I’M (just about!) old enough to remember horse care before the advent of modern waterproof, washable and durable equine clothing. When I was about 10 Santa Claus kindly delivered a New Zealand rug for my pony.

Weatherproof materials at the time consisted of wool and waxed canvas so the rug was stiff and unwieldy, with heavy leather straps to hold it in place. When it was wet it weighed more than I did, so getting in on to the pony involved climbing onto a bale beside him and slowly heaving it over his back.