Everyone is shedding their winter coat.  I do what I can brushing it out a bit at a time but it is beginning to get everywhere and travel with me.

Today, for lunch, I had cheese on toast with at least 10 horse hairs in it.  I tried to pick them out and then gave up and ate the whole thing, hair and all.

I brushed Fakur this morning.  I wanted to ride him in the school as I thought he was looking rather dejected and unloved in the field.  I rode him briefly in the school.  He felt like an unexploded bomb getting more and more tense so I bailed on the basis that “He who fights and runs away, may live to fight another day”.  I am not stupid.  If my waters churn, they are usually right

So I gave him some silage and put BeAnne on his back.  He just stood there while I rode Haakon instead.

The bebbies were on sleepy form. We had completed another module in their education and they were zizzing in their field afterwards.

More and more hair is coming out and I do my best to groom them, a little at a time while they stand and chat to me.  This is all from Storm who is full of bits that just ask to be pulled out.

They were all very good in the school earlier – they led nicely individually, no teeth at all and picked up their feet without an argument.

So I am feeling quite smug at my industrious day – oh  yes, and we had another bonfire and I rode Taktur on my own in the school.  He was the perfect gentleman.

Theory – If I stop, I will seize up.

Today, I decided to burn the wood in my derelict croft house at Clothie.  I want to turn one of the houses or sheds into a shelter for the Bebbies.  Clothie, all 5 acres, is going to be their new home.  It is close by and just perfect for them.  We need a roof though on one of the houses/sheds.  So we had a bonfire of all the brick (rubbish).  The original house had been left by its inhabitants with all the furniture, etc about 20-30 years ago.

Apparently Clothie had been a school as well.  This room is attached but completely separate from the main house.  They both have front doors.

This is one of the byres (sheds).

We found many bits and pieces.  All intriguing.

So I made a big bonfire to burn the rotten wood.   OH kept back anything he might use.

BeAnne and Loki came with us and were very unhelpful by having a fight over a rabbit.  This photo was taken after everyone had been shouted at.

Next, I :-

• dished out the silage to my Icelandics
• fed Taktur and put him back
• cleaned out the bebbies’ bedroom and put in new straw
• rode Haakon outside taking BeAnne with me for walk
• cleared up the silage that was blowing about and covering any spring grass
• dished out more silage as the first portion was fairly mean
• caught Taktur, tacked him up and, and, and…..

….. rode him!  I have to ride Taktur every day (Mon-Fri) for 20 minutes asking him to walk out, stretch and bend.  I am just getting used to his huge stride and we are getting to know each other too.

Let’s just say I have an enormous grin on my face.

(I might be feeling a tad exhausted now)

We had some visitors today to meet the Bebbies.  As there were now three of us, I caught each pony and handed a rope to my new assistants.  We brought the boys into the indoor school as it was pissing down outside with no chance of stopping.

Silver found a new friend (as did BeAnne).  It always best to make friends on their level. Standing up scares them but kneeling to chat gives them a chance to investigate.

BeAnne was very keen on sitting on my visitors’ feet in case they thought about escaping.  Luckily we had made them prisoners.

Waffle was revolting.  He decided to roll as much as possible in the sand until no one would go near him.  Ugh!  I loathe wet sand. It makes my skin crawl and Waffle was no exception.  Repellant little boy.

I have worked out now (only taken me a few months) that the Bebbies are all better tied up as far away as possible from each other.  So this is Storm standing in a pile of his mess because he thinks he is “all alone” (his friends are opposite) and is also bored.  They all want my attention all the time. I need three hands most of the time.

My new helper was happy to work with Silver and I will admit that this was good otherwise it can be like an international Rugby match for me on my own, trying to get three mischievous Shetland ponies into my indoor school at the same time.

So the Bebbies did good (so proud, sniff) and showed off their best behaviour.  I was proud of them.  They all led well, had their feet picked up and tried their very best.

Feet to trim today.

Jo had brought a bucket of food for those that didn’t want to be caught but it wasn’t used and so we fed the contents afterwards.

Previously, a someone had spied it and thought they would have a go.  She failed.

Lyra was waiting for her Daisy to come home.  She is very friendly to us and we need Daisy to brush her (and the rest).

Vitamin was just the same as ever.  She is now the matriarch of the herd and doled out her opinions (i.e. teeth) to anyone who might be eating any of her potential food.  It was interesting to see a different herd dynamic.  I think she has replaced Velvereta.

I was nibbled, kissed, investigated and hassled by the four little ones – Gwendolinda, Carina, Lyra and Zoot for the whole morning.  No surprise there, then.

I couldn’t take many close-ups of these girls as they were following me all the time – note Zoot’s determined look!

So that is the girls.  All just the same. They have had a hard winter and need a good brush.  No one is grossly fat which is good as the spring grass is making an appearance now.   Little Zoot is looking good, too.  She is still a darling girl.

I had been putting off spending time with them as I am still missing Velvereta very much – there is a huge gap in the herd.  We all felt it but today was nice and I am inspired to go up and see them (even with a brush in hand).  Fivla said “ho-ho-ho-ho” when she saw me.  We had a chat and a wee snog.

Don’t worry, they are not ignored as Jo sees them everyday.

Yesterday, as you might be aware, was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining and the thermometer was hitting 10 degrees centigrade (that is almost summer temperatures for us).  The bebbies were hit hard by this new warmth.  They are still wearing their full winter coats despite some ineffectual brushing by me.  The one who felt it most was little Waffle.  I could hear him breathing, almost panting, as he stood beside me.

A few days’ ago, I had stripped BeAnne’s winter coat as she was beginning to resemble a bog-brush.

10 minutes with the Mars Coat King, and she was back to her beautiful Spring self.

I thoroughly recommend this (as well as a trusty old Mason & Pearson hairbrush) – it does the job.

Feeling very sorry for the boys in this heat, I stripped a bit of their coats using my two “brushes” to see if that would cheer them up.  Silver would have none of it really.  He tolerated a few strokes and walked off.

Storm was a little better but then wanted to talk to Silver.

Lastly it was Waffle’s turn.  He would’ve been stripped all day and followed me if I went to try the others again.  In the end I sat down and he stood beside me letting me brush and strip his coat.  For 20 minutes, no headcollar, no nothing, he would occasionally turn his nosey to me for a kiss.  It was very special.  There was fur everywhere which I duly collected up as cleanly as possible.

Here it is – One and a half ounces.  I shall keep saving it as I do a little at a time.  The boys are going to be castrated soon so I will probably exchange it for any small donation to the cost of these three essential operations.