Thieves have struck at our yard. Ladies, including our friend Lisa, arrived on Sunday morning to find rugs, tack boxes and riding hats gone. In these tough times, police are warning that stable yards, trailers and Land Rovers are especially at risk.

There are even fears in neighbouring West Yorkshire that horses are being stolen to order, but officers assure us that equine theft is relatively rare in both counties.

It is some consolation for us that Baby Horse and the Land Rover would not be tempting targets. The Land Rover remains seriously broken and it would be persistent rustlers indeed that succeeded in hefting the lumbering and unco-operative Baby into their vehicle.

On Sunday, we at last got the Land Rover to the garage. Jenny felt that a literal “cooling off period” was needed before she faced up to another massive repair bill.

“Think of it as an adventure,” said Steve as he and Jenny stood, stranded in the pouring rain, on the garage forecourt at Steeton.

The breakdown man had followed as we nervously drove the Land Rover to the garage, smoke issuing from under the bonnet. He managed to jump-start it from his own vehicle, warning us to stand back as choking black smoke billowed from the exhaust.

We both leaped in, forgetting to think about how we would get back, having been given instructions on what to do if the engine was about to terminally blow up.

We walked to Steeton Railway Station, caught a train to Skipton and went in search of a bus.

Once at the town’s new bus station, Jenny braved the talking toilets. To a person wary of portable toilets at horse shows, it was a courageous step. She always remembers the story of the poor chap left over-exposed at Gargrave Show many years ago when a portable loo blew over.

As the steel shutter closed on the state-of-the-art convenience and a robotic voice began issuing instructions, she feared she would never see home and friends again.

One piece of good news, as we battle the rain and mud, is that the cavalry has arrived in the shape of Hannah.

She read in a previous Diary we are struggling to exercise our horses because of work and university commitments. After losing the will to live schooling Baby, Hannah is back to ride all three horses. Famed for leaping Baby over the big ski jump in the cross-country field, Hannah is more than capable of licking them into shape.

“I ’ope she knows I’m ’avin to tek it easy,” said Daniel, Hannah’s testing schooling sessions all-too fresh in his mind.