Don't Ask The Weatherman to be ordinary on the gallops

Occasional mornings on the gallops are a great enhancement of racehorse ownership, and that applies to watching point-to-pointers, too.

Their trainers operate on a different financial scale to members of the licensed profession, and, while some use all-weather gallops religiously, many are limited to carving out a fitness regime on farmland, hills, fells and even sand dunes. The smaller the yard the more diverse the routine is the general rule.

While watching horses is gratifying there is nothing quite like joining the string, a method preferred by some owners – and journalists. I wouldn't expect my 6ft 2in frame to be legged up on a two-year-old, but most jumps trainers and point-to-point yards I visit finds one for me to exercise.