The days are getting shorter by a few minutes every day now so daylight time is becoming limited.

The vile weather has finally calmed down but the wind has turned and we now have a bitingly harsh northerly to contend with.  Snow is on its way but for now we content ourselves with intermittent hail (about pea size at times – and it hurts).

I was on breakfast bucket duty which is no hardship as everyone is close by and knows the drill.

Kolka in the corner.

Iacs and Haakon side by side.  I was in between Iacs and Kolka because if a fight is going to break out, that is where it would start and I would stop it before they even remembered.

Standing, listening to the sounds of eating, I could see the last resting place of our hen-house which is now destined for firewood.

No one, Icelandic horse, is minding this weather (the Shetland ponies are a different matter).  Their thick layered winter coats are doing what they’re supposed to for this time of year.

Although they may look wet in places, it is superficial and the fur traps the body heat, keeping them warm.

And they have no ribs so also have an internal covering as well.  They are built for this.

Shetland ponies apparently melt, so they tell me.  I am not listening to them.

This morning was tough – blisteringly cold, with occasional hail and gale force winds so the old ladies went out with the proviso that if they asked to come inside, they could.  Standing up was tricky, so we just managed minimal outside chores.

Around 11-ish, I found Fivla by herself looking miserable and trying to catch my eye.

So I opened the gate and shouted.  She trotted to the shed without a second asking.

I popped her in a small stall….

…. and gave her a few scoops of hay replacer to warm her up.

And a few minutes later Vitamin shouted and came charging inside too – another bucket of grub for her.

There was also the disgruntled audience but they have their soaked hay, which of course they didn’t want. I didn’t listen to their complaints.

So that just leaves these three outside, who are making good use of both containers.

And the Icelandics who are grazing like it’s just a mere zephyr blowing.

The sheep are all fine too.  They are very good at finding shelter – the lee of the shed today.  Dahlia and Gussie dutifully appeared for breakfast, which they had in their shed and then got in a muddle because I had changed their breakfast place and routine.  Never, ever change a sheep’s routine.

Casualties of this ferocious storm?  One hen house which is now in its component parts in the field, and my Jerusalem artichoke bed which, to be fair, was on the way out anyway.

No flute today – not weather for driving in – so I made a sheep instead.  The wind is slowly dying down now and we are forecast snow. *** sigh ***

I have swithered all morning.  The weather is disintegrating and I don’t know what to do for the best.

Question:  Do I get them all in for the night while the weather rages?
Answer:  I just don’t know.

Pros:  I would worry less and could sleep well knowing they were safe and warm inside.
Cons:  The Icelandics are not fans of coming in – they stress and want out immediately, which could easily lead to colic.  They are also not very good at eating hay, especially Kolka – teeth, or lack thereof.

So I went down to see the horses to find out just how windy it was in the valley with the dry-stone walls.

They had been having their mid-morning rest but the sight of me possibly carrying carrots was enough to spark their interest.

I threw my carrots and spent a good few minutes crouching behind the walls to see just how windy it actually was.

Verdict:  Not that bad, actually.

So I decided that, when I put the old ladies to bed at 3.30 p.m., I would call them and if they came running up the hill because they were fed up, then they could go into the school for the night.

Meanwhile, in Container Land, the old ladies were out with the others – Albie is back inside as he is actually a hippo and needs to slim down.  Anyway, the containers give good shelter both inside and out and we moved the hayboxes to a wind-proof area and filled the container with new bedding.  Fivla and Vitamin jogged into the shed at 3.30 p.m.

And, yes, I shouted for the Icelandics and they all looked at me and said “no, thanks” so now I have a sleepless night worrying while I listen to the wind and rain.  Why not rug them, I hear you say?  Because rugs in a F10/11 can lead to disaster.  They’ve made their choice.

I brought the Ancient Icelandics home today, just before breakfast which gave them the focus to go home and not head off into the hills. I led Haakon and Iacs while Kolka dutifully followed.

We are due some weather – a long storm – so it makes sense to have them close by and if they want to go inside, it is easy enough (in a F10 – pah!) to tell them to come up the hill to the shed.

(the wind is in mph and, if you can’t read it, gusting up to 64 mph)

I cant tell you just how many times I’ve looked at the website to see if the storm will change it’s mind or it’s course and be slightly less fierce.  I am not looking forwards to this.

So my morning was spent closing gates properly and shutting up sheds so we get away, hopefully, damage free.

I will try and get everyone outside as normal, even if only for a few hours, while Tiddles and Storm will remain inside.

Anyway, the Icelandics have a big valley and lots of high walls which makes for good shelter.

I popped down to check they were settling in.

They are.

If they ask to come home, then obviously I will let them up but I think this lot may be better off just weathering it out.

It’s not like anyone is thin, is it?

My morning muck-heap/sunrise view at 08.00 this morning.

Possibly an omen or a message from the Heavens…..

I decided that Albie could go out and join the others on the scrappy grass pasture they are allowed for daylight hours (8 – 3).

He’s moving much better now and back to his “normal” self.

And was very happy to be out of his prison.

Sadly, Tiddles and Storm were less lucky.  Storm is not well at all.  He struggles to walk on the hard-standing surrounding the containers, so I led him and Tiddles back into the school, whereupon they walked almost normally and showed no signs of difficulty.

The blood results came back, though, and he has confirmed EMS – Equine Metabolic Syndrome.  To be honest, I think they all have it.  The treatment from the vet was for Storm to “LOSE WEIGHT!“. Soaked hay and not much else then.

But I am glad one more is back to normal, well as normal as Albie will ever get.

Oh yes, and Newt got separated from the herd when they went out and had a bijoux panic attack trying to find them.  He reminded me of a baked bean being shot out of a cannon as he galloped off to find them.