Mud, mud, glorious mud: welcome to the Great British winter

Madeleine Silver's avatar
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Published In Features
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Percy Hunt 09.02.13 TOM FAIRFAX FALLS IN MUD TREV'S 66TH BIRTHDAY!!!
(Image credit: TREVOR MEEKS)

There's actually a lot to like about winter — hunting, racing, warm baths after a freezing hack... But unless you're verging on mad, mud is not one of them. Whether you are the owner of a grey, take a tumble out hunting or have a You've Been Framed! moment getting stuck trying to catch your horse, it will have haunted you one way or another this winter. And all you can do is Keep Calm And...

Grey horse problems
(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Grey horse problems

Ah yes, now you remember why you dithered over buying a grey

A bit of mud isn’t going to dampen a Grand National victory
(Image credit: Bill Selwyn)

A bit of mud isn’t going to dampen a Grand National victory

Rule The World and David Mullins clinch the 2016 Grand National title at Aintree

Muddy McCoy
(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Muddy McCoy

AP McCoy certainly experienced his fair share of mud during his race-riding career, pictured here at Chepstow

The dreaded gatewaysStandby for some comedy falls as you chase your horse around the field
(Image credit: Storm Johnson)

The dreaded gatewaysStandby for some comedy falls as you chase your horse around the field

Standby for some comedy falls as you chase your horse around the field this winter

I’ve got this… Percy Hunt 09.02.13 TOM FAIRFAX FALLS IN MUD Percy follower Tom Fairfax scrambles back to his feet TREV’S 66TH BIRTHDAY!!!
(Image credit: TREVOR MEEKS)

I’ve got this… Percy Hunt 09.02.13 TOM FAIRFAX FALLS IN MUD Percy follower Tom Fairfax scrambles back to his feet TREV’S 66TH BIRTHDAY!!!

Mud? What mud?
(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

Mud? What mud?

This Beaufort hound can't see what all the fuss is about

Evan Jobling Purser afetr fall mud muddy Time to get busy with a stiff brush
(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

Evan Jobling Purser afetr fall mud muddy Time to get busy with a stiff brush

Grey or bay?
(Image credit: GROSSICK RACING 07710461723)

Grey or bay?

Grafite and Charlie Poste after a muddy afternoon at Haydock

In disguise
(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

In disguise

You'd be for given for thinking these York & Ainsty South hounds were black Labs...

Not quite show ring ready…
(Image credit: Chris Cook / PLEASURE PRINTS (ar)

Not quite show ring ready…

Things get a little muddy at the Royal Welsh Show in 2009

All in the name of a good day out
(Image credit: matt barnard)

All in the name of a good day out

A Quorn follower kicks on after a muddy fall

Happy grooming
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Happy grooming

Madeleine Silver
Madeleine Silver
Former features editor

A graduate from Durham University, Madeleine joined H&H in 2011 and became Features Editor — producing content across the magazine and website, including the popular inside back cover article ‘The horse that made me’ and the weekly ‘The best of my fun…’ interview. She has written on topics as diverse as hay making and headcams, to hot totty in the horse world and circus horses. Madeleine now works as a freelance feature writer for Country Life, The Telegraph, Horse & Hound, cntraveller.com, The Spectator and The Field, as well as writing obituaries for The Times.