Horse trials are being abandoned all over the country this weekend as the wet weather does its worst.
But it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good, as they say, and eventers’ bad luck may prove of assistance to paralysed eventer Claire Lomas, who has been walking the 26-mile London Marathon course since Sunday in a robotic suit.
Riders, including Francis Whittington, Lucinda Green and Laura Collett, are urging their friends to donate their unused start fees from this weekend’s cancelled competitions to Claire’s appeal.
And others will use the unexpected free time to walk a couple of miles with Claire.
Claire hopes to raise more than £50,000 for Spinal Research with her walk and so far has reached £34,671.90.
