Daniel crashed out of Baby Horse’s stable sending startled ladies scattering for cover.

“Gerrow‘t way. I’m breakin’ out,” he said, his rug straps bursting like Peter Rabbit’s coat buttons as he squeezed determinedly under the protective grille.

He had been imprisoned to stop him rubbing his face raw on the stone door frame of his own box. The poor chap, who has been plagued by flies all summer, has numerous cuts and sores on his head and ears. In desperation, we put him behind bars to save him from himself until his new field, higher above the canal, became available.

But Daniel, always quick to spot an escape route, took full advantage when the door was left open. He limboed under the bars in a mad dash that would never have occurred to Baby.

Fortunately Daniel, who usually flees full pelt over the canal bridge to his field, came to a sudden halt. He was faced with the tantalising choice of the feed room, haylage store or Little Harry’s breakfast bowl.

“Can’t be bovered now,” he said as he was led, sulking, back to the stable.

The horses seem to be touched by midsummer madness.

On Sunday, Baby set himself up to leap the fence separating his field from a deep pond. “Oops, maybe not,” he squeaked, stumbling over a tiny log, his mad amber eyes searching for what might be in the water.

Meanwhile, Mrs Horse nibbles on roses and thistles during her ambles down the lane. She plucked a long strand of rambling rose from the hedgerow and chewed thoughtfully as it trailed between her front hooves.

Baby, trundling along next to her, contemplated the delicacy. If he hoped to replicate the famous scene from Lady and the Tramp by munching on the other end of the stem, one glare from the black mare must have convinced him otherwise.

Sophie has spent a week putting Daniel through his paces. The pair leaped a 3ft 2in bar in the showjumping field – a record height for the jockey.

The Boss is busying haymaking in the cross country field, where Daniel’s duck phobia resurfaced. “Donald”, possibly disturbed by the grass cutting, emerged suddenly from the undergrowth. Daniel, whose terror of anything feathered and flapping has caused many spills over the years, galloped sideways, leaving Sophie clinging round his neck.

The Land Rover should be fixed by this weekend, just in time for a number of our favourite competitions. Steve and Daniel have entered the first class in a one day event at Broomhill Equestrian on Sunday. Steve rates his chances of remembering any of the dressage test as practically nil. Mrs Horse is practising for Gargrave and Malham, leaping challenging gates and walls in the showjumping field.

And Baby, well who knows what lies ahead for him?

Jenny Loweth & Steve Wright