All the ponies were far away this morning on the other side of the track.

When I shouted, though, they all came running up, for their breakfast.

All except for Fivla who is always last.  The mud on the track has returned and is deep.  She struggles to get through it – a combination of short legs and a rug don’t help her.

But she got there in the end and ate her breakfast away from the rabble, which I think she appreciated.

Meanwhile, the rabble were having a row, ie Newt was bouncing with attitude.  He can’t help himself.  He just gets narky around food.

I steer clear. I know how he works.  Small means nothing to Newt. He just requires a bit more effort to keep everyone away.

There are 8 bowls out for 6 ponies so they can argue, steal and/or rudely push each other out of the way, but they will always find another bucket to eat from.

Storm and Albie irritate everyone else the most – they always have to share with someone so I keep offering them another of my spare buckets to avoid an argument.

Success!  Everyone eating from their own bowl.

And then Tiddles arrived and it all started again.

We are due more and more rain which is depressing as it was just beginning to dry up and that was a blessed relief.

So we’re back to mud again.  Grrr. Here is Shetland, the mud is known as “gutter” and it is this that we all agree – we’ve had enough of it.