Tag Archives: MyShetland

All Together

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Happy smiley faces greeted us this morning, so we gave them their breakfast, put rugs on those that needed them, and threw everyone out together into a nearby field.  It would be easy to get them back inside later if they were close by and also together.

Kolka decided she wanted to be with the Shetland ponies, as did Vitamin and Fivla.  They were very pleased to see their friends again.

Iacs and Haakon grumbled off muttering something about not wanting to mix with the riff-raff but I knew there would be no arguing or fighting as really they all know each other very well.  There was something very nice seeing them all in a field together.  It seemed right.

I thought the sheep would all vote for a “Duvet Day”, but no, they ate their breakfast(s) and then the whole flock decided to go outside.

I didn’t say no. Fresh air, even with a “Real Feel” of minus 12, is good for everyone I am assured.

I left their field gate open so, if the weather got worse, they had a choice to go back to bed.  They did their own thing all day and I only saw them coming home again late afternoon.  All eight so no sleepless night.

And, just before it got dark, we opened up the shed and shouted.  Ten horses and ponies came inside.  Waffle was the only one who had an independent thought and refused to be caught, preferring to raid all the feed buckets first.  Little sod.  I cornered him on the trot, rugby tackled a headcollar on him and led him back to his better-behaved friends.  Knowing they are all tucked up for the night and not having to cope with this horrendous weather outside is a great comfort to me.

All Inside

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My morning was spent getting ready for the mother of all weathers.  According to the weather forecast, the temperature is going to dip hugely so I filled every container I could find with water for when the tap freezes, which it always does.

The stalls all have fresh water buckets, forage licks and haynets (except for Fivla and Vitamin’s – no hay eating teeth).

And Skippy is charged up, ready to go.

The sheep have haynets hanging, a lick bucket available and fresh water too. I even cleaned out their feed bowls just because.

Later on at 2.30 p.m., the weather started to disintegrate and I don’t mind telling you that no one needed asking twice when I opened the gates.

They all, to a horse/pony, rushed into their stalls, almost taking off their own rugs without rolling first and started to eat looking very relieved that they were not having to stay outside anymore.

So now I am going to spend my entire night lying awake thinking “thank the Gods everyone is inside tonight” while the weather rages around us.

But will I sleep?  Probably not, because Gussie and Dahlia are the only ones outside – I didn’t see them come home. I’ve wedged their field gate open just in case they remember.

update: they’re all home now. Phew!

Winter Storm Coming

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I think this will be us for the foreseeable future.  There is a heavy snow/storm arriving tomorrow which I am dreading.

I woke up at 4am this morning and started worrying so the minute it was getting light, I rallied the troops to bring the old horses and ponies home.

(‘scuse the bad photography – it was barely light)

Once home, we fitted each old horse and pony with a medium-fill rug, gave them their breakfast and sent them on their way into their storm field.

Also, after much deliberation and discussion, Daisy and I decided to rug up Tiddles as he is the only one with a smattering of ribs amongst the Shetland boys.  The others are fat.

I don’t want Tiddles losing anymore weight – he is just right as he is.  Tiddles is perfect.

I told him this and I also told everyone else that a) they were not point and laugh at him for wearing his very handsome blazer, and b) they were absolutely not to rip it either.  Tiddles does look very smart.

Anyway, we have the big shed all ready and tomorrow afternoon before it gets dark, I will call everyone home and put them inside for that night and possibly the next day.  It truly is going to be vile and I want to know they are all safe and indoors.  This morning I went to town and bought fibre/food for horses and ponies who can’t eat hay (no teeth).

So, hopefully  we are prepared for this onslaught.  I am also praying the electric stays on.

Christmas Hobbies

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Every Christmas I buy a puzzle (1000 pieces usually) for Daisy to work on and hopefully complete.

Sometimes she has help.

Accompanied by good advice.

And bad singing!

There is a lot of involvement from every angle.

Aww, Monster loves his Daisy.

They are truly the jigsaw puzzle team.

Until it all went a bit wrong.  Monster was quickly removed when we discovered him thinking that the box of pieces could be a possible cat litter tray.

Absolutely no, Monster!  That would be a terrible Christmas surprise to find.

Meanwhile, in my shed, I am constructing my latest Lego model – a “Tuxedo” cat.  An excellent Christmas present from OH.

A cup of tea, a good play on the radio, and a Lego project is my idea of heaven (as well as my secret supply of Tunnock’).

I have a few.  Christmas bliss.

Winter Brushing

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We have a northerly storm on its way, along with the possibility of snow. It will probably arrive Wednesday and rev up for Thursday, dying out by Friday and then snowing from henceforth.

So, as I have help at the moment, Flossie and I went out armed with a bucket of brushes and we gave the horses and ponies a quick once over, concentrating mostly on the fur on their backs, which needed a good brush and floof up.

While Floss worked hard, I picked out feet.

Everyone behaved beautifully – they just stood there, no headcollars or anything and we brushed and picked while being investigated (read frisked) as we went.

 

Then it was the Shetland ponies’ turn in the other field.  They were very helpful though I did have to put a headcollar on Tiddles (which he immediately took off his nose) as he is not keen on being brushed and kept moving off.  I talked to the front end while Floss did the brushing.

 

The ponies were mostly very fluffy and needed little done, except of course for Tiddles whose coat needed a thorough brush.  He turned into a fluff ball afterwards.  So another job done.