Does anyone else spend the winter wishing the dark evenings, freezing temperatures and mud up to your armpits would hurry up and end… only for summer to arrive with horrendous flies, rock-hard ground and fields with barely any grass?

Now I'm finding myself praying for rain to soften the ground, bring back the grass and reduce the sugar levels. It never seems to end!

Don't get me wrong, I love the sunshine and warm weather, but with the horsebox currently out of action, no school to ride in, and Lux only just coming back into work after nine months off, it's proving quite challenging.

Suzie is walking a fine line between managing the sugars, coping with the heat and trying not to lose any more weight. The ground is simply too hard for her, even with her Flex Hoof Boots, so the occasional gentle wander down the road is about all we can manage on the cooler days.

Boris, on the other hand, is coping surprisingly well. He's lost some weight, settled into the Little Hooves herd brilliantly and he and Suzie are now officially best friends. Watching those two together always makes me smile.

As for Lux... she's currently reminding me that bringing a horse back into work is rarely a straightforward process! Hopefully, with a little patience, cooler temperatures and softer ground, we'll get there.

I had visions of summer shows, evening hacks and rides along the beach. Instead, I'm dodging flies, checking grass levels and hoping the weather gives us a little helping hand.

Come on, August... we're ready for you!