Tag Archives: Shetland pony

Grubby Little Boys

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Last year I took down part of the Shetland ponies’ track and put all the plastic fence posts into a big tonne bag in case I needed them again.  The bag was left securely tied to the fence post. Since then, every time I walked past the bag, I thought to myself that those fence posts would be better off in the shed.

It was a big task so I split it up into doable bite-size chunks and every day (if I remembered) I would go down the hill and take up a few fence posts to put in the shed until it was empty.  And then today, I went down with a knife and a pair of strong scissors to cut the tonne bag off the fence post, dragging it up the hill to put in the shed.

The ponies spent their morning staring at the vacated spot from the tonne bag.

They knew something was different but they couldn’t quite put their hoof on it…

So far, the track is working well.

Everyone is happy if revolting. Tiddles will not let me brush him so I that’s his choice.

The farrier is coming on Thursday so I might have another go then when Tiddles can’t argue.

Newt is sporting his sleek summer look.

And Albie is also revolting.

Silver is the perfect little white dream pony.

And Waffle optimistically followed me up and down the hill after my tonne bag.

In other news, Little Herself is back on form.

And note-to-self, I must remember to check my brakes!

Dull Start but Brightened

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Some of us didn’t even want to get up this morning, let alone go outside…..

…. as it was a dull and rainy start. But I put on my wet-weather gear and went out with the breakfast buckets.

Afterwards I let the wet and soggy horses and ponies out of their field to eat the grass around the house. Bibble just followed me round looking hopeful.

I decided to make my statutory hand-felted sheep this morning and was met by Fivla who I could tell had designs on my little shed where I work.

She reckoned it was just the right size for a small Shetland pony trying to shelter from the rain (and I probably wouldn’t have minded if she had come in as she is very well-behaved and has been in the house before – tell no one!)

Bibble lurked by, of course.

Once finished making sheep, I returned to the house only to find that Monster might have moved downstairs but he certainly hadn’t woken up.

And, being Shetland, the weather changes very quickly and the afternoon turned much brighter. I drove to West Burrafirth with a friend and her dog (on lead) and we went for a walk.

The views were stupendous.  I hadn’t been here before.  Definitely somewhere to remember.

So that was my day, and how was yours?

To Town (hay) and Ponies

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I’m not sure what really happened today.  Nothing huge – so really my type of day. I started by going into town in the van (mostly to see if it still ran) and brought home a huge round bale of hay because the Shetland ponies will be eating that all spring and summer now.

The ponies need something because absolutely no grass is growing on their track and they mustn’t starve (apparently).

It’s the unforgiving north wind. Temperatures are right down.

Anyway, the van did start and went fine which was a big phew for me.

I have a headache now which possibly means I was stressing about the van as it is 2012 so 14 years old and can be a bit grumbly at times.

So I drove in, bought the hay, and came straight home, stopping for no one. I took Pepper with me as company and she was very good, saying hello to anyone who wanted to talk to her.

And then I’ve been practising “hairdo’s” on Newt.  None of them work very well, though.  He is difficult to find the right style.  I haven’t nailed it.

Little “bovver” boy…..

There are no words.

And then Jedward?  Oh dear.

I think my headache just got worse.

This and That

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It’s been an odd day – not very peaceful and I feel like I’ve spent most of it shouting and feeling agitated or worrying.

Pepper went missing most of the late afternoon.  After walking about looking, yelling and whistling and about to go out in the car to the neighbours to see if she was a-visiting, I eventually found Pepper in my big shed.  I swear I had been in there at least three times looking for her.

So I can’t be cross with Pepper but inside I am raging (mostly with myself for obviously not finding her every time I looked in that shed!)

This morning the sheep were wormed, fluked and checked over.  ‘Ster is not very well again – renal calculi and/or urine infection – so he has had his undercarriage sheared to clean everything up, started a course of antibiotics and painkillers. I also talked to the vet.   He will be drenched daily with ammonium chloride which will hopefully break up the stones.  Poor lad is going around like a wet weekend but perks up mightily when he sees the ginger biccie packet.  Food is worth living for and I must buy more biccies to say sorry for the daily drench which tastes disgusting.

The wind is blowing in force too.  The ground is drying up and actually, you know, I am glad I left the horses and ponies’ rugs on.  It feels like winter out there.  Everyone is very fed up – both people and animals.

As the temperature is also low, I have given the ponies extra haynets because I doubt the grass is growing much, if at all, on their track.

And today’s piece of resistance….

Haakon, looking like he’s in a boy band…

And Newt.  I am sure I had a friend at school who looked like that.  He doesn’t suit a centre parting and neither did she.

Last Night

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I felt bad but it had to be done.

Despite it being a glorious sunny and still evening, everyone who is rugged had to have their rugs put on because tomorrow was going to be a day of shite (that is actual meteorological terminology used frequently in Shetland).

So, I went out in the Eggbox (Suzuki Jimny), like I was going on safari with the boot stuffed full of  rugs, water containers and headcollars.  But first I threw carrots at the little boys and they came galloping over.  Tiddles was easy, standing still, and putting his own rug on if he could.  Then I drove over the open grazing (scattald) to see the old folk.  Diff on, low-range and we off-roaded into the hill.

Again, they galloped down to see me and no one needed asking to stand still or needed a headcollar. I wonder if horses and ponies have a barometer built in, or know when bad weather is imminent? I could feel the appreciation, though and I was right – today is a shitty day – all wind and rain. But I know their rugs are doing their jobs.

Even little FIvla said I could take her rug off possibly in August, but not a minute before!

When I got home, I found Monster had worked out his new bed and was very happy in it too – it’s his Man Cave.  So, win, win.