I just happen to wonder if anyone would perhaps like, maybe if they were feeling slightly peckish……..

…. some food?  and whoosh, I only had to ask once.

Taktur and Storm had been welded together all morning waiting for my magic words but I had other tasks to do so had left them in their field until later.  It wasn’t like they were going to starve.

This is Taktur’s bucket.  Storm took up permanent residence immediately.

You can hear Taktur saying “He’s in my bucket” but he is too nice to do anything.  So he just watched and looked pathetic.  Not the big tough stallion at all.

That black trug is Storm’s bucket and still he won’t give up so I refilled the other one for Taktur again.

Eventually Storm did come up for air.

Taktur was less than impressed by his side-kick’s lack of manners. He is not very into food like three starved Shetland ponies.

Feeling generous, I gave the other two a little grub to keep them occupied.  They are very well covered and I have to be careful but there is a weekend of shite weather on its way and, although it is not particularly cold, the ceaseless wind and rain does take it out of everyone.

The other fatties got a smidgen of feed so they didn’t feel left out and some carrots.   They have enough grass to keep them full and don’t need extra but the guilt is always too much for me.

Horses can beg!

Gale force winds and horizontal rain but we knew this was coming, so the herd are in the big field with the most shelter.  As you can see, they are suffering and miserable in this weather so force themselves to eat and eat.  Bless them for trying.  They are such troupers.

I did go outside once.  It was thoroughly over-rated.

So I stood upside down under the piano to find my flash attachment for the posh camera and thought I would do some animal portraits.

It was then I realised I couldn’t remember how the flash worked and it was certainly living up to its name by flashing the LED panel at the back and over-exposing all my photos.

Unimpressed with this, I stood on my head again and found the instructions. I sat down and read them (RTFM in other words).

I was none the wiser as the words it was flashing were not in the manual.  So I surfed about a bit on the inter-super-highway and found others with the same problem.  Apparently the flash was broken.

Rather than give up, I switched it on and off a bit, which made no difference and then had a flash of inspiration (see what I did there, geddit?).  I took the batteries out and put them back.

Ta da! My flash now worked.

So here are some results.

Loki who has improved immensely and is described as “almost good” now.

The aged Jack (et-Potato) – still with us and slightly continent on a good day with the wind behind him going downhill.

Wussumly-Pussumly – he knows where you live.  You are all doomed (so you know).

And, of course, Her Maj, aka BeAnne Duvet Soufflé Princess Chantelle Shaznay du Mezzanine.

The very definition of Perfection (nodding off).

Yesterday looked like this.  Calm, beautiful calm and such a gorgeous autumnal light.

Today, I struggled.  The forecast is grotty so I put the thin blue waterproof rug on Storm.

(Note, Storm and Taktur are sharing a bucket because BeAnne is doing the washing up).

Today was dark so not worth getting a camera out and I apologise for the grott-factor of the photos.  Tomorrow is much worse (gale plus rain) so I gave everyone some remains of hard feed and hay as well as moved them to the good sheltered field.  If I don’t get out tomorrow, the horses will at least have shelter and grass in their bellies.

The three Minions were shown their dry shed with toys and hay.  They can stay around the house.

Little Storm, once in his anorak, was very happy.  He was intrigued by a big bag of sand.

And of course his BeAnne.  They remain great friends.  She never snaps at him, unlike the others but he has learned the rules.  Never nibble.

Silver spends more time with the big boys than his fellow Minions.

Good news – last night, Jack was given reprieve from Death Row by our vet.  After careful thought and consideration, we decided that his quality of life was good.  He is never stressed or in pain, just senile and pottery (Jack, not the vet).  The vet also prescribed a daily anti-inflammatory painkiller.  This has helped immensely and we fairly galloped up the track on his daily walk today – note the blurring of the photo is the speed he went and not my crappy ability (just sayin’).

Sunday – a chat on Facebook between myself and Jo

09/11/2014 10:11

Jo Tonkinson

BLOODY HORSES

Hetja and Esja had broken the rope on the gate and got in with the old Biddies and taken a bite out of every big bale of silage.

Got any bale tape?

I have had to open one as it was beyond economical repair, Do you need any for your lot?

09/11/2014 10:12

Frances Taylor

Yes silage is always good

I think I gave you the last of my bale tape

I will look in the fridge (we have an old disused fridge to store equine stuff in)

09/11/2014 10:13

Jo Tonkinson

They also smashed down my barricade in the shed, and ate all the topline! (that would be a 25kg brand new bag of very expensive high calorie feed to fatten up Delia) 

I left it like I left it for the minions so the biddies (Vitamin and Delia who would never help themselves) could get in if they wanted, but the big girls smashed it down and ate all the topline

they will pop (read explode!)

09/11/2014 10:15

Frances Taylor

oh god

I have no tape (having looked in the disused fridge)

but I have a roll of black duct tape

09/11/2014 10:15

Jo Tonkinson

I’ll get *** to get some on monday

09/11/2014 10:15

Frances Taylor

ok

bastards

bastards all

09/11/2014 10:16

Jo Tonkinson

You seem to concurwith my apraisal then

09/11/2014 10:16

Frances Taylor

too right

horrid animals

09/11/2014 10:16

Jo Tonkinson

I have awarded your Icelandics with a new pedigree

09/11/2014 10:16

Frances Taylor

unwedded parentage?

09/11/2014 10:25

Jo Tonkinson

with knobs on!

———————– – later on – ———————–

Jo Tonkinson

All the bloody horses were out AGAIN, Just got back from LK and I drove past, double took and reversed to find them all out in the car park with the haylage again

09/11/2014 17:30

Frances Taylor

How did they get out?

09/11/2014 17:31

Jo Tonkinson

Rope undone again

09/11/2014 17:31

Frances Taylor

Someone can nibble

09/11/2014 17:31

Jo Tonkinson

I have done a triple crofter’s knot on it this time

09/11/2014 17:31

Frances Taylor

Or do you want the security bike chain?

09/11/2014 17:31

Jo Tonkinson

I think the bike chain if you have it

09/11/2014 17:32

Frances Taylor

I will look for it tomorrow.

09/11/2014 17:32

Jo Tonkinson

thanks!

General Consensus:

No one is thin, apart from Delia.  We now have an unwanted open big bale of silage which Jo is adamant none of hers deserve let alone need, apart from Delia and Vitamin who can have large piles every day.

Hetja may be eating for two, but not two hundred.

And Esja is a very bad girl.  She has skills we did not know about.  Hmmmm.

No, they are not really the faces of evil, they are the very faces of deliciousness.

Today Storm was sharing the same wisp of hay as Taktur.  They remind me of the two dogs in the Lady and the Tramp eating spaghetti together.

Waffle making a silly face as he eats his hay.

Storm carefully selected some hay….

and

placed it carefully on Waffle’s head …..

to see if he would wear it which he happily did!

Now this is the very face of handsomeness.

Bored of hay, Storm wandered off to see if there was anything better.

Nah, back to the hay then.

I love Storm’s hay-eating face.  He looks so sweet and loving.

As if he hasn’t really worked out what you do with hay.

Luckily Waffle knows.

Bored again, Storm drifts off to look for more evil doings and finds my pooper-scooper, which is full.  And yes, this is his “what me?” face.  Of course he tipped it all over mostly because I said no!

Waffle was all on his own today. I am not sure what was going on but he was extra cuddly this afternoon and wanted lots of reassurance and nose kisses.  He wasn’t lame and is eating well so perhaps he gave himself a gluff (from the Shetland For Wirds website – n – a fright. I got datna gluff I could hardly spaek😉 and frightened himself somehow.  I am not sure – I will keep an eye.

If you are wondering about Silver, he is on fine form and becoming more confident and easy to work with.  He loathes Loki, though, but is just about managing to talk to BeAnne.

It was a lovely autumn afternoon, cold but still.