’t-care” face!

Lambie was looking seriously handsome today.

As was Ster.

They both have lovely smiley faces with very expressive eyes.  I don’t know why folk don’t see this in sheep.

These two could run a garage selling used cars – they look so honest, the pair of them!

Storm and Tiddles, on the other hand, could not.  They would lie through their teeth and sell you a three-wheeled car promising the fourth wheel would grow later!

These boys are NOT to be trusted, ever.  Remember my silage bales.  Wrecked, I tell you, absolutely wrecked and these little lads are totally responsible.

My bad, I trusted them.  Stupid, stupid me.

We are all tired.

The mud has frozen over and is solid now, which scares the horses and ponies.  They don’t trust it to hold their weight and would rather just stay where they are.  They won’t walk anywhere.

I managed to call everyone up to be fed but Tiddles got in a panic and Storm fell over on the ice/mud.  Both were very upset and minded hugely so I let them into the bit around the house, with Les Grandes Dames and where the silage bale is.  There is no mud there and they were hugely relieved.

I have put out endless silage and everyone is happily eating or standing in their food bowls (like you do, if you are Hjalti).

The sun was shining but, boy, is it cold.  Full of silage and a good hard feed, I left everyone to nod off.

The horses like this weather, in as much as they are not wet and freezing, but they find it very difficult to walk about in.  The fear of falling through the mud is too much so they stand and eat and stand.  I went about with buckets of water (Hetja drank a whole one) as it is important they remain hydrated.  There is small stream in the corner of the field, but I doubt they will move to find it.

Hjalti is now King of the Fuzzy Butts.  He is happy to have this title.

There is ice everywhere – sheet ice on our track – and I managed to fall over on my bum.  I screamed so BeAnne instantly attacked Lambie (awful and wrong).

It may be beautiful but it is very hard work keeping 15 horses happy.

Despite being below freezing, the light, this morning was stunning.

The horses glowed in the early sunlight.  A very yellowy glow.

Last night, there had been a dusting of snow with a hard frost.  Ice was everywhere and just hard enough to step on while wondering if it would hold your weight against the mud below.

It didn’t but everywhere and mostly everyone looked drier and cleaner.

The horses were dry (except Hjalti who obviously had a little sit last night somewhere soggy) and the snow stayed on their backs acting as a layer of insulation.

This is a horse’s coat at work.  No one was shivering or miserable.  Just nice and toasty and the ponies recharged their fuel batteries with a hard feed and last night’s leftover silage.

As the air was dry, although cold, I left Delia’s rug off for the day and she could have the sun on her back.  She likes this weather and mooched about the silage bale – Les Grandes Dames have free access to this bale 24/7.  The rest don’t and I pile up their supplies in the evening.

I was out most of the day helping out a friend so when I got back, I sat on my special rock and watched the sunset with Lambie and Ster.  The only sound I could hear was the ponies munching their silage while the sun went quietly down.

Shetland in winter, on days like these, is magical.

My friend and trainer, Bjørn Roar Larsen of Bergli Stud, has got a poorly owie foot and was finding driving difficult so I volunteered my taxiing services.  I honestly didn’t mind.  I had done all my chores – everywhere was mucked out and everyone was fed huge amounts of hard feed and silage.

So, we went to feed some hay to his youngstock Shetland ponies who live in a huge (possibly 50 acre) field.  It is an incredible field.  Just huge.

I didn’t so much as “help” as stand in the way taking photos, because that is my idea of helping and my back is not up to lugging bales of hay.

I do like Bjørn’s youngstock.  There was even a few nose kisseys from those that wanted to see people more than hay and that is always lovely.

I wandered about taking photos in the winter sunlight.  Bliss.

They are happy little fat Shetland ponies in winter looking all hairy and perfect – my idea of good day.

This is how Shetland ponies should be. Living outside but pleased to see the hay but more pleased to see the people!

I do ❤ Shetland ponies.  I hope you do, too.  So important.