One thing I’ve learned this winter is to never get in the way of Vitamin and her bucket.

In the afternoon, just before it starts getting dark, I like to have everything ready so there are no arguments.

The ponies had come up from their grazing and were pacing the perimeter fence.

I shouted for Vitamin as she was not by the gate and she knew.

Oh yes, she knew.

As you can see there is a black rope with a clip on the fence as belt and braces in case the gate opens by “accident”.

I was fiddling about trying to open it when Vitamin said “sod that”, pushed through and past me cantering (yes, 30 years old and she canters) into the shed for her bucket!

Swiftly followed by a trotting Tiddles and Fivla.  I shut the gate feeling somewhat flattened by the dinner rush.

When I reached the shed, I found Tiddles in his pen eating, Fivla in her’s and Vitamin pacing up and down like a ravenous fire-breathing dragon.

She was in no mood for reasoning as she pushed Fivla off her bucket.

At the opposite end of their shared pen was another bucket for Fivla.  Don’t feel sorry for Fivla, she does the same to Vitamin when the mood takes her.  They are both old bags these days.

And in the container paddock, this little lot had their scoop of slushy nothingness while I shut them in for the night.

And also, don’t get in the way of Newt and his bucket.  He has a very nasty kicky little arse on him.  He hasn’t quite dared kick me yet – more luck than judgment on my part. And, yes, there are many bowls of slushy nothing but Albie insists on sharing much to Waffle’s dispair.