Andrea had been riding her horse for most of the morning, wearing full waterproofs because of the incessant light rain. But now the rain had stopped and she was keen to break-in her new Harry Hall leather riding boots with a long walk. The local river is only a couple of kilometres from the farm, and Andrea parked the pickup truck at the start of one of her favourite walks. The fields she walked through were extremely muddy, as a consequence of the days of rain that had plagued the North of England. She splashed happily along the deep, muddy, waterlogged ruts that had been left by a tractor.

In addition to her new riding boots she was wearing a pair of Lycra riding tights, an Ariat competition shirt, a Joules gilet and a long waterproof Rooster rigging coat.

The boots were waterproof to ankle height, thanks to an integral gusset and a waterproof and breathable membrane that lined the foot parts, but when the water reached mid-calf it began seeping through the zips at the backs of the boots. The gradual wetting of her socks spurred her on as she climbed the rolling hills to a secluded area which is always wet and muddy.

Descending into the small glen, the effects of the wet weather were even more apparent a large pond had formed in a hollow which was usually home to little more than a glorified puddle. This time it was above knee deep and her boots filled to the brims as she waded across. Throwing her rigging coat over a tree, she strode along the muddy stream that ran from the temporary pond, with mud over her knees she dropped slowly to a kneeling position and then sat back. This was clearly beyond the point of no return and so she enjoyed the mud to the full.

On the way back to the truck she detoured via the river, sitting on a large rock which was submerged in the water whilst she cleaned-up as best she could. Reclining briefly with the water up to her arm pits she declared that her new boots were now properly broken-in, and with that she put on her warm coat, zipped it up and headed satisfied back to the car.