Spring has sprung so now is the time to work on some of the bebbies necessary life skills.

Special Skill No 1 – picking each hoof up, one at a time, upon my request of “up, up” without making a fuss or walking off.  I have started to do this in their field each day when I go for my chat. They have proved that they are strong enough to stand on three legs, or even two!

Special Skill No 2 – having a head collar taken on and off.  I am going to start bringing the boys into the school to work with them and brush them so they will need to know about this.  (I might wait until I have help for this).

Special Skill No 3 – being led, nicely.  At the moment I have not led them anywhere very much – they just tend to follow but I want them to learn to lead nicely.

Special Skill No 4 – no biting people, not even nibbling please.  The bebbies are told this behaviour is not acceptable and seem to be learning that I don’t like it very much.  They can eat each other.

Special Skill No 5 – no bouncy bottoms when folk are about.  The bebbies can be a very boisterous bunch and those little hooves would hurt.  So far we all remain unscathed!

Half of me wants to put them out with the big boys where they will quickly learn their manners but I do not think they are really ready for this.  The big boys mostly have shoes on too, which can do damage.

The greatest fan of the bebbies is Taktur. Everyday, after his lunch, he goes to visit them and stands with his head over their gate talking to them.  They instantly lick and chew obeyance to him.  He is their King.

I love this…..

I’m not going to rattle on. No need.  Silly bebbies.

A day of shite (rain) so Jo and Fiona arrived with their girls in the trailer to play in the indoor school (so useful, no actually, so essential).

Jo rode Hetja, soon-to-be Taktur’s bride, and did some schooling.  Hetja hasn’t been in the school for a while but she was calm, relaxed whilst trying her best to listen.

I realise that I show many photos of everyone going at speed everywhere, usually in tölt, but the majority of their training is lateral work first to free up the horse’s back before we start asking for the faster gaits.  There is no point going faster if you haven’t got the foundations in place.

BeAnne of course maintained a soggy sulk throughout the morning as no one offered her a horse to ride.  She has the look of abject misery down to perfection.

I went to get Taktur from his field as he was next up.  The mares had finished their training and were waiting to be returned to their trailer.  Taktur walked into the school, his eyes were on stalks at the laydeez and then stood next to me on a loose rope/headcollar waiting for any instructions.  None came, I wanted him to stand nicely and he was not introduced but managed some sideways looks of love at Hetja.  I was proud of him.  Not many stallions would stand not 6 foot from two mares in spring and say absolutely nothing because no had asked his opinion.

After the mares had gone, Bjørn rode Taktur who has been having a rest this winter, trying to put on some weight (ha-bluddy-ha – it is like trying to force feed Ferdinand the Bull – he is just not interested and wants to smell the flowers in the ladies’ hats instead of eating.)

So that was my morning.  I did manage to ride Haakon but of course no one was around with a camera.  Obviously we looked like this, that goes without saying, only in buckskin dun and a little more fur, but the moves are scarily similar (in my dreams)!

This morning was spent in Gilbert Bain Hospital Out-Patients (or GBH as it is known locally) discussing the way forward with the Gynaecological team.  So next it is an MRI in Aberdeen.  I shall await my appointment letter with anticipation.

To make up for a morning in The Big L including a trip to The Temple of Tesco’s  (or Lerwick as it is known locally),  I spent the afternoon with my bebbies.

I walked into their park and yelled “Bebbies” once and then was galloped at by three little enthusiastic treasures who giggled and sniggered as they went.

They love their field.  The huge proportions mean they can play and gallop their way round it forever with no fences to stop them.  They are growing up to be normal Shetland colts.

So I found a safe spot and sat down to watch them.  If they wanted to talk to me, I asked them to behave but watched out for any silly behaviour as I wanted to be safe rather than have my teeth kicked in.

They never really stopped and it was lovely to watch.

For some reason, probably due to the regular food buckets, they love their dear old Mum and I only have to appear, shout “Bebbies” and they run up to me expecting tickles, snogs and food (not necessarily in that order).

Watching them play does my heart good and is the best therapy.  A trip to Hospital is put into perspective beautifully.  Just what the doctor ordered (the NHS just doesn’t know that).

Yesterday’s photos were rubbish.  I know that and I hate taking bad photos especially a whole set of them.  I was ashamed at my rookie mistake.

So today, mostly to prove to myself that I can take the odd good photo, I went out with the camera in search of some the beautiful people and then I found Him.  My Handsome Prince and, yes, I did spend a good five minutes tickling his nosey telling him how gorgeous he is because I could not help myself.

I wandered about the field trying to capture some special moments or fat horses, whichever.

The “Silly Frilly” put on his special face for my camera.  He misses his owner, Daisy, very much and is pretty much doing nothing but maintaining His Frilléd and The Size Zero – very 1980’s.

Why am I thinking Krystle Carrington?  Same eyes, hair, what?
(and yes, I did have to look up on t’net to see how spell the bint’s name!)

So back to The Handsome One.  He is so beautiful and such a nice bloke.  I could gaze into his eyes forever.  He is just …… words-fail-me-because-there-isn’t-another-word-better-than-GORGEOUS!

It is perhaps a little known fact, or one that folk never readily admit, that it is always beneficial to stand next to an ugly person in photos because it will make you look good or at least slightly better.

Sorry, Iacs – not a chance!