What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[David Stepney]

Falling off a horse is 'de riguer' in horse riding. (Its a bit like motorcycling really) My own horse, Misty had a habit of expanding his chest when doing up the saddle girth ( the strap that goes round the horse's chest to keep the saddle on) so that i was fooled into thinking it was tight. Normally, I would check it again before we set off, but there were occasions when I forgot. predictably, the saddle would slip and I would fall off. To his credit, Misty always came back  and put his nose down to me as if to say "What on earth are you doing down there?"  His companion ,Starlight was a different proposition altogether. he was definitely not a novice ride and would unhorse me at the slightest provocation. Fortunately, he was only a 10 1/2 hand pony (about 3'6") so it was a bit like falling off the kitchen table.

I note that there has been some discussion about stopping on horseback. Pulling back on the reins is the standard way of bringing a horse to a stand. And, yes, I have had horses bolt with me - a terrifying experience - but I managed to regain control.

On balance, I think that I prefer an out of control horse to an out of control motor car - as I have said in a previous post, horses have a strong sense of self preservation; something that cars  (and motor bikes) do not have.

[Chris Garner]

.. Pulling back on the reins is the standard way of bringing a horse to a stand..

I have a friend whose relative in the '50s learned to drive only late in life. Whenever he braked, he would lean back, clutching the steering wheel saying " Whoa " !!

[Dave Mann]

I'm not really interested in the average horse but have spent ages watching the heavy horses at work at Storpaine they are very impressive with the way they effortlessly drag whatever behind.

[Chris KC]

.. Pulling back on the reins is the standard way of bringing a horse to a stand..

I have a friend whose relative in the '50s learned to drive only late in life. Whenever he braked, he would lean back, clutching the steering wheel saying " Whoa " !!

Reminds me of the airline pilot who (anecdotally) when driving to work attempted to avoid an imminent collision by pulling back on the joystick...

[David Stepney]

Following a fairly wet and mild night, today was the first time that the track up to my home (which has a 1 in 4 hill with hairpin bends at the top and bottom) became passable to vehicles other than those with  four wheel drive. Since the Seven has not been out since Christmas, when I used it for a few days as my daily driver for no other reason than I wanted to, I took it out to go and get dog and cat food and some general supplies. Apart from the battery being flat first thing ( Leon has been moving it in and out of the garage to work on his Morris Minor) it behaved impeccably 'comme d'habitude'.

[robert regan]

there cannot be many of us reading this little drift away from mechanical horses to the real living breathing animal, my mind went back 65 year's to to an horse, called Queenie and her job in life was towing a small cart picking up waste food from the local fish and chip shops i.e fish heads and any other offle or left overs of any sort and a round through local streets collecting any vegetable waste mostly potato peeling's to feed to pigs kept by her owner, all of which were boiled up in enormous cast iron pot, the owners son and another friend of mine used to ride on Queenie, no saddle of course and she had some kind of alter or bridle for control, one day we were walking her back home through the back lanes of our little valley town here in south and they convinced me to ride on her back as soon as they helped me up they dropped the rein slapped Queenie on the rump and of we went galloping off down the lane with me hanging on in grim fear of my demise my two friend's !!!, were helpless with laughter leaving me with a lifelong memory Regards to all Rob.

[Bob Olive]

A little further off thread I'm afraid, but the boiling up of kitchen waste reminds me of a pig-breeding customer of the bank I worked in who collected all the local schools' waste and and boiled it all. When I visited his yard, he showed me the thick layers of grease floating on the top of the vat, saying 'That's where the money is..." I queried this and he revealed that he sent a weekly consignment of this muck to a well-known ladies make-up company - apparently for face-cream and other products!!

[kenkimber]

When I was lad I remember a blacksmith ticking me off when I referred to a horse pulling a cart. He said draught horses never pull anything they are actually pushing the cart, plough or  whatever because all of the force is directed into the harness by the horses chest and if you examine their discarded horse shoes you will see they are worn more at the front than the back as the animal puts its effort through the front of the hoof.
My father also said horses were Dangerous at both ends and uncomfortable in the middle, he also said if you own anything with a mouth it will keep you poor - I’ve often wondered if my brother and I were included in that observation !

[Colin Morgan]

Don't tell the lunatic Ed Milleband. Driving the Seven around locally I think I know all the pot holes and dropped man hole covers and avoid them so my course isn't a straight line and I notice the modern drivers don't try to avoid such hazards. Here's a photo I couldn't resist taking
 

This reminds me of when my Ruby found itself in Knutsford in the company of giants... 

   

[Steve kay]

So do you rub shoulders with WAGs in smart bars in Knutsford or golf courses outside Altrincham? Parking flanked by large and vulgar cars biult in Germany, America and by Indian companies?  Long Live Longbridge!