Lots of Icelandic horses in the indoor school today.  Jo with Tór, Fi with Hreyfing.  Haakon and Iacs were already in the school and we had forgotten that no one actually knew each other.

BeAnne was also nagging to ride so I popped her on Haakon and we left them all to it.

Haakon introduced himself to Tór and Tór squeaked as is right when you meet the head of the herd.

BeAnne just sat there.

She enjoys riding Haakon and he doesn’t mind one bit.

Iacs’ hoof is much better.  You wouldn’t know that yesterday he was telling us that death was his only friend.  He is much perkier now, tried to barge out of the stables this morning (we had words) and last night’s poultice stunk like nothing on this planet.

Jo put on another poultice (camouflage in case he needs to creep around in the dark).

So while Fiona rode Hreyfing round Haakon watched and BeAnne rested…..

…. and while Jo put out trotting poles out for Fiona and Hreyfing, Haakon watched and BeAnne didn’t move..

BeAnne knows Haakon would never ever do anything horrid.

They have been together all her life.

Once Haakon understands his responsibilities, he takes them very seriously – it could be me riding or BeAnne – he looks after us all.

This is not a horse that is stressed or worried about a predator resting on his back.

And this is not a dog who is worried that she is sleeping on nearly half a tonne of potentially explosive reaction.

Anyway, Icelandic horses are just the right shape for BeAnne.

Tór, on the other hoof, is not convinced this is anything he would like to participate in.

I love Icelandic horses.  They are all such cool dudes.

This morning Daisy and I decided to go for a ride.  She wanted to take Iacs and I would ride Klængur.  So we brought them both in.

Klængur was definitely keen to go out – I love his happy and enthusiastic face.

But Iacs was very definitely not alright.  I took this film for Jo to look at and for us to decide what  to do next.  Daisy and I were very worried.

He had a sachet of Danilon and we put Iacs into the stable.

For company we gave him his cousin, Haakon.

Daisy and I hot-soaked his left hind foot for 20 minutes but there was nothing to see.  I used the hoof testers with not much reaction.  We did notice, however, that Iacs seemed a bit more sound – perhaps the Danilon was working or the hot-soak had relieved the pain.  Who knows.

Meanwhile, we sucked our teeth and had to go out for our last flute trio lesson before Daisy goes back to St Snotters on Saturday.

While we were out, Jo came past and did the same thing, as well as testing his pelvis, spine, etc and listening for breaks, creaking, anything really.  She also poked about with the hoof-knife (she is a trained registered farrier) and the hoof testers but, like us, found nothing.

We re-grouped, discussed and decided to do two more hot-soaks this afternoon/tonight and another Danilon.  Iacs stood in his bucket again.

Afterwards, as I had my headtorch on, I had a good press round his hoof with my gloved hands and something revolting oozed out of the top of his hoof/heel.  It stunk.

Iacs is now not hopping lame.  Phew!  Another hot-soak tonight and then I will poultice with Animalintex and gaffer tape (no bandages).  He can stay in with Haakon until the morning.

Bloody hell – he had us worried.

Fiona and her Icelandic mare, Hreyfing arrived today to use the school.

Jo and Tór came along for the ride as well.

Fiona was keen to teach Hreyfing how to lower her head and relax while ridden.  The poles are useful for helping with this.

And I think Fiona’s smiling face says she and Hreyfing achieved.  As we say, any fool can wind up a horse but it takes a better rider to calm one down.

Meanwhile, Daisy and I went out for a nice sunny day plod on Kappi and Klængur.  BeAnne came along too and was increasingly irritating.  At one stage, she managed a sit-down strike in the middle of the road, which always scares me in case a car turns up.  I think this will be the last time I will take her out on the road if she refuses to keep up.  She was very petulant today.

My little Klængur (pronounced Clang-gur) has achieved happy chappy status.  He is just the horse for me.  Slow if I want or speedy if I ask.  His brakes are impeccable and his manners are perfect.  We have achieved and have both benefited from the re-training.  I have learned how Klængur thinks and he has learned to trust me.  We are now communicating.

Before our flute lesson today, we had to speedily feed all the ponies. It turns out that Haakon is not lame (at least not today). Many times we have been fooled into believing our horses are old and knackered before we turn around on a trek and go home much faster than we ever have before!

Now they are in a field nearer to the house and shall “suffer” through the winter.

Life is hard.

After that, we headed over to Sandness to say hello to Lyra as it is Daisy’s last few days before she heads back to St Snotters (Andrews). On the way we stopped and admired the hill ponies. The Shetland Pony in its most natural environment.

It is amazing to see how they cope and adapt to such a rugged environment. And it makes for an amazing moment to capture from the camera lens.

(And to think…some people won’t even leave their shed *cough MINIONS!)

Afterwards, we arrived at Sandness and reunited Daisy with her favourite mare, Lyra aka “Pants” aka Lyra Lyra Pants on Fyra.

Charles Buttons is in very good form. Not a rib to be seen. Spare or otherwise. And Zoot was very happy to see human company. It was an effort for all to lift their heads up from the hay bale.

Hopefully this weather will die down soon. It has been a while since we have seen the sun and we all miss it.

Or maybe even a calm day? We aren’t fussy!

Up and at ’em early this morning – I even saw the sun rise which is not like me at all but I hate keeping horses in stables during daylight hours if I can help it.

A day where the usually very accurate weather forecast page (yr.no) had promised it would not rain – of course, it did.

The Icelandic horses were much happier and relaxed today.  They had had a good long rest, trashed my hay supply and rolled in the sand school until they were all beyond revolting, but I don’t care, they were back to their usual jolly selves and that is all that matters.

Haakon sadly is lame again.  We think it is the same foot but are not sure.  I am hopeless at telling which side.   Anyway, he is round the house (outside) with Iacs for a while on regular painkillers and we will reassess daily.

The other horses were let into the field and galloped down the hill to the bottom field where they went back to sleep with the rare winter sun on their backs.  They need this.

I let the Minions out early too.  They were dressed (those that need rugs), breakfasted and then they went back to bed.

They refusede to come out on this lovely sunny day.  It was even quite warm and I mucked out in a t-shirt.

This is the Minion field but they were not interested, preferring to loiter nearby waiting for more hay.

This picture is for you to compare Storm’s height with Wiggins, our black chicken and Taktur’s nemesis (she nips into his food bucket while he looks on pathetic and useless).  

Storm is not very big in real life.  Just in his head where he is at least 17hh.

A few more pics from today….

I love it when the sun shines in winter.