Mud!

I saddled up for a Sunday ride and found it still too icy in the fields- Beamer went but had to be really cautious, so it wasn't much fun. So we went up on the gravel road, which doesn't have much gravel on it right now, it's more like hard pan and was good footing, so we settled into a nice long trot for a mile or so, with the dogs trailing happily along. As I was riding I noticed that the dogs were covered in mud, and knew that I'd have to hose them down when we got back. So after the ride I get off Beamer and this is what he looked like:

He was just caked! The dogs were muddy but happy.

Out came the hose, and they all got a bath. Poor Beamer, it must have been awful to get cold water sprayed up on his boy bits but I couldn't turn him out covered in wet mud! I dried him with towels then put his polar fleece blanket on him, it wraps under his belly when the straps are done up. He dried off nicely in an hour or so. The dogs got to hang out in the room where the wood stove is after their bath.

Now I have to clean the mud off my boots, cinch and saddle, as well as Beamer's splint boots- who'da thunk a leisurely Sunday ride would turn into so much work!