The wind is blowing, the rain is lashing and we are all very bored, bored, bored of it.

I have been trying to encourage the horses and ponies to stay outside but they are fed up and tired.   Despite having hard feed, shelter and grass, they want a break from the non-stop wind and rain.

The girls are with The Minions, though Tiddles somehow is living with the big boys.  I forget how that happened but he happy enough pretending he is a 14hh Icelandic horse and they “mother” him.  Esja is getting to know The Minions.  She is Hetja’s No 2 and is a lovely kind mare who, like Hetja, doesn’t like trouble in the herd.

Floss and I gave everyone who would stand still long enough a good mane and tail brush.  From the state and length of The Minions’ manes, I think there is a Nibbler in our midst.  It all looks a bit chopped.  I am sure I remember Silver having a better mane than that.

I have made a concerted effort not to rug Storm just because he says so.  He is looking good and has a nice bottom/weight to him even though he says he melts a little every time it rains.

In each shed is a toy.  One for the boys and one for the girls.

Buckets of water are placed around the shed so there is no hogging.

The old girls are finding this winter very difficult.  I am going to keep them in more, if that is what they want.

Hjalti is still nursing from Hetja so important and necessary food is going in.  He tends to play with his hard feed.

They are a peaceful happy little bunch and Hetja is a good leader.  She rules very well.

☔️ ☁️ 💦 ☔️ ☁️ 💦 ☔️ ☁️ 💦 ☔️ ☁️ 💦 ☔️ ☁️ 💦 ☔️ ☁️ 💦 ☔️ ☁️ 💦 ☔️ ☁️ 💦 ☔️ ☁️ 💦 ☔️ ☁️ 💦

Shetland Pony Foal ribbon Satin Ribbon by Boysenberries

Shetland pony foal puzzle by Boysenberries

Shetland pony foal nightlight night lights by Boysenberries

I pulled my sleigh round Lerwick for the last time before Christmas (I write hopefully).  I filled it up with bags of horse food and various things I deemed a necessity rather than a luxury, like Chinese ingredients for Floss’ immense cookathons – she is very good.

With my camera slung round my neck, I wandered the deserted streets of Lerwick looking for Christmas inspiration.

I doubt any high street in Britain looks like this two and a half weeks before Christmas.  It is very depressing.

The shops had made a Christmassy effort, which was lovely.

Lunch was spent sitting in the car, eating fish and chips (with extra vinegar, please) looking at the waves crashing down in front of us.  There is nothing better, in my opinion.

The very definition of awesome.

I am not very good at shopping these days. I get bored easily, talk myself out of whatever it was I wanted and then give up and go home.  Which is exactly what I did today.

The horses are all happily outside and although it is very windy, it is also quite warm (10 degrees celsius) so they can stay out tonight.

However, my best surprise today was this…..

Yay.  Get me!  A huge thank you to everyone who voted for me.  I appreciate it hugely and winning means a great deal (it is not just the taking part, you know – never believe that!)

🎂 🎀 🎂 🎀  🎂 🎀 🎂 🎀 🎂 🎀 🎂 🎀 🎂 🎀 🎂 🎀 🎂 🎀 🎂 🎀

Puffin Poker Chip Poker Chip Set by Boysenberries

Puffin Coaster Ceramic Knob by Boysenberries

Puffin Ipad Case iPad Cover by Boysenberries

Floss came home a few days ago and today I found her mucking out the big shed while I played rookie and had gone out for a ride hoping no one would notice.

I will admit to feeling guilty so, to make up for my disappearance, I offered to give Floss a riding lesson on Bimble.

She caught and tacked Bimble up and I could see he was very happy to finally be doing something.  He loves being ridden and has spent many weeks with his head hung over the gate waiting to see if it will ever be his turn.  I am not a huge fan of riding Bimble as he trots and that hurts my back.

Bimble was a very good boy.  He enjoyed himself and I hope Flossie did too.  She remembered everything and the pair of them happily bimbled around the school.

There were even moments of controlled speed with added steering and control!

I think they look very good together and I sincerely hope Floss goes on with this riding thing as I think she has good hands and a lovely seat (though I might take her stirrups up one).

Bimble, of course, after all his hard work, was exhausted and adopted his nose-wheel gait.

I love seeing my daughters ride.  It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

And is this, could it possibly be, dare I say it?  Tölt?  Maybe, almost. There must be a full moon.

👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣

Haakon and Tiddles Fannypack Nylon Fanny Pack by Boysenberries

Think Big Laptop Case Computer Sleeves by Boysenberries

Think Big T-Shirt by Boysenberries

Storm Desmond seems reluctant to leave us but everyone needs fresh air after a night indoors. This afternoon I only happened to say “Do you….” and whoosh, the whole lot zoomed up the hill.

This morning I put Delia in her lovely new rug.  It is perfect for her – fits beautifully and she is much happier in it.  She didn’t even argue when I put it on – usually we go round and round a bit first.  This rug has given Delia new life.

I can still see the sparkle in her eyes and she is walking, trotting and cantering with the others and is very much part of the herd, bossing the youngsters about.  It makes me very happy.  She is a dear old girl.

Her friend, Vitamin, is the complete opposite.  She is the most determined Shetland pony I know.  The word “No” does not feature in her vocabulary.  She barges past to where she wants to go and God help anyone who gets in her way.

Hetja is still the boss, though.  She leads the herd and they follow.  Very much Queen Hetja.

“Bring ’em home, Hetja” is what I shout and home they all go.

I then went to the back field where Kappi and Taktur were perfecting their psychic messaging to me – they wanted to come in too.  So I shouted for the stragglers and whoosh, there they were!

The boys are all in the big indoor school with hay and silage out.  I also moved the Minions in there as they miss their big guys and are getting rather bored of being bossed around by the girls.

A  mega-mucking out tomorrow.  Yay (said with no enthusiasm)

🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲

Storms Waterbottle 18oz Water Bottle by Boysenberries

Storm Bathmat Bath Mats by Boysenberries

Storm on a postcard by Boysenberries

I moved everyone around again this morning – round and round they go, where they stop nobody knows!

The boys went into the field over the hill.  I moved 15 horses/ponies using two head collars (I am very proud of this achievement).  I put headcollars on Haakon and Taktur and warned Iacs, Klaengur and Kappi that if they strayed into the hill, I would shut the gate and leave them to it.

Surprisingly, they all followed nicely and happily galloped into their field – success!

The girls were moved by opening the gate, shouting and they all went straight in.

I then spent the next 3 hours mucking out while managing to fall into the muck-heap!  It took forever because there was a gale going on which makes everything take twice as long.

This was me.

My youngest daughter, Flossie, came home for Christmas from university.  Last night her flight was cancelled because of the storm so I was mightily relieved to see her today.

I immediately put her to work.  I have a terrible habit of just throwing stuff into my shed, rather than find it a place and keeping it tidy there.  So “stuff” needed sorting.

We tried a small quilted dressing gown on Lambie (well, we told him that is what it was).  He loved it and happily wandered about wearing it.

Purple suits him.

You can do pretty much anything with Lambie and he thinks he is more special.

Flossie spent time renewing her friendship with Lambie and introducing herself to Lambster, who we may rename Lambikins as his name does not suit him.  He is not a tough boy.

So one down, one to go and then drawbridge up!

👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

Chocolate Vitamin Chocolate Dipped Oreo by Boysenberries

Shetland Pony Watch by Boysenberries

Shetland Pony Bag Duck Canvas Bag by Boysenberries

Black Shetland Pony Coaster Stone Coaster by Boysenberries

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