Daniel’s autumn routine includes trudging under the stars every night up the steep stony track to his field. Now the only one of our three horses sleeping outdoors, he wolfs a hearty supper before venturing into the darkness.

Last week’s crisp sunny days ended in clear moonlit evenings that shone the way to the gate at the top of the path.

Daniel always pauses halfway up the hill to look back at the twinkling lights on the canal boats and the comforting glow from the stable yard.

“’Oo the ’eck’s that?” he asked the other night as an owl hooted loudly from a belt of black trees. “At least them fezants don’t alarm folk after bedtime,” he said, plodding off to join his new friends, Rex and Minty.

Work on the eagerly-awaited horse showers came to a temporary halt for a few days as the Boss waited for a digger. But last week saw a renewed flurry of activity, with the large hole completely covered over and a trench excavated for water and electricity cables.

After a trying day in the office on Friday, Jenny arrived in the dark to find that work had progressed further. Headcollar in one hand and dog lead in the other, she plunged into eight inches of gloopy unset concrete. As she attempted to cover her tracks, literally, the lurcher waded knee-deep beside her. Fortunately, the Boss had gone home and the trench was so recently filled that the glutinous mixture largely settled itself down again.

Other ladies at the yard were not so lucky, leaving clear footprints on the damp concrete.

“Whose foot is that?” growled the Boss, examining a particularly conspicuous imprint. He embarked on a Cinderella-style quest to find the culprit, asking ladies to put their boots on the mark to find a perfect fit.

Meanwhile, Daniel is stoking up for the winter by adding home-made Bakewell tart to his ever-growing list of afternoon snacks. He helped himself to a generous portion of the delicacy, bought from the nearby café, on Sunday. Many horses have a sweet tooth, with one bay mare at the yard expertly sucking the chocolate off Maltesers before spitting out the inner core.

Despite his craving for sugary treats, Daniel’s basic diet of oats, nuts, carrots and home-grown haylage is working wonders for his performance.

On Saturday, Steve leapt a challenging “skinny” log placed at the bottom of the cross-country field by the Boss to test his clients.

Steve’s whoop of delight at clearing the formidable obstacle at the first attempt could be heard on the canal towpath.

“I’m just a jumpin’ machine these days,” Daniel boasted.

Jenny Loweth & Steve Wright