Lots done today.

Floss and I went for a ride.  This time it was different – Floss rode Haakon while I rode Klaengur.

Floss wanted to experience speed.

And so she did.  Haakon looked after Floss very well but he has his own opinions. This was a good thing because she actually had to have some input.  She described him as “not easy, but it was fun.  You get somewhere”.

(This is Haakon’s dinosaur face as Klaengur is in front and he hates that).

But we went for a spin down the road and back again – it was educational for everyone.

After lunch, we went out for our daily “dog” walk.  I decided we should take a couple of Minions with us.  Floss led Silver.

And I led Tiddles.  Storm was with Taktur being a Big Boy that has to eat, while Waffle was in everyone’s bad books for chasing Lambie.  He was in a bad mood as he wanted to join Storm to stuff his face but I wouldn’t let him because he is so very fat.  So Waffle took it out on Lambie, got his arse kicked for his troubles and returned swiftly to his field.

Off we went.  Loki was over the horizon trying to disown us and the intrepid Lambie was therefore leading. Lambert was the tail end Charlie and, in the end, Lambie stopped to eat a thistle and stayed with him.

Silver and Floss went on ahead.

And Tiddles went very very slowly, grinding to a halt at the slightest opportunity!

But it was a good thing to show the boys The World.  They met a car, an oil tanker lorry and generally behaved as best they could (we may have to work on their leading skills in the future – a winter project, methinks).

After Lyra yesterday, we went on to see Esja in her field which is almost next door.  Esja shares it with a friend’s Shetland pony mares.

Esja was first up and very keen to see us.  I popped a headcollar on her and she had a quick brush.

Flossie was a thing of mystery to the Shetland mares with the bright grooming box.

Meanwhile, I did some leading in-hand work with Esja on the other side of the field.  Esja was a good girl and remembered everything from last week.  I asked her to leave the herd and walk with me round her field.  Some horses can get very arsy about leaving their friends but Esja poddled after me, listening, caring and doing as I asked – just to walk nicely with me, stand quietly and instantly when I stopped walking and to tune into my body language.

It was not a long training session.  Ten minutes, if that, and then I took off her headcollar, told her she was a very good girl and gave her a small reward (those large pony nuts that have a funny smell of Dolmio bolognese sauce).

In the distance, Flossie was getting along well with a little grey mare who is the spit of Flossie’s Fivla.

They were very drawn to each other.  I think they are about to form a Mutual Appreciation Society.

I thought I would go and cut some tails that are dragging on the ground so Floss and I drove to Sandness to the girls’ field.

Lyra came racing up to Flossie.  I think she thought she might be Her Daisy, although Floss is taller.

This is her “But, but, but….. you’re not My Daisy” face.

She sniffed Flossie all over, determined to find out who this interloper was – she has met Flossie before but I think I had Daisy with me.  Lyra has never displayed such purposeful behaviour towards anyone other than Her Daisy.

Lyra was not deterred in her intense investigations but let Floss kiss her.

But we could see that Lyra was utterly bemused by this person who sort of smelled like Her Daisy but obviously wasn’t.

It was very sweet.  She was determined to find out what Flossie was if she wasn’t going to be Her Daisy.

She was very gentle and puzzled.

I gave Lyra a brush as well as cutting her long dragging tail while she took an interest in Flossie.

Having finished, we walked away and Lyra never took her eyes of us (probably Flossie) while the other two continued to eat.

As we got into the car, Lyra left the others and trotted up to the fence.

Then she whinnied.  Most odd.  She so wanted Flossie to be Her Daisy.

I hadn’t seen the horses since this morning so I thought we ought to go and have a look. I like to know they are alright.

En route, we found the “bouncy spot” and Floss jumped up and down!  I am not sure what you would call this pedological phenomenon.  I can only describe it as a saturated bump in the middle of the horses’ field that has appeared this year.  It makes excellent squelchy noises too.  Most satisfactory.

The dot is on the horizon is Taktur.  The drystone wall is the half way point of the size of the field and the horses are at the furthest point.

After an exhaustive yomp, we reached the chaps.

Waffle and Silver were standing together.

My little boys are all grown up now and they are both looking very *** cough *** well (read fat!) which is good as we are going into a very hard winter.  I know all about El Niño and what affect it is may have on Shetland.

Storm and Tiddles came racing up too for a chat.

This end of the field is probably the herd’s favourite place.  It is very different from the green-grass part as it is part of the original hill (the croft’s apportionment) that has been fenced in many years ago.

There is lots of space for everyone.

Dotted about are useful little pools of water, as well as a fresh burn that comes off Stourborough Hill at the back.

So we sat down, surrounded by The Minions and admired the average view!

There are roads in Shetland I go past and think “I must drive down there one day” but I never do.

So, today, we did!

We were in Tresta anyway (on the sunny westside of Shetland) and, after our appointment, Floss and I went exploring down a road I have always wanted to see what was at the end of.  It was a lovely day, I had my cameras, my camera-holder (Floss) and it seemed like a good idea.

We found this!  The entrance to Sandsound Voe.

There were some lived-in houses en route but the end of the road was more of a beauty spot than a place of habitation.  This is Runna Ness or Runnaness.

(I had a bit of a play with my cameras, I will admit)

And look – Trees!

So, it was a very interesting little exploration and I must do this again definitely with my cameras.