Tag Archives: winter

Sheep, “Fit the Second”

1 Reply

Last night after supper, I went back to the sheep shed in the pitch dark (I am scared of the dark) and quickly checked there was no more fighting.  Everyone was peaceful.

This morning the weather remained truly revolting.  Not to be trifled with.  Floss and I threw food at everyone and ran back indoors as fast we could.  We did the whole lot in under 3/4 of an hour, which is quite an achievement.

Later, I went out again.

Even though I had left the field gate propped open, the sheep hadn’t gone out, preferring their shed along with three full haynets, and two lick buckets.

They were happy and calm, so I found myself a spot and sat down on the straw.

(Even Barrel was behaving himself).

First up were the new double-act – Maggie and Gussie.  They are the best of friends.

Lambie is in love with Dahlia, who is not in love with Lambie…..

… even though he is an obvious catch.

And this was as near Madge got to me.  The words “Hell freezes over” sound familiar.

But Gussie was surprisingly chatty.

And this is as near as Lambie got to me today.

Maggie was also demanding attention.  She smiled so sweetly, it was hard not to be her friend.

Bert snuggled up on my left side.  I gave him many hugs, pleased to see he was feeling happier.

….. while these two were on my right.


And then Gussie plonked himself down and settled into the task of chewing his cud.

And then Bert plonked himself down on my left and was very settled too.

Lots of cuddles and stroking.

I stayed for an hour, playing classical music on my phone so we could relax.  I always enjoy being with the sheep like this.  So peaceful, even though it was raging outside.  The gap between Gussie and Bert was where I was sitting, propped up against the wall.

Rugs and Moving Fields

2 Replies

These days, it’s a toss-up as to what and how much I can do.

But, as ever with my back, every day is a new oneand the pain is never the same (when it stays the same, I begin to panic). When I wake up in the morning, I can usually gauge my potential achievement level. Last night, I had definitely overdone things but today my back had forgiven me.

This is the last day before the gale, rain and possible snow arrive so Floss and I changed the rugs to thick ones on the old horses and ponies. Then Floss went to work and I went off to throw celery stalks at the Shetland ponies. I could see their field was not looking its best anymore and they were all a bit depressed. I hate that for them.

So I made a decision. I put a nice rug on Tiddles (ok, he’s wet but I can’t dry him and it is better than nothing), and then led him through the inter-connecting gate to the last field the old horses/ponies had been living in. They all dutifully followed. In this field, there is more shelter as it is in a valley with lots of very high dry-stone walls. There is also a bit more grazing. Nothing special, but it will do. The ponies were thrilled and I was left feeling that I had made a good decision. They will be alright in the next gale and I don’t have to worry about anyone now.

Then I went inside to work on the Diaries and I had some help. The head torch is to help me see the teensy tiny writing of August 1947. The help was very licky. Yuk!

Rugs On Today

2 Replies

I’ve not been very energetic today as I’m not feeling very well – back pain, sciatica, general malaise.

I had one thing planned – to put rugs on the older horses and ponies.  So Flossie and I managed to carry down five rugs to get on before the rain for the day set in.

I also cut tails a bit shorter as I know everyone hates treading on long tails.  I might’ve been a bit over-ambitious. I can never tell until the job is done.  Never mind. It will grow back.

I think everyone was quite pleased to have their rugs on as it started raining almost the minute we clipped the last one into place.

I tried to take a nice photo of all three Icelandic horses looking smart so Haakon and Iacs stuck out their tongues.  Honestly.

We can do better, I told them.  So they did.  Much better.  Thank you.

(is it me, or do they look like a now-photo of an 1980’s band?)

And then it started to rain, so Floss and I walked the perimeter of the field with the dogs, putting fence posts back that had fallen over in previous storms, and I went back to bed, where I’ve been tucked up with a hot water bottle all day.

Fresh Grazing

1 Reply

Everyone is fed up.  I could tell.  The fields that had grass are now almost bare.  While that’s fine for younger and fatter Shetland ponies, it is not ok (apparently) for the others.

So, I rallied the troops and we went down to the field that is inside the Shetland pony summer track.  The grass here hasn’t been grazed for two years and it could do with being eaten down.

We pulled up all the plastic electric fence posts that I had previously carefully planted in two straight lines to join the track up at both ends.  And then we wound up all the electric fence wire as well because if anyone can trip over, walk through or ignore an electric fence, it is Kolka and Iacs.  They are my two worst (read stupid) culprits who instantly get tangled up and then just stand there saying nothing for hours.  It is all cleared now and put away carefully for possible use another time of year.

Then I called the horses, who had all been watching me from a distance. I could hear them hoping and I quickly caught Kolka, as she was the first to arrive at the gate.  I led her down and the two old men, Haakon and Iacs, in a meandering way, followed.  Once through, though, Iacs did a happy buck and Haakon trotted off.  Heads down and eat.

The two old ladies were brought down by Flossie as they couldn’t work out where everyone had gone.

Vitamin trotted happily off to find the grass.

And I’ve not seen hide nor hair of anyone again.  Lovely.  Oh yes, and the younger Shetland ponies are all now sulking hugely as they only have their grotty 25 acre field to find something to eat in.  One word – “Track”, guys.

 

To The Doctor

5 Replies

As OH managed to get up our track and escape to town yesterday, I decided to make an appointment with our GP to talk about my dreadful sciatica.  Things are no better and I am getting very depressed with it.

Of course the Jimny (our 4×4) had a flat battery out of nowhere having gone to town the day before.  IT HAD ONE JOB!  (I could’ve seriously undone the handbrake by a cliff today and watched it roll off).

So OH kindly took his van up to the road (not the best in snow/ice) spending a good 45 minutes digging it out every time it got stuck on our track – now slush and ice.  I walked up and off we went.  The actual road was fine.

The GP was kind.  She could see and understand my predicament and we talked about a plan of action with regard to a regular painkiller regimen rather than me trying to stay off them, which is what everyone always advises.

Home, and I went to bed and slept all afternoon feeling a bit happier that a) it is now thawing, b) I have a painkiller dr-approved plan and c) the grass is beginning to appear and we can hopefully feed everyone less, though they are all hanging around expecting waitress service still.

I haven’t the heart to tell them they broke the waitress!