We all woke up this morning to Indy yelling his head off.  Two of the girls, his daughters, had escaped from their field, managed to walk up the stream and duck under the fence into the next door field.  Indy was not going to give up this chance of a possible conquest and the noise was boring and endless.

I drove over to Sandness, brought the trailer and Jo over, the girls were caught, loaded them up and took them away.  This was a two man job.

So Indy continued his fence-walk with Hammy in tow, bellowing and making his feelings very clear.

Tough!

We drove to our hill park where the mothers were and dumped the girls back with them.  They had had a good break from their daughters.

This park is huge and this will be their home for a while.  There is plenty of shelter, grazing and space.

Meanwhile, when I got home, everyone had gone to sleep – probably exhausted from listening and watching Indy.  Note Iacs is almost standing on Indy in case he thinks he should get up and start all over again.

There were two little groups side by side.  Iacs, Indy, Kappi, Haakon and Klaengur were together.

and then a few yards away was Hammy and The Minions in a pile (sounds like a 50’s rock band).

I hope Indy forgets about the girls quickly.  They aren’t for him.  He has Hammy to keep him entertained.  That is what Hammies are for – part-time Shetland pony entertainment centre and/or Nanny to The Minions!

Jo went into the big field to collect Fakur (ancient gentlemanly Icelandic horse) to take home with her.  We are beginning to slim down the herd as it is Autumn and Daisy, my daughter, is disappearing back to the mainland again at the end of this month.

Jo described the field as “Planet Fluffy”, i.e. everyone was happy, settled and but most of all loved the Minions.

Being out with the herd has done the little boys only good .  They are definitely settled and have great fun with the big boys.

Yesterday, I looked outside of the window, while it poured with rain and the wind blew.  In the far distance of their enormous field, the Minions were galloping about at full speed after Hammy, giggling, bucking and farting as they played tag with each other.

This is what I wanted for them – Planet Fluffy.  No arguing, stress and bullying but learning from a kind and relaxed herd how to be like them.  

The best thing I did for these boys was to put them out with everyone else where they are learning to be acceptable members of equine society.  Only another horse can teach them how to behave with horses.  Not me.

My heart smiled when I saw Indy first meet them.  They recognised him instantly as someone to emulate and so he is a huge influence on them.  In turn, he thinks they are rather dinky and funny while being tolerant when they are buzzing round him or swinging off him!

And yet Haakon still remains head of the Planet Fluffy herd.  I am not sure what to do when Taktur returns.  I suppose, we will cross that bridge when we get to it.

My big shed is very useful.  Not only is it a decent sized indoor school for riding in but it can also double as a place to train birds.  Today Jo and Robert (her son) brought their Harris Hawks, Freyja (pronounced Freya) and Vi, to practice Harris Hawkery stuff.  I am not going to pretend to know what they were doing or the technical terminology for it as no doubt Arthur Putey somewhere will tell me I am wrong.

Birds, wings, meat, gloves, flying, lots of string, leather and rope…. now you know.

Fiona had also brought along Hreyfing, her Icelandic mare, for a lesson. She worked on bending and listening.

We let everyone get used to each other.  All good.

After the lesson, Hreyfing was tied up by the door and it was the birds’ turn.  They flew with a creance on (A creance is a long light cord used to tether a flying hawk or falcon during training in falconry.) It took me a while to get the idea of photographing them in flight.  The light was not brilliant and I had the amazing ability to miss all the action but here are a few of my pictures.  It would be much better outside.   I do not pretend to be a bird or raptor (new word – oooooh) photographer.

Interestingly, though, while Hreyfing and Fiona were working, there was a murmuration of starlings on the roof outside.   Their clatter was unsettling Hreyfing so Jo and Robert walked outside with their birds and the noise stopped.  One look at them and the starlings immediately took flight and never returned.  They knew!  Well, you would, wouldn’t you?

I spent today away from my Stud taking photos for Bergli Stud.

I enjoy this kind of work and as it was a lovely day (and deteriorated later when we wanted to ride our Icelandic horses), it was easy and fun.

Here are some of the outtakes that won’t make the website but I just happened to snap because I liked the composition.  This is Mr Grumpy or Ken Lee.  A darling cattie who dribbles when you tickle him!

I try to capture everyone’s unique character. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes I have to really search to find what lies inside.

Horses are not instantly your friend just because you say so.  You have to earn their trust and then work out how to communicate with them in a way they will understand.

But Bergli ponies are special.  They are loved and worked with from Day 1, unlike some.

These ponies are all full of character and, as a photographer, I could watch their politics and conversations all day long.

I have always been a great people-watcher and pony-watching is not dissimilar.

The endless communication and camaraderie is very evident and fascinating.

Today was fascinating and, as ever, good for my learning curve.

I lost my temper with the girls this morning.

Indy knew they were around and he was galloping up and down shouting his mouth off.

I had been working with Velia and instead of successfully putting her back in her field, all the others drifted out and made everything worse.

I managed to chase Velia back into her field and one by one caught the girls in the school to put them back.

No one was helpful and eventually after much cussing, shouting and turning purple (me),  I did join-up with the Lyra and Gwendolinda.  Not very successfully and probably for all the wrong reasons.  I had lost my temper.  Not good.

They were returned to their field while Indy stomped up and down his.  Still furious, I fetched the trailer to move everyone (I had also decided to sell the lot too).

But upon my return, everything was peaceful.  Indy had lost interest and the girls were grazing.  I had lunch, calmed down and felt remorseful.  Losing my temper with them was really losing my temper with myself.  I am not proud of this.  I had shouted at the girls for, well, being girls.

So, in the drizzle this afternoon, I sat on a rock in their field and hoped someone would talk to me.  They did and I was forgiven.

I didn’t deserve it.  None of the girls held a grudge and that is good.  They are a very generous bunch.

And then they galloped off.