Farthing came back to me immediately as we cantered down, all my thoughts concentrated now on my own survival without consideration for anyone else. Hugo's bay with its long, easy stride was just ahead of me and I managed to keep a careful distance as we popped over one wall, then down to the other in the valley, clearing it, then checking immediately on landing and not letting her roll on as I cantered towards the ditch. It was more of a stream, actually: wide in places and occasionally deep. You could either kick on and hope for a good stride, or let the horse pause, consider, then give a massive leap which had the danger of unsettling you in mid-air.

Ahead of me, Mum and Iris were sitting straight and tight and putting their legs on as they approached, and I saw them jump long, flat and beautifully. The young farmers flew across, and then Hugo, with perhaps a little less style, but nevertheless, he was over. My turn. I asked Farthing the question a few strides out and the reply could not have been more unequivocal. Her stride lengthened immediately and she soared across the muddy water which glistened darkly beneath us, landing with feet to spare on the other side. Lucas was quickly over too, and then Shona — quite a leap for a small pony and I saw her delighted face — but when I glanced back, I was in time to see Tommy's horse in the water, struggling up the bank. Tommy was clinging to the plaits for dear life as somehow the gray scrambled out, wet and filthy.

We swung back, eyes front, knowing he wouldn't be thrilled to have an audience, and galloped on. The walls came thick and fast now including the next, the biggest and scariest of the day. It was locally known as ‘Oh Crikey’ because Roger's aunt, on encountering it for the first time, had uttered these immortal words. As the four of us checked quite far back, letting the horses have a good look at it, Tommy's gray suddenly tore straight through the middle, banging mine and Shona's legs. Thoroughly out of control, it charged straight past my burly neighbor Reg, past Mum and Babs, and seemed intent on committing the cardinal sin of overtaking Sean, galloping fast.