Tag Archives: Storm

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.

Icelandic horse eating

Never Again!

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Sorry for the 24hr absence.  I pressed a button when I was trying to update the blog. However, I have learned my lesson.  I will never do that again, I promise.

Go back 36 hours (yesterday morning) when I had a very helpful meeting with Rene Looper from Tuminds – a dedicated social media training business – about my blog. The meeting was very useful and, as I am self-taught, I wanted to know if I was covering all my bases and getting it right.  I have homework now.

Anyway, we chatted about the blog’s statistics and I said “hang on, I can tell you what the numbers are and where from” but I couldn’t – nothing appeared.  So after the meeting, I decided to upgrade as WordPress kept saying I should (I thought I might get my very useful statistics back too) and with that the blog vanished into “Critical Error” territory.  I felt sick.

Anyway, I am lucky as Nick Miners is the poor chap ultimately responsible for my blog’s health and he took over and sorted everything. It was touch and go at one point and I have promised never ever to touch anything ever.

And we have a storm coming.  A biggie – 2 days of scary stuff.  OH and I have shut sheds, cleared anything that might blow away, and put food/water in every hen/duck shed ready to keep them shut in for 48 hours, if necessary.  A small price to pay for staying alive.

Shed with door shut

I’ve also moved the old horses and ponies into a sheltered field that has long grass and high walls. I’ve not put on rugs (lots of rain) as it is going to be warm and everyone is very fat – life is a juggling act.

Icelandic horse in field Icelandic horse watching Shetland ponies

For the little Shetlands, I shut one of the containers (for safety) and have haynets ready.

closed container Two Shetland ponies in container

And then this morning, we’ve had an equine dentist visit – all the old horses and ponies had their teeth done (an expensive but essential requirement) and I feel better knowing they are going into winter as good as they can be.

Horse with Equine Dentist

So, wish us luck. Candles are ready for when the power goes and electricals all charged up. All we can hope is to find everyone safe and well afterwards.