Warmed up by jumpers: Channon beats the freeze by embracing the winter game

Still only November but already minus five on the gallops at West Ilsley and Mick Channon is feeling the pain of his staff. In a matter of weeks it'll be down around minus 13 – if the trainer's anecdotes are to be believed – and the lads and lasses trying to restrain unruly youngsters on a wintry morning will have their work cut out.

It's not like a full-time jumping yard, where horses and riders will be in full swing. There'll be "nothing much happening – the hardest time of year for everybody" but the horses will have to be exercised whatever the weather and blood will be freezing in the fingertips.

"That's what I admire about the jumps boys," says Channon, "they're always so positive, they get out on these horses that are all broken and all ridden and everything's lovely. Then you try and get on a two-year-old here and the lads can't hold the reins because it's so cold and there's snow on the ground and it's ****ing freezing.