As you know, or even may not, every year I sell yearling foal fur to fund my Shetland Foal Milk Service (supplying orphan foals with foal milk) or the day-to-day running of The Minions.

Recently, I was given this wonderful little chap by a regular Shetland visitor who took the wool from last year, spun it and created my dream pony!

Isn’t he wonderful?  He is perfection.

The main body is made of Silver, his hooves are Waffle and his mane is mostly Storm.  I love him.  I think he should be called Staffvler!

This is the rest of Silver’s foal fur beautifully spun and ready to be used.

The black and white ball is a mixture of Storm and Waffle.  Very clever..

So that was the three original Minions for once being useful!

And now I have a pocket-sized one!

He has the same hair-do and darling expression too!

Next it is Tiddles’ turn to donate as he is the only foal we have from last year.

His coat is very thick and we have done some brushing/combing but on Friday, when he is being gelded (please do not mention this to him), his belly fur will be shaved off too.

So far I have three buckets of the stuff so if you are interested, give me a shout. I will be packaging it up soon into bags.

Stuart Huggan, our equi-dentist, came over today to see the Icelandic horses.

First up was Taktur, our stallion, but as I was holding him, there was no one to man the camera. He was a good boy, though, and took it all in his stride.

We did bring him some moral support, but they were too busy to take an interest.  Probably just as well.

Next up was Kappi.  He has never, to our knowledge, seen a dentist and he was beautifully behaved.

As Stuart doesn’t come up to Shetland very often, I asked if he had time to see a few more…..

I love Haakon’s face. He knows he is next in the dentist’s queue and I am ashamed to say that, out of all of the horses, he made the most fuss by rearing a few times – at least 4″ off the ground.

BeAnne took to her bed in disgust.

Iacs didn’t mind Stuart in the slightest.  Anything that might help the passage of food go down faster or easier is considered a necessity in his book.  No pain, no gain!

Klængur was another wary one but, as I was there and he trusts me 100%, he had perfect manners.

Stuart was kind enough to say that my horses were easy and very well behaved.  All I could think was thank God, I hadn’t got the Minions out!  I will save them for another time.

Afterwards, I took arty-farty photos of Haakon with the garden lupins (don’t worry, he can’t reach or eat them – they are much further away than they look).

BeAnne had a windswept moment so I captured that too.

This was take just standing in the garden! How the Shetland wind always blows!

Since Taktur and Kappi’s return from the IHSGB British Championships in Edinburgh, they have been kept in another field away from the herd  with no contact between them.

Taktur minded very much and spent most of day gazing over his fence at the others obviously wishing he was there.  I also noticed that Haakon, yesterday, just stared back at him across the hill.

But we had to be sure that no contagious diseases had been brought back from south.

Today, the quarantine was over and we put them all together again.

I called Klaengur, Haakon, Iacs, and The Minions over (small dots on the horizon).

We let Taktur and Kappi into their field and Taktur couldn’t believe his luck.

He didn’t need to be asked twice and off he went to see his friends.

Kappi quickly followed too.

And everyone came rushing over to greet them.

They are a very close group as well as being great friends.  There are two entire boys in this herd and no one cares.

Even the little Minions are considered equal to everyone else.

The Minions had missed their idol.

Especially Waffle.  He had no one to look up to (or bite).

(and I think Taktur secretly missed his Mini-me, though I doubt he would admit it having now “seen the world”, ok Scotland!)

Interestingly enough, Kappi wanted to talk and groom Haakon.  Now this is strange because usually they are not the best of friends.  Kappi is always vying for Haakon’s position in the herd as leader but they were pleased to see each other so maybe Haakon has secretly been missing his orange nemesis.

Anyway, all my boys are back together and that is best for everyone.

OH was working on the Land Rover after its long trip south.

(or should that be Lamb Drover – see what DAISY did there, geddit?)

Yes, that would be DAISY.  She was on top form today.

She also said it had 4 wool drive!

All the seats were removed for this immense project.

When OH went into the house to get some essential piece of kit….

…. he was followed by two devoted “oily rags”.

Please blame Daisy for all these jokes.  Not me.  She is entirely responsible.  I know nothing.

So, the sun was shining briefly and then the mist descended.  Everyone was around the outside of the house (though Kappi and Taktur are still in quarantine for a few more days) as I think we have not nearly had enough Minion time this summer.  They duly made themselves known and came up for hugs, nose-kisses and scratching.

This is a typical Sunday afternoon for us

– in as much as we all sit in the buttercups and watch OH, plus anyone who wants to offer their help.

Do you think Haakon is saying “you’re doing that wrong”?

Here are a few photos from the Icelandic Horse Society of Great Britain British Championships and Summer Festival.

This time, two weeks ago, we were competing.  When I say “we”, I mean Daisy on Kappi and Bjørn on Taktur and me on photographs!

The Championship took place over two days in West Linton, just outside Edinburgh and there was an excellent, as well as vocal, turnout from Shetland to cheer the Shetland contingent on.  At one stage, there were 14 Shetland folk. I like to think that everyone will remember us and we certainly put Shetland on the Icelandic horse map (and perhaps pub/hotel map).

The weather was a bit “curate’s egg”.  For us, it was a normal summer……

For everyone else, they huddled!

Even when it hailed.

When it was fine, the spectators sat on the bank and enjoyed the riding and horsemanship.

The judges and their helpers took their job very seriously!

The commentary was professional.

For Taktur, this was a completely new experience. He has never been anywhere and he did his best to behave.  For a first timer, just 6 years old, he was amazing.  He went for the experience rather than any achievement.  Taktur and Bjorn are now ranked 7th in Sport A Four Gait in the whole of Britain!

Daisy and Kappi were brilliant (I am running out of adjectives).

She came 2nd in the Elementary Four Gait and 1st in the Elementary Tölt – she is now ranked Number 1 in Great Britain in Elementary Tölt!

So it was a great weekend.  We achieved.

Well when I say “we”, I mean Daisy on Kappi and Bjørn on Taktur and me on photographs!