When I first purchased Hetja from Iceland, I was told by her owner not to stable her as she would hate it.  I listened to this advice.

How come, then is Hetja addicted to, and has made her own, the Minions’ Shed?

The only person allowed in is obviously Hjalti and Hetja stands guard dragon-like protecting her most precious possession.  None shall pass and they are not coming in ……. ever.

Everyone left Hetja to it and Esja is integrated into the herd.

I stupidly thought Esja would be thrilled to see Hetja, as they were joined at the hip last year.

How wrong I was.  They have split into separate herds now.

There are herd dynamics going on and I am not very sure what they are.  Sometimes Delia and Vitamin are friends with Storm and Tiddles (the needy babies) and then they are all off together with Waffle lording it over everyone (in a very small way).

Delia is looking very well, though lame.  She is on regular painkillers and ant-inflammatories and I hope we can sort this.  I don’t like animal living with constant pain.  She will be on box-rest for a few days to try and sort it out. I don’t want to call the vet to do The Deed.  I really don’t.  She looks so good (apart from the hopping).

Esja introduced herself to everyone.  For every pony, she met she squealed like a pig, but that was all – no argy-bargey.

I want everyone to go out and explore and eat.  Hetja and Hajlti need to leave the Minion Boudoir and stop being quite so precious.

At night, Vitamin, Delia (with painkillers) plus Storm and Tiddles came rushing in.  Storm says he will still melt.  I do believe him.

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Les Cadeaux du jour!

Icelandic Horse Post-It Notes Post-it® Notes by Boysenberries

Icelandic horse grazing playing cards by Boysenberries

Icelandic horse USB Stick Wood USB 2.0 Flash Drive by Boysenberries

I made an executive decision to put all the girls and Minions together in one field.

It would make my life much easier.

I think because there was space (20 acres), everyone felt more at ease this time.

However, there was one huge bum kicking match between Vitamin and Hetja – both dominant mares (oooh, Vitamin does look like her son, Indy when she is herrumphing).

Vitamin was incensed that she was not the boss anymore and did not relinquish her role graciously.

But Hetja won hands down for having a foal at foot, plus a bigger bottom and being younger.  I was a bit nervous to start with and umm-ed and ahh-ed as to whether I should take Hetja and Hjalti out.  In the end I decided to leave them to it.

Big Himself could hear the shouting and was offering his help, which didn’t make anything easier either.

We came home from Lerwick (beautiful sunset) and I wondered how everyone would be,

I needn’t have worried – they were all fine.

Much more settled.  The field is big enough to support two different herds or at least give those that want it, space.

Hetja disowned the whole lot!  Fine.

With the sun almost gone, I shouted for those that wanted to come in.  Les Grandes Dames and Storm shot into the stable without being asked twice.  The others elected to stay outside so that was a perfect arrangement.  I was only really wanting Les Grandes Dames in (and Storm obviously because if it rained, he says he will melt!)

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Today’s Advent prezzie – this was the one of the first times Tiddles started to play so it is an important milestone photo!

TIddles and Storm stickers by Boysenberries

Tiddles and Storm bag by Boysenberries

TIddles and Storm postcard by Boysenberries

TIddles and Storm plain postcard by Boysenberries

(I am beginning to hate Zazzle)

The Advent Calendar Explained!

Firstly, it is for my two daughters, Daisy and Flossie – I am so, so sorry I didn’t send you an Advent Calendar.  This is my first year out of 22 that I haven’t remembered and there really is no excuse, except I haven’t been to town for months.  Anywho, I hope this one will make up for it.

Secondly, to my blog-readers, the photos can be downloaded and used by you but please don’t put them up for publication by anyone else.  I get depressed when I see my work being printed without my permission.  They make good screensavers.

Thirdly, there is an extra surprise.  With every advent picture, there is also a Zazzle product(s) using that image.  So, like today, if you feel the need for Wu on a cushion, you are in luck!

Wu’s Black and White Cushion by Boysenberries

Depending on time and my abilities, there are also some little silly things – like today’s is Wu on a ping pong ball.

Why, you ask?
My answer:  Because I can and somehow I imagine the whole world would be a better place if everyone had Wu on a ping pong ball!  There is also a Christmas decoration.

Wu’s PingPong Ball by Boysenberries

So please enjoy the Advent Calendar and the “presents” inside, so to speak.  I think the only way I can tell you what I have made for that day is to put the link of my efforts on the daily blog.

These are today’s creations.

Wussums’ Advent Gifts – UK site

Wussums’ Advent Gifts – Rest of the World, I think

Tell your friends, get them to vote for me on the Haynet blogger of the year too, if you can. I put up the buttons in the hope it will remind anyone who thinks they can wriggle out of their responsibility.

Remember, there is no such thing as a free lunch!

Everyone is happy and well in their respective fields.  Hetja, Hjalti, Waffle and Silver are one happy family.  Hetja will even suffer Minions eating out of her bowl.  She bosses them all around and they all stand where they are put.  She definitely has The Look that all mothers have.  It needs no words – we all know what it means.

The Big Boys are happy together.

Silver and Storm left them this morning and have moved in with the Ladies, Vitamin and Delia.  They didn’t need asking twice and trotted enthusiastically into their field after breakfast.

Vitamin was poking her head out of the shed door.

Vitamin:  I don’t think there’s room in here, Storm dear.
Storm:  Au contraire (giving a hefty shove)
Tiddles:  Room for a little one – make way (clambering in through everyone’s legs!)
Delia:  Hello, dearies.

So now the shed fits four and there is no arguing or anything really.

It is snug but they all want to be together.  Delia and Vitamin seem far less fed up now, even venturing out with the boys to have some grass and fresh air.  Storm and Tids are enjoying being the men of the house!

Lambie has discovered a new love – carrots!

I have to hold them for him like a lollipop so he can crunch his way through.  Put it on the floor and he immediately loses interest so I stand outside, for what feels like hours in the freezing cold, feeding carrots to Lambie (and Lambert).  Lambster is not sure about this new development but has learned to run almost properly and to give nose kisseys (luffley).  He is nearly a normal sheep.

I went out for a little drive just to see what the wave situation was – good with lovely colours.  Enjoy my drive. I sat in the car with the heater on full blast, taking photos out of the window!

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It is a tad feisty out.

I wanted to muck out Les Grandes Dames’ boudoir so I put them in the stable and where Storm and Tiddles were hiding.  Sadly, Storm does not live up to his name and detests bad weather and Tiddles was feeling rather hard done by on the food front so had come in too.

The boys were intrigued by the lovely ladies and asked to be introduced so I opened the gate between them.  They have never met ladies properly – only gazed from a distance, which is not the same thing at all.

The Ladies were totally underwhelmed by these two little squirts but also very slightly intrigued.  They had probably never met anything so small with an opinion.

They didn’t know whether to mother them or to f….. feel sorry for them!

Vitamin was in a bit of a Mrs Robinson mood, which was very funny to watch and, yes, Storm suddenly had a look of Dustin Hoffman about him.

It was all a bit like The Graduate.  “Mrs Robinson” gave him her best come-hither look.

You could see Storm trying to work out what was expected.

Luckily nothing!  Basic logistics were against Storm.  I wish the Boudoir was a bit bigger as they could all live there together but two Grandes Dames plus Storm and Tiddles equals a bit of a squish and I don’t want anyone standing outside feeling miserable.

When the weather improves, or on good days, I will put the little Minions out with the Ladies for the day and they can show them their big field, or their etchings or whatever it is miniature Shetland pony Lotharios do.

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