Tag Archives: Shetland ponies

Our First Courgette Harvest

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The dogs and I went on a soggy walk in the field. The dogs were looking for bunny rabbitses while I was looking for two errant sheep – Gussie and his mother, Dahlia, who have not turned up for their breakfast two days in a row.  But I have been checking them from a distance.

Edited to say that they turned up tonight and got two biscuits for their trouble.  Phew! I hate it when someone is awol.

The heather has come out now and I need to go for a drive to find the hill heather looking its most dramatic.

We don’t have much around here.

On my home from the soggy walk, I found the old ladies had taken up residence in their shed with no intention of moving…. ever.

And in the other field, the Shetland ponies had come up because it was raining.  According to Albie they might melt.

Ever optimistic Albie. I had nothing for him.

I thought there was only Tiddles and Silver sheltering in one of their containers and was looking around for Newt.

I found him.  I hope Silver/Tiddles weren’t holding him hostage.

It has been known.

And back at home, OH had picked our first courgette harvest (ever). This is quite the achievement for us.  A while back, a friend gave us four healthy plants – so really he had done all the hard work like planting and getting them started.  Apparently there might even be some more courgettes later.

We grewed these – get us!

Damned Midges

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Today was bad, very bad.

Outside was thick with midges because there is no wind, not even a slight breeze anywhere. We all wore full anti-midge gear.  No bare skin anywhere.

Some of the sheep went into their field but the oldest three – Lambie, Bert and Ster refused preferring to find a spot that they could spend their day.

Bert and Ster chose an rickety old shed with a dirt floor.

While Lambie hovered outside his bedroom, where the puddles are, because that’s where the midges congregate most and he could get more sympathy for any passers-by.

The horses were miserable.

The ponies were far away and miserable – trying to find the highest point in their field where they might catch a breeze.

And the dog-walk was short.  We brought back with us Barrel and Madge who joined the midge misery.

Lambie had not left his spot.

Later, when we were going around doing the afternoon feeds, there was a slight wind and everyone had visibly cheered up.

At last Lambie had found a purpose in his life.

And now the midges have all moved to the house!

A Very Busy Morning

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I knew I had a lot to fit in this morning, so I got up an hour early to get the chores over and done with before everything started.

And on the dot of 9 our farrier, Jay arrived.  Punctuality is not a trait we have ever seen in any farrier.  But here he was and he set to work immediately.

As everyone’s hooves grow at different rates, only the horses and ponies that actually need a trim are done.  They are thoroughly checked first  and assessed. If they don’t get trimmed on this visit, then they can wait until the next one.

Today it was Albie….

Tiddles….. (with his very-good-boy face and after the debacle with the dentist, it was good to see).

And Newt.

Then we all walked over to the old horses and ponies’ field.  Kolka was trimmed.

Note wee dug – Pepper.  It is a wonder she was never kicked because she was underneath every horse and pony’s hooves with a death wish.

In the end Daisy distracted Pepper away to keep her out from under everyone’s feet or in Jay’s way.  I’m surprised she hasn’t had her nose shaved off!  It was in everything.

Tempus was fugitting along and I had to leave Daisy in charge for the other two horses (I think Iacs and Haakon were trimmed), while I a) put Pepper in the house where she was safe, and b) drove over to Turriefield for my Saturday morning volunteering job of packing vegetables for 2+ hours.

I’m not going to lie – I am exhausted now. I’m having a lie down before the next thing.

Today’s Jaunt

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A few snaps from yesterday evening because I thought the weather was fairly impressive.

The rain came in fast and furious (and, yes, the sheep came running home to bed).

As the shower was finishing up, there was a lovely rainbow over the shed.

But sadly no pot of gold, I checked.

Anyway, on with today.  I took the “Eggbox” to town to fill up with supplies and bedding for everyone.

It was touch and go at one point whether I would get the food shopping in, but I managed.  While I was at the shops, I somehow cricked my neck which was not helpful.

I was welcomed home, cricked neck and all, feeling rather grotty.

I had to lug everything out of the Eggbox and distribute it to it’s rightful place – note, important sheepie snacks.

New wellies (because the other pair are Floss’ and my pair sprung one of those leaks where you’re not sure if your feet are wet or not. They were).

Anyway, I spent my afternoon channelling my inner Great Great Aunt Kate and had a rest on my bed plus a cup of tea and some painkillers.  She was a great one for rests. In fact my whole family was.  It is a habit I could happily adopt too.

Afterwards, my neck felt a bit better so I did the afternoon chores feeling energised.

I even gave Newt his own personal little haynet as he is always bullied off the big ones.

 

My finger points to Tiddles who is our bully and not very nice to Newt.  They are not friends.

So that’s me in pain and hoping my neck will sort itself out soon, please.

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Sharing and Not Sharing

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Some share better than others. It depends.

(This morning I found Fivla and Vitamin in the wee shed together so I popped both their buckets in).

Waffle is a kind pony and will always share his bucket with care-in-the-community Albie who seldom eats out of his own bowl by himself.  I give Waffle’s bowl extra so no one misses out.

Lambie, of course (and did you even need to ask) cannot share.  He hates it and gets very upset, so he has his own private dining room which makes him happy.  He can then eat in peace.  The other sheep all swap bowls every few seconds which upsets him hugely and he just stands there feeling put upon.

This afternoon, Pepper would not share.  Despite being a non-eating day (she has since rallied and had her tea), she still stole Ted’s fishy shed-treat but, feeling sick, just sat with it. Upon her return to the shed now, however, I heard crunching and it’s vanished.  Poor Ted. Snooze and you lose.

Also, Waffle came up on his own when he heard me open the gate to take the two haynets into the paddock.

The rest came cantering up a few minutes later.

Newt was not sharing.

But the rest were (Silver wasn’t interested so doesn’t count).

Also later on today, I found he old ladies having a discussion about the wee shed (again) – apparently a constant source of oneupmanship or is it oneupponyship?

(Fivla was not budging).

So, in conclusion, some animals share, some don’t and some won’t.  It depends.