Today Jo and Fiona came over with Tór (her new imported Icelandic gelding) and Hreyfing.  Tór is Taktur’s half brother.

Tór is pronounced Tor (like what you find on top of Glastonbury) and Hreyfing is pronounced, well I am not really sure to be honest!

The Minions were already in the indoor school, having their food while Daisy kindly mucked out their shed.  It is not easy to muck out with four helpful Minions so I had offered my diversionary services.

Tór investigated the school with the usual tour guides.

They made sure he never escaped.

Everyone introduced themselves very politely and, apart from the odd squeal, they were all a peaceful little bunch.

Silver was happy to share his hay with his new friend.

Iacs popped by as well, to have a shoe removed, and made friends too.

I love the way nothing phases my little Minions.  They are so confident in themselves.  When I think of what they were like all those months’ back.

Even little Tiddles was brave (so proud, sniff).

Waffle offered grooming advice to Jo, who obviously had no idea what she was doing.

And then the inevitable happened.

And that was that!

The weather is having a break from its constant battle so, Daisy and I made the most of a dry day and we went for a ride, with Daisy on Iacs and me on my little orange Klængur.

I always think of Red Fraggle when I sit on his back.

Same ears, I think!

Despite Iacs losing a shoe, everyone was keen to go out, including BeAnne who will only go on a walk if I am going too.  This has meant she has shovelled on the Christmas weight and become rather portly.

Iacs was his usual happy self.  He is a solid gentleman both mentally and physically.

Flossie was kindly walking all the dogs for me.  This was Walk No 2 as she had already taken Loki for his long run.  Jack(et Potato), aged a billion, only goes on a slow potter to the end of the track and back.  He hates the horses with a passion and so was trying to “run” away, ok walk slightly faster before Floss clipped him back onto his lead.

And so we walked, tölted (Klængur, pronounced Clang-gur), trotted (Iacs, pronounced Eye-Yaks) and cantered up our favourite track.  BeAnne had a wonderful time aquaplaning in the large puddles.  Afterwards, she even found something extra pungent to roll in and triumphantly brought it home with her.

We are past the longest night so hopefully the light will get better – this is my excuse for these shamefully bad photos.

I am enjoying getting back into riding again.  Klængur and I are beginning to actually trust each other which is the best foundation for a friendship.

Our day started with a lovely ride out on frosty winter’s morning.

Daisy rode Kappi.

I rode Klængur and he listened to my every word, which was wonderful.  He quickly realised I was terrified of the black ice on the track and did his best to look after me all the way.   Bless him, I adore this horse.

And Bjørn rode Taktur.

(apologies for the grotty photos – it was a case of pointing and hoping and then finding out too late that I had failed!)

I had mucked out previously, had all the feeds ready and upon our return, we distributed, got changed into our clean clothes and drove to watch The Royal Opera House with Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

It was incredible and we were glued to our seats at the Mareel, Shetland’s multi-purpose entertainment venue watching it on the screen. The score was by Joby Talbot and the sets were designed by Bob Crowley.

There is something very magical about watching an incredible ballet performance at Christmas and this is one we talked about all the way home and will remember for a long time.

There was someone waiting for us in the cold, who had been sat outside for hours.  She ran down the track when she spied the Land Rover returning and now she is asleep under my desk, happy that she has her family back.

(sorry the blog is so late – it took ages to upload – not sure if there will be one tomorrow as I am going to see ballet in Lerwick, like you do.  We is cultured, we is)

Today I gave The Minions some new toys and a huge thank you to the very nice person who supplied us with a Gym Ball.  The boys loved it.

I think the soundtrack fitted perfectly somehow!

Such fun!

Apparently the Inuit people have many words for snow (its complicated).

This morning we woke up to “Haice” or “Shicail” – basically hailstones now frozen into sheet ice.

Our track to the croft from the road is lethal.  We are going nowhere and I don’t encourage anyone to visit.  It is scary in places.

But chores have to be done no matter what.  I put on my beloved Yaktraks (my annual huge thank you to Jo) and off Daisy and I trudged.  Luckily the water has not frozen so that was one thing we didn’t have to lug.

With our faithful hound, BeAnne, who is feeling rather depressed due to a Christmas dust-up with Loki, we set out with wheelbarrow, tools and hard feed.

Daisy kindly did the heavy stuff, ie mucking out of The Minion shed, while I distributed hard food and hay.

To be fair, the big boys don’t need much.  There is still grass in their field and they are well insulated.

Daisy and I had wanted to go out for a ride, with me riding Iacs, but as he can trip up in walk blowing his nose, we decided not to go.  Taktur managed to skid on the ice when he was walking to his food.

This confirmed we had made the right choice as it was pretty hairy out there for everyone so we made the family decision to test, purely for science purposes, our traditional Yule Log!

Well, someone has to.