COPING WITH MUD AT SHOWS - AUGUST 2017

Having just returned from a rather wet and muddy Hickstead this blog seemed very appropriate. Unfortunately not every show ground has endless concrete and hard standing. So how do you cope when its mud, mud and more mud?

I always pack spares of pretty much everything, especially boots, bandages, numnahs, towels and rugs. I can guarantee the one time you don’t pack spares it will rain, be muddy and you’ll drop something and it’ll get filthy.

Pack as many towels as you have room for. There’s no point washing off a horses legs and then wading through ankle deep mud to get back to the stable, so in these situations it’s a case of carefully washing legs and feet in the stable and towel drying thoroughly, trying not to soak the bed in the process (often easier said than done).

Not all stables are on hard standing so having a separate tack stable or a portable tack locker as we have is a god send when the weather is bad. We always have tarpaulin and stable drapes in the lorry as well for those unexpected wet weather and muddy occasions. 

Thankfully at Hickstead they had tractors on standby to tow lorries out and a gator to tow tack lockers out of the stables. 

I always check my iPhone weather app and the met office app at least a week before a show so I can try and gauge what to pack and how much, just make sure you use the location of the show ground. However this isn’t always accurate so always be prepared for the unexpected, and think about what you need to pack for yourself as well. I made this mistake last year at Sheepgate premier league, having checked and then double and triple checked the weather it said it was meant to be dry and sunny all week so I didn’t take my wellies, well we were ankle deep in mud all week, I have now learnt my lesson and pack wellies all year round however nice the weather is suppose to be!

I also always pack extra layers such as jumpers and coats, some places are always windy and chilly despite lovely weather so again be prepared for that, and I cant stand getting wet feet, so extra socks is a must for me.

Being friends with lots of the other grooms is great because no matter how bad the weather or conditions get we all seem to keep each other’s spirits up and keep going, its also great to get tips and ideas from others on coping with different conditions and experiences.

Remember the Great British summer time isn’t always reliable, well weather in general, so always be prepared!