Okay, not mud, actually, just wet sand.  Muffin was a bit of a saucy thing in our lesson on Wednesday (by that I mean she had moments where you feel like you are sitting on a barrel of TNT, match at the ready), so my trainer won't make a decision on our show hopes until next lesson.  In her defence, Maggie was in season, and this late in the year, she is INSISTENT in her cycle.  So, it looked like the next couple days were going to be wet, so my instructions were to ride her outside, in the rain, since she gets goofy in it (truthfully, I hate it too, I mean I'm 40 now, I'm more inclined to just scratch a ride.  Not that many years ago, riding the jumpers on the grass, huge corks in, nearly sleet coming down, well, that was then, this is now, and the kinder gentler world of Dressage!).

So, Thursday, alas, I missed the rain, but it was like 13C or something ridiculous, and I rode in the outdoor.  Footing was great because of some rain.  Sand is always lovely with a bit of rain.  Now the outdoor is a bit away from the barn, this is important, because I can't see the footing before I get down there...

Friday, missed the rain, no big deal, again, cooler, out we go to the outdoor... and it's puddle city!!!  We all know that if there's puddles, it actually means that the base is good, so it's safe to ride on, which it was, but man I hate that.  So, I warned Maggie that if she dumped me in this slop, she was in serious trouble.  And not ONE hesitation, not one.  She pounded through that crap getting sand all the way up all her legs, on her belly, walk, trot, canter.  Of course she was wrapped, which is NOT good, because they get wet and heavy, although, because I wrap a lot, they stayed on well.  I can't say we were out there long, but we did work out there, even though we both thought it was stupid!

I was very proud of Miss Magnolia, granted, she'd come out of season, but this is the mare that will do contortions to get out of passing by the little drip in the arena...  Maybe she IS growing up!