Tail Cutting

Another amazingly calm, if cold, beautiful day in Shetland.

So, armed with a pair of small sharp scissors, I went and cut every horse and pony’s tail off!  No, I just trimmed it really.

I was fed up of seeing the long tails dragging along the ground in the mud and dirt and I am sure they equally hate standing on them.  That must hurt.  So a-chopping I went.

It was very satisfactory work made much easier by everyone’s rare exemplary behaviour.  I barely needed Floss and her headcollars.

We arrived ill-prepared (wrong size of headcollars for the big ones) so I was amazed when Lilja stood there having her tail trimmed for, I think, the first time in her life.

What was more odd was that I caught Brá with just a rope around her neck and she never moved or had an opinion.

Feeling inspired, I went out and trimmed everyone else’s tail in the boy herd at home too.

The Gods must’ve been smiling – there was a beautiful rainbow as well.

So that was a job well done – 19 tails now trimmed.  I was very impressed with my horses and ponies.  They all behaved beautifully.  Like I said, most odd.  It must be Christmas!

12 thoughts on “Tail Cutting

  1. Elisabeth Prothero

    Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you Francis, and thank you for all the email blogs and lovely pictures you continue to send.

    Reply
  2. Terry Golson

    This time of year I sometimes trim my goats’ beards! Othewise, they turn into beard popsicles after drinking water from the bucket 🙂 They don’t tolerate this half as much as your ponies do.

    Reply
  3. Cathy

    Wow, what a beautiful complete rainbow. I trimmed tails this week as well, I’m sure they must be more comfortable without long tails heavy with wet mud.

    Reply
  4. Celeste

    Wow, such well behaved critters! If only my goats/sheep would be that cooperative for toe trimming. Maybe your guys can whisper into my guys’ ears? And that rainbow photo is unbelievably beautiful! Spectacular! Happy Holidays to all of you!

    Reply
  5. janet ainsworth

    I think the Gods had a hand in things..wasn’t today absolutely uplifting for the soul! I’m sure your ponies must have been having a feel good day too..and of course just having the company and attention of ‘mama’ was good enough reason to be standing still and being co-operative!

    Reply
  6. darby callahan

    Wow indeed! that rainbow is amazing. Merry Christmas Frances to you and the family, human, equine, canine and feline! And sheep, can’t forget the sheep, and even the chickens too.

    Reply
  7. Terri

    Stunning photos! Trimming tails is a task I never thought about in my entire life (having only dreamed of owning a horse). Oh my. There are probably myriad other little jobs involved in running a farm/ranch too. How can you remember them all? Well done, indeed!

    Reply
  8. Louise Stopford

    Looks like a spectacular day there in Shetland. Glad that everyone behaved for their tail trimmings – job well done!! Hope you and your family, and of course that includes all the animals, have a really lovely Christmas and I would like to wish you all the best for the New Year. It’s been lovely to follow your adventures during 2018 and I am looking forward to more next year. Thanks for sharing glimpses of your wonderful Shetland life – it has been so enjoyable. All the very best.

    Reply

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