Today you won’t get your usual Frances Fix, we’re afraid to say that you are stuck with Anna and Daisy.

It was decided that Zoot should not grow up alone.  Playing is extremely important in a foal’s development as any worn out Mother will tell you.  Melinda is an expert having raised both Cookie Monster and Bozz-Bozz.  So, it was off to Lauraine’s stud, Hestigarth, to pick up a mare and foal friend and to admire her lovely dogs, Jack and Pip (aka Naomi to BeAnne!)

The mare is Finnister Nanook with her first filly foal, Arg Lucky Charm from the Arg Stud. Though, to team with our theme of names, we have honorarily christened her “Dingo”.  For those of you that don’t understand this, watch Monty Python and The Holy Grail.

The loading was successful and the drive was fairly smooth.  When they were led into the field, Whiffy was extremely excited to see a fellow Finnister as we were taking majestic photographs, sadly not up to Frances’s high standards.

After lots of galloping around, they finally settled down.

Zoot was very surprised to see another little person!

Will you be my friend?

Will you be my friend?

No?!

Some people don’t take rejection so well…

Forbidden friendship is due to strict mothers….we’ll see how long that lasts.

Unfortunately, Frances took a tumble on some uneven ground and has a sprained ankle. Please send all healing vibes.

Get well soon with the help of a terrier or two.

The Good New First…..

Little Miss has a name.  It has been decided.  She is Thordale Zoot.  The girls decided this.

Zoot is a determined little person too (Anna took these photos as I was busy ranting to Jo indoors).

Today, Anna introduced Zoot to Daisy.  Obviously Zoot knew Anna already so they had the first chat.

And then she found a new victim, sorry friend, in Daisy and it was Lyra all over again.

“Please can she lives in my bedroom?”
NO!

So that was the good part of the day.  Foal snogging on a perfect Shetland spring day and the grass is even beginning to think about growing.

And then there is the Bad News….

Jack is not well.  I have been sucking my teeth all weekend and Bank Holiday (I HATE BANK HOLIDAYS).  He is not right, nothing I can put my finger on but, well, you know.  Yesterday, he did the unthinkable – he did not want his supper.  If you knew Jack, you would know he would have to be dead not to eat his supper.  Food plays a very important roll in his little life.

Jack is of unknown age, parentage or anything.  He came to us in 2007 aged between 9 onwards as a mature gentleman looking for a fire to lie in front of and a place to rest his weary head – that is the actual advert.  I found him on DogPages (****WARNING WARNING, NEVER LOOK AT DOGPAGES ****) which is a wonderful website where you can have your heart wrung and end up giving a home to unwanted dogs.

His name was Walter – this is the very advert photo.

He arrived in Shetland, effing and blinding with a terrible case of Tourettes.  We soon smartened him up, showed him the error of his wandering ways and he enjoyed our lifestyle but mostly I think being one of the family.  He had been found wandering the streets of Hereford before being rescued.

So, today, with weary and an already rather broken heart, my OH and I went to the vet with Jack.  They took bloods after much effing from both vet and Jack and also an x-ray.

The conclusion was an enlarged heart with excessive fluid as well as on the lungs too.  The bloods showed he had a high white cell count but upon examination, there was no temperature.  While we waited, OH took him for little walks to calm and cool him down.  He was getting rather distressed (as was I).

I gave up taking a few drops of Rescue Remedy to calm myself and ended up having a big swig before we went in to hear the results.

So off we go again, down the route of palliative care for another much-love member of our family.

Tis pants sometimes.

Taktur, my 4 year old Icelandic stallion, is going very well. He is about to have all his shoes taken off and have the next four months out in the field with no work.  One more lesson on Wednesday and that is it for him.

He deserves it.  He is an incredible stallion.

Daisy came home yesterday too.  Taktur was meant to start his holiday today but Bjørn, his trainer, wanted Daisy to have a shot on him first and said she can have another go on Wednesday.  She is very happy as she hasn’t ridden Taktur for ages.

He was a dreamboat for her.  An absolute star.

So, then we stood Taktur up for his conformation shots.

and the camera panned over to where Haakon was standing with BeAnne.  Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.  I give up.

Daisy then rode Klængur while Anna rode Haakon. Bjørn gave them both an excellent lesson.  Anna was getting used to Haakon (her second ride on him) and trying to find his elusive and rather flat tölt.   She did very well and I think they liked each other, which is always a start.

Yay!

Daisy has probably ridden Klængur only a few times too. This was her first lesson on him with Bjørn teaching.  It all seemed to go very well and everyone had a big cheesey grin by the end of the afternoon.

BeAnne watched and learned carefully.  Her turn next!

After the foal-snogging yesterday, Anna riding Fakur accompanied Jo on Hetja to Norby beach.  It was Hetja’s first time on the beach and Jo wanted to see what she would make of it.

I followed them for a bit in the car with BeAnne and we took some photos of a totally empty sandy beach on a hot spring day – try finding one of those on the British mainland coastline this time of year.

It was perfect.  The tirricks (Arctic terns) are back and I have a huge fascination for them. Their flying and acrobatics are perfection to watch.

BeAnne had a lovely time almost going in the sea.  Celt, our old lurcher, was a great one for swimming in the sea but he could never really convince BeAnne that it was fun.  She did get her feet wet a little.

Then Jo and Anna arrived and off they plodded up Norby beach.  This beach changes every day.  It depends entirely on the tide, the latest storm and what the weather throws up to give it any identity.  Some days it can be just pure stones and another a vast stretch of sand just waiting to be gallopped on.

Anyway, as this day was to see Hetja’s reaction and to gain her trust, there was no galloping, just a small introduction to show her Shetland environment.

Norby beach is magical.  It was used for “the” photoshoot last winter.  The horses looked at the sea, though neither were keen on swimming, and walked away again.

Next time we will bring Haakon who will be in and off to Papa Stour on the other side in minutes.

(oh, yes, sorry, I found that ruddy Instagram button again)  Note-to-self – leave it well alone!

Then Anna and Jo went to Norby Loch for a quick dip with BeAnne.  Now lochs, BeAnne can do.  She loves swimming in them and happily jumped in.  She is a keen swimmer.

Today’s ride was a peaceful ride designed to test Hetja’s boundaries and to see what she enjoyed.

Fakur was the perfect companion.  He just wandered along for the ride totally unwilling to have a single independent thought.  They made a content and happy couple.

BeAnne enjoyed the final ride home, though, best.

Thordale Robin
Thordale Freya
Thordale Solo
Thordale Uno
Thordale Iona
Thordale Halyn

What is her name?  I just don’t know.  There are a few to choose from and I am still none the wiser.

Today, Anna was properly introduced and Madame was very inquisitive.  I told Anna to round her shoulders and to look away so that the foal could walk up to her.

Within an instant, Little Miss was introducing herself and with that Anna was smitten.

Well, that was it really.  Job done.

But still no name.  We quite like Robin because like Sir Robin in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Brave Sir Robin ran away to hide behind her mum (but always immediately came back).

She is a darling.  Full of fun….

But also nosey, inquisitive and newly discovering her world.

Enchanting, pretty and gorgeous too.

So, that’s us.  We are all infatuated and her loyal slaves.

Daisy is home tomorrow. I expect there to be a fight over who can love her more. Perhaps they can come up with a name too.  The least they can do while they are being mugged by the world’s most beautiful Shetland pony filly foal.