I have been working very hard on the new Thordale website and I think it is now finally finished.

Please spread the word, tell your friends and if you find any howlers, let me know and if you want to re-write it, please feel free!

Yesterday, for the website, I took a photo of Hjalti “standing up” properly.  He was a very good boy.  So good, in fact, that I decided to take his headcollar off.  I am not a fan of horses wearing headcollars in fields.

Everyday, now, I go up to the field armed with carrot slices and two buckets with Mare & Foal mix and soaked sugar beet.

Hjalti and Hetja are both very happy to see me and to be fed.

And yes, I said TWO buckets!

Hetja is ever watchful and not a greedy get-off-my-food type of mother.

She loves her little boy so much.  Like Vitamin, a foal of her own was all she ever wanted.

Hjalti still nurses often and Hetja rarely says no.

Today, Hjalti decided to investigate the furry creation that always travels with me.  She told him off when over-stepped the mark.  He just took a step back and looked surprised!

Hjalti is much braver about me, which is good and considering I always come bearing gifts.

He likes to be scratched under his neck but not half as much as he likes to be nose-kisseyed!

He is definitely One of Us.  All my animals seem to understand this training method.

I continue to deliberate about putting The Minions in with Hjalti and Hetja.  My jury is still out.

I have this “problem”.

It manifests itself every time I go to the beach.

(which is quite often at the moment because I have to check on Delia’s rug).

I always take the dogs with me as they like the beach too.

Anywho, my problem.

Well, I am ashamed to talk about it really.

But……..

I like to collect interesting shaped or coloured beach stones and take them home with me in the hope that once home, they stay just as beautiful and can now adorn my house, only they don’t.

By the way, this problem also includes shells.

I do have some standards (no limpets or barnacles) but I also have piles of not-very-pretty-now-they-are-home shells and stones.

Even stones with potential messages look ugly and silent the minute they reach home.

It is a bit like going round Ikea with a shopping trolley, buying everything in sight because it looks fab in the store and then getting it all home, unpacking it and asking yourself why, just why.

When I was a child, we used to drag these rocks home, realise they were boring and then put them in a rotary rock-tumbling machine (it rumbled on and on in the garage for years).  The results were just as horrible but now had value, if only from the electric it cost.  I remember sticking them onto blank bracelets with araldite (remember the matches stirring the two types together) and distributed to family for Christmas!

Am I alone?  Do I need therapy?

Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.

A rug has been found for Delia.  One of Hammy’s old ones (I thought they had all gone with him when he escorted Indy to his new home).

Poor Delia is utterly fed up of me going into her field with yet another flappy bat thing.   I have tried on a different rug almost every day.  None of them fitted. I can almost hear her sigh when she sees me.  Anyway, this one almost fits – it will do until her bigger rug arrives. Her bottom sticks out a little.

Lyra was intrigued and very curious about Delia’s new fashion item.

She was trying to rest her teeth on the fabric until I shouted at her – that is her “Who? Me?” face.

Once the rug was on and fitted to her, Delia was snuggly, very snuggly indeed.  I hope it will make a huge difference to her this winter.

After the fitting, I went round taking silly photos of the ladies.

Lyra, as always, looked beautiful.  She is a very pretty mare.

Her mother, Vitamin, hogged the camera completely.  Bless her, she is such a character – she always wuffles when she sees me.  Indy was so like her (I miss him desperately).

So I shall sleep happier knowing Delia has a wearable rug for the oncoming foul winter weather.  The temperature is slowly dropping and the usual mud, that never really went away, is returning.  I will dig out my winter wardrobe soon.

There was a lull for a couple of hours in the weather this afternoon so, having spent the morning creating more of the f***ing website, I went out to do my chores as quickly as possible before the rain started again.

The Minions had turned up so I fed them a token-gesture, but took Storm out to give him a real bucket of calories.  I felt under his rug to see if it was wet but after 24 hours of rain, Storm was lovely and dry underneath.

I think it is a Ruggles’ – 250g Teflon Coated Combo Turnout Rug or the 400g 1200D Teflon Coated Combo Turnout Rug

I cannot recommend this rug highly enough.  Whatever weight it is, I know that it is Storm’s absolute most favouritist rug ever.  He even tries to bite me if I suggest removing it.  He would quite like it on all summer too.  It fits very well and is, hopefully, invincible.

It does not stop any games, either.  Restricted?  Hell, no!

Anyway, everyone was on top form, galloping about, annoying each other, as is a Minion’s want!

Nothing contains a Minion.  Fences are just badly made containment inventions.

This sight depresses me hugely but I have to admire Minion ingenuity and the fact that the big horses can’t do it ….. yet.

They are so happy they can escape to the best grassy field.

There is always lots of galloping about to prove their point!

At least they can’t open gates……. again, yet!

I want Hjalti to realise that I am not just the person who tries to catch him only to endlessly fiddle about with his hoof, wrapping and unwrapping irritating bandages, dragging him here, there and everywhere as well as sticking pins into him.

Oooh, the indignity of it all.

Now his hoof is on the mend, my OH and I went to see him with pocketfuls of carrot slices.

Hjalti has only recently decided that we are not trying to force-feed him poison and will graciously accept a carrot if it is the right size to slip into his mouth so he can daintily chew it.

Luckily for Hjalti, his mother is very keen on carrots too so sets a good example.

Hetja doesn’t waste time holding grudges.  Her motto is life is too short to waste on saying no to potential calories.

But once the food has gone, mother and son are gone too.  Bunched bottoms vanishing into the distance!

Hjalti moves beautifully and it is a pleasure to watch him run around.

He is still very reliant on Hetja.

I am wondering whether to introduce him to two of the Minions (or even all four).  If so, which ones and would this be A Bad Thing.

Would Hetja be nice to my little boys?

Too much to think about.  I will sleep on it.