I had a message first thing this morning that Hjalti was lame with a swollen back leg.

He had been stabled with his mother, Hetja, who was becoming increasingly stressed.  She hates being stabled.

The Gods were smiling and the vet was with us 30 minutes later.

In the meantime, I put a headcollar and rope on Hjalti, tied up Hetja with a bucket of food and the vet examined an exceedingly uncooperative colt.

He found an obvious puncture wound (closed and old) and an abscess brewing in Hjalti’s hind fetlock joint and pastern – a dodgy place to have an abscess.

Hjalti’s leg was shaved and he started a course of intramuscular antibiotic injections.

Treatment – he needs daily foot soaks with hot poulticing and kept clean.

So I made the decision to bring him home.

They both loaded well and travelled back to mine with Hetja’s head stuck out of the trailer.

We soaked Hjalti’s foot. After an initial struggle, he stood nicely with his foot in a bucket for a good time.  Next, I hot-poulticed his foot and he will stay inside for tonight with his mum.

I returned to their stable an hour later to find the poultice kicked off.  I shan’t interfere with him again tonight but will have another go tomorrow.

I gave them both a big bucket of food and a pile of hay and left them munching.  Hjalti was yawning.

Hetja quickly settled here.  She is not sweating now, shouting or minding being kept in.  It was a big day for her too.  They are tired.

Healing vibes for Hjalti and one very large gin and tonic for me, please!

Esja is starting her training.

She is 4 years old and we have waited an extra year because she was not mature enough.  It would’ve done more damage than good to start her before and I am glad we waited.  It was definitely the right thing to do.

The horse we are working with now is a very different horse from the one last year.  Esja is sensible, careful and listening – all the right ingredients for backing.  (I hate the word “breaking” a horse.  I would hate to break anything.  Train or work with, sounds much more gentle and cooperative.)

So, yesterday, once home, the first thing we did, was to run Esja round the school – to see what paces or gaits she has.  Esja is a tölter.

There is definitely pace as well and maybe trot, but who knows.  She will make a lovely family horse.

She has already mastered the “long and low” mantra – a good way of thinking.

Today, she had her first bridle with a bit put on.

She thought it was extraordinary.

And we watched her experiment with this new contraption.

There was no panicking.  Esja was left tied up with others around her and given time to get used to the new feeling in her mouth.

It didn’t take long and once she had decided nothing much had changed, I took her for a walk round the school, asking her to stop and start while learning my body language.

Esja’s training consists walking a mile to the indoor school every other day.  She leads nicely and is learning to trust me and to help me open/close gates (turn on the forehand).  She takes everything in her stride.  When we wait for the others, I lie across her back and make a fuss of her.  All is good.

A good visitor is someone who brings the most important gift to a small Shetland pony Minion……

FOOD!

Give me an A.
Give me a P
Give me another P
Give me an L
Give me an E
And then an S

A-P-P-L-E-S  (or carrots, they love carrots!)

What do you get?…..some very happy Minions (and their big friend who happened to be in the area).

The boys love apples.  They rarely get them from me (rarely on special offer).

Apples are good for you, everyone knows that!

(just look at BeAnne’s ever hopeful face –  her motto is any calorie is a good calorie!)

There was lots of enthusiasm.

Waffle found it difficult to wait for the apples to be taken out of the packaging.

Very difficult.

He was also very happy to shovel it in as quickly as possible before the others found out.

Just look at Storm’s happy little face with added apple dribble-spit!  Such a good look!

I was proud of my lads today.  They were “fairly” well behaved (said with a slow measured voice).

Although a few teeth were evident, I hope there was no biting.  We have been working on this special skill recently.

It is always lovely to meet like-minded folk who want to get to know my family of sheeps, dogs, ponies and horses. It is even better when they understand my way of life because then I suddenly don’t give a damn about those that don’t.

Today it was Waffle’s turn to learn some manners.

The daily dog walk consisted of me, Waffle, Lambie, BeAnne and Loki.  We went on the road and everyone had to behave.

Previously, Waffle had been a bit gobby when we went out and I so am determined that my Minions will have exemplary manners and be well behaved at all times when out and about.  What they do in their own field, is up to them, but they are now old enough to behave and I was rather disappointed at everyone’s behaviour during our last jaunt.

I don’t think I am asking for rocket science.  I just want my boys to lead nicely and to walk without being distracted by the locals to the point of pushing me around to get their own way.

Waffle was first up for training.  I am aiming to work with a Mininon every time I take the dogs out, if I can.

Waffle was much nicer today.  We had words about biting the hand that feeds and leads and, after that, he walked nicely beside me, stopping when I stopped and I didn’t feel anymore little teeth on my hand.

Lambie thought it was quite a good idea to bring other friends along but, as he is not a huge fan of any Minions, he had to gather up all his courage and shoot past at 100mph, like a woolly bullet, to join his leader, BeAnne!

Loki, as ever, disowned us all.

We did get a few odd looks from passers by.  One Shetland sheep walking with one Shetland pony is not a sight often seen walking together, plus two scruffy dogs with one scruffy person!

Sometimes I don’t ride or do anything with the boys. I just sit with them and that is enough.  Our relationship is not based on the need to be ridden or worked with.  Being with the horses, taking their photos, having a chat, a nose kissey, a mutual groom, a bit of special time is enough for all of us.

When I am moving the herd to another field, or letting everyone out to eat the grass around the house, someone usually stops for a small chat before rushing off to find their friends.

Mostly, it is Storm, Tiddles or Taktur.  Food is not always their priorty.  Sometimes they need to talk to me first and it makes me feel special in their eyes. I am not just she-who-fills-the-buckets.

If it is a nice day, ie not raining by my standards and I can stand up straight without hanging onto something, I will go outside and sit with the horses.  Whoever wants to chat is always welcome.  I don’t ask them to come to me – I wait and see who wants to talk.  Usually they quietly “pop by” to have a little time with me.  There is no crowding around or to bickering for my attention.

So, when I don’t ride or I leave everyone alone, I don’t feel guilty.  They have each other, food and me if they need.