Tag Archives: Storm

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.

Apple Peelings

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I made apple crumble today.  The apple peelings and cores were sitting in the “for animals” box and I thought to myself “who would like this most?”

So I clambered over the fence into the hill field where the Shetland ponies live and decided that, as they had done so well in the storm, they deserved a small treat.

That went down very well with the troops.

However, Albie was not too sure – they were cookers, after all and quite tart.

I know that the ponies like playing with anything, so I put the empty box down for them to investigate or play with.

I knew Newt wanted to see if there was anything inside…..

But the others were not going to let him near it without a small discussion first.

 

Newt made his argument.

Albie lost interest and Waffle almost said no but he had already played with the box so he quickly gave in.

And then box was Newt’s.  Sadly it was empty now but it didn’t stop him having a full investigation because there might be some secrety apple peel/core compartment no one knew about.

 

The ponies are enjoing life at the moment in their hill field, mostly because we are between storms and it is also quite warm – 10℃ which makes a huge difference too for everyone.

A Rough Day

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Today was rough (74mph wind recorded today in Fair Isle).  I started my morning with the sheep as they were close by but I couldn’t find Dahlia and Gussie because they like to spend their nights outside in another field.  They hadn’t turned up for breakfast so I just fed the ones who were around.

After nearly being blown over on a couple of occasions while feeding the horses, I went back and put up two haynets for the sheep so, if they decided not to go outside (and no one would blame them), they would have food to eat.

I couldn’t see the Shetland ponies either and it was certainly no weather to go looking in.  Later on in the morning, I spied them huddling by a dry-stone wall and Dahlia and Gussie were close by too.

They came in and I gave them a late breakfast.

This was much to the rage of the hobbitses-sheep who would quite like another one since I had mentioned breakfast again.

I was glad I had found D&G as I worry more in this weather.

I think Maggie was pleased to see her hill friends too.  She spends a lot of time with them. Maybe it’s a black sheep thing.

Dahlia gave me a lovely smile.

And so did Gussie-Dustbin (his new name).

When I went back outside the ponies had come closer and were now asking for their breakfast, which I luckily had with me, so they ate it and bounced off again.  The weather is calming down now. I have run out of outdoor clothes. They are all soaked through.

A Tad Feisty Out There!

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It’s a tad feisty out there.

These photos are from breakfast first thing. The light was not great.  The big ones are savyy and know never to lift their heads until all food is finished, or they will lose their buckets to the wind.

One of the sheds offered a sheltered wall and I hid the Vitamin and Fivla behind it.

For the others, they all stopped bickering and ate their food quickly. Even Newt shared which is unheard of.

It was a day of wild hairstyles!

I could see that the container was used overnight (poo evidence) and was pleased the ponies have learned that they have options, especially when it is raining.  Even using the container as a wind-break in their new track is their favourite place to stand.

Around every corner is a sheep staying out of the fierce wind.

There is plenty of grass around the house and in fields so they make their own choices, usually leaving ‘Ster behind. He hates going under certain fences and then finds himself all alone in the world and I have to sort it out.  There is pitiful baa’ing at my front door.

During the day, the horses ignored the wind while Fivla and Vitamoobag stood at the bottom of the valley with a dry stone wall taller than them for shelter.  I know for a fact there will be no wind down there.

And at the moment outside, it is an ambient F10 with a bitter north wind.  I am bored of this now, thank you.

Be Prepared

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We have a storm forecast and it’s not going to be fun. So today I decided to be prepared.

I went around the croft with Skippy making sure everyone would be ok if we couldn’t get to them.

The old horses and ponies should be fine. They have grass and unlimited shelter down the bottom of their field.  They won’t be rugged as rugs can fly off (despite leg straps) causing problems.

And they are all well-covered (cough “fat”).

I would rather they found their own safe place rather than me dragging them into a very noisy/scary shed for four days. Fivla would definitely disagree. She loves the shed (cough “fat”).

Duck Shed #1 got a container full of fresh water, and another of grain.  I made fresh beds of straw too, for the hens.

Duck Shed #2 had the same – this is where the latest duck family have decided to live, which means there is less over-crowding and arguments.

I spread the remainder of the straw in the sheep shed, put out fresh water and have their breakfasts ready for the following mornings (somewhere where they won’t be able to easily raid).

Then it was time for the Shetland ponies on their new winter track.

I washed their old water bucket and filled it up with fresh water so there is easy access and everyone will drink – so important.  I also put a spare fresh water container outside the fence (so no nibbling, thank you Albie who wrecks) ready to refill the water bucket when needed.

I was pleased to see Waffle instantly come over to drink.  The others followed too, so that’s good, they know there is fresh water. I refilled the bucket again.

(there is also a stream at the bottom of their track, but I doubt they know that).

What else?  It will come to me, but probably as I am fighting the wind tomorrow.  This storm is for four days.  I am dreading it.