Spring may or may not have finally arrived (although I thought I saw snow this morning).

All the horses and ponies immediately galloped down to the bottom field for the new grass this morning after their breakfast.

The ground is still very wet and every time I think the mud is drying up, we have a torrential downpour and go quickly back to square one.

On a good note, though, I saw my first wild primrose flower.  They grow on either side of the stream in huge banks and their arrival shows me there is a way forward out of Winter.

I know the ponies are getting under one of the fences but I was not sure where until I went down to the bottom of the field.   I am not surprised but a little disappointed they took advantage after the floods.  One fence to mend.

The gap is only 2 foot high!  Do they crawl on their knees?  

I enjoyed pottering around the fields.  It was nice to be outside but there is another gale on its way tonight.  Here we go again.

But I am very relieved to see the grass finally trying to make an appearance.  I was getting to that point when I start to think nothing will ever grow again.

BeAnne was on fine form too and went swimming.  She is a very keen swimmer any time of the year.

Tiddles is a very contented little chap.  He has his routines, knows how to behave, including leading and standing still for his rug change.  He does love his rug when the weather is vile.  He has changed hugely since he arrived and is a confident boy now.

Tiddles and Storm are the best of friends.  Storm goes nowhere without Tiddles diligently following, albeit fairly slowly.  They are both not brilliant on their legs so manage to keep up with each other.

Storm loves having a disciple.  He has purpose and meaning now and thinks he is obviously a Very Important Pony as he has an entourage (albeit only a small fluffy one).

When everyone else used to escape under the fence, they would leave a miserable Storm on his own but now he has Tiddles to keep him company.  They do everything together.  You have one, and then you have the other always close by.  This is just what I wanted for Storm.

Tiddles still loves his cuddles though.  He is always going to be a Mummy’s boy.  Storm thinks he is above all that but needs me when things are bad just to tell him he is my Best Soldier.

They are both funny little lads.  I couldn’t be without them.

I went to visit my pregnant mare, Hetja frá Skeiðháholti (pronounced Het-yer).

According to my calculations, she is due at the earliest on the 22nd(ish) of June or even later.

Poor Hetja has that face – the face of one who is very pregnant and beginning to feel it.  I know this feeling – it is uncomfortable but a necessity.  She will be thrilled when her first foal arrives.

Anyway, Hetja is beautiful in her pregnancy.   She is a gorgeous mare who will make the best mother.  She is so loving and takes other horses under her care if they need her.

She did this for Esja who was a yearling filly when they all came over from Iceland in 2012.  Esja found travelling stressful and Hetja stepped in as her Mum and looked after her all the time  She still does. Esja remains very attached to Hetja.   We will separate them before Hetja’s foal arrives.

Esja may start her training too if she is mature enough.  She will be 4 years old this year.

Exciting times ahead.

I thought you would appreciate an update on the Shetland pony mare who had hyperlipæmia last week.

She is now out all day in a field stuffing her face with green grass (a very rare commodity here in Shetland this time of year).

Her name, by the way, is Roseblossom and she is 14 years old.

She is one of the lucky ones – she made it!

The vet came to see her yesterday and took blood. He said there were no traces of hyperlipæmia in her blood anymore which was the best news.

I did not realise this but “The condition has a high mortality rate of between 60 and 100 per cent,” Management of Equine hyperlipaemia by Anna Hammond

So we did well, very well and between us, we fought the odds.  Poor Roseblossom was put through hell.  The treatment was constant interference by us.   I remember her lying down to die on the floor with her head in my arms on the Sunday night.  Her owner and I were willing her to live with all our strength while we waited for the vet to arrive.

Roseblossom still has a long way to go (both mentally and physically) and I think she will be different pony from this huge experience.  It has affected us all in some way.

But we did it and she is still here.  That is all that matters.

A huge thank you for all your prayers, thoughts, vibes and help – it gave us the strength we so desperately needed.

Today I am tired.  Very tired. I think all the excitement of last week has finally caught up with me and I can barely muster any enthusiasm let alone keep my eyes open.

The boys came up from their field to finish off the bale. They didn’t need asking twice.

I think it is our last sunny day for a while so they might as well make a clean plate and Jo, very kindly, delivered another one.  Her horses have given up eating it but my lot are still very enthusiastic.

The little boys are very happy mixing with the big boys.  No one minds and they squeeze in to help themselves to all the food.

Storm and Tiddles are inseparable and spend every hour together.  They are delightful little boys and I spend hours telling them ho

So I spent the afternoon having a rest with BeAnne and went to sleep.  I need to get my strength back.  There is so much to do now that Spring has finally made an appearance.