Baby Horse loves an outing. On Sunday, he was so eager for the treat he walked into the trailer with almost no fuss for the Easter Trail Ride. At Craven Country Ride, he took in the excitement as a procession of riders topped the hillside and headed for the start.

Baby’s mad amber eyes glowed and his rocking horse mane blew in the Spring breeze. Jack and Esme set off, leaving Jenny and Sophie to follow on foot.

Daniel stayed at home because he and Sophie had been put through their paces that morning by event rider David Elms.

Now rising eight, Daniel is catching up on years of neglected schooling. David tried Daniel out for himself, making the little chap trot in balanced circles.

“Get on with it, you lazy toad,” he scolded.

“It’s nowt but ‘ard work and little dinners,” panted Daniel on his eighth lap.

David said his canter was atrocious but found a lot to like.

At Coniston Cold, Baby took the role of trail-blazer over the first row of logs. He had been keen for action when Jenny brought him out of his stable the day before.

Baby failed to stop at the hitching rail, barged into it and tried to climb it, to the amazement of a group of ramblers.

Jenny was proud to see him leading the way through the flags at Coniston, while Mrs Horse followed with Esme, who is building back her confidence.

Jenny and Sophie trekked uphill and down dale, watching riders leaping banks and fences and splashing in the water complexes. Sophie was the first to spot our horses coming into view on a distant hillside. Baby – unmistakable with his big white star and sheepskin noseband – was keeping a steady pace with the black mare.

He finished the day with a splendid leap over a sizeable log. We were all delighted with Baby and relieved our day had gone so well.

One young lady took a ducking in the Craven Splash, but was back on her horse in minutes. Another faller was our friend, Keith Rosier, who was bucked off his eventer Black Jack after jumping a formidable tyre obstacle.

It was the second fall in a week for the former amateur jockey, renowned for sticking to his steeds in a crisis. The previous Monday he was dropped when Black Jack ducked out from a showjump.

Daniel’s fear of meagre suppers almost became reality when Steve gambled away his dinner money during the Cheltenham Festival.

Luckily, his favourite racehorse, Mister McGoldrick, turned a £50 loss into a profit by romping home fourth.

“S’pose them racers ’ave their uses,” said Daniel, tucking in.

Steve Wright and Jenny Loweth